Dr. Dayan Jennet, the US scholar who led the campaign to include Attukal Pongala in the Guinness Book of World Records, did not miss the festival this time as well. She flew in from the US, as usual, to Tiruvananthapuram to offer Pongala, as she did during earlier years. Dr. Jennet offered Pongala at Sreekanteshwaram on March 3. She had booked the space in advance through her friends in Kerala.
Jennet’s last Pongala visit was in 2023. That time she came with her daughter Jemi. She offered her son Simon’s tulabharam in front of the shrine before she flew back in 2023.
Tulabharam is a vazhipadu, an offering with the concerned person sitting on one side of the huge common balance and keeping the offered commodity of a weight equal to the person’s weight on the other side. Several commodities are used for Tulabharam according to the devotee’s choice, like sugar, coconut, jaggery, fruits, banana, etc. It is a common ritual in almost all major temples in Kerala as well as rest of the country.
Jennet’s maiden Tiruvananthapuram visit was in 1994. In those days, she was doing research on women’s spirituality. Then she heard about the legend and greatness of Attukal Pongala.
In 1997, she offered her first Pongala along with her friends Hema and Lakshmi, a former college teacher and a friend from Chennai respectively. Then she contacted the Guinness Trust and submitted the credentials of Attukal Pongala as the world’s largest women’s festival gathering. Thus, Attukal Pongala was included in the Guinness Book of World Records.
Jennet is a professor at the San Francisco Transpersonal Psychology Institute. She got her doctorate from the Institute of Integral Studies in California on Attukal Pongala. She delivered several speeches on Attukal Pongala in various institutions and universities in the US.
Another prominent person who offered Pongala was Union Minister Sobha Karanjale. The senior BJP leader from Karnataka offered Pongala on the roadside like any other woman devotee. Several prominent women, including matinee idols, offered Pongala.
Highlights from the sacred Attukal Pongala and visit to BJP Keralam Headquarters in Thiruvananthapuram.
Attukal Pongala stands as a magnificent symbol of devotion, faith and the spiritual strength of women. pic.twitter.com/JjyipMRQzc
— Shobha Karandlaje (@ShobhaBJP) March 3, 2026
On this occassion, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has extended his warm wishes to the people on the sacred occasion of Attukal Pongala.
Warm wishes on the sacred occasion of Attukal Pongala. This festival has a special importance for our Nari Shakti. May this auspicious day bring prosperity and good health in everyone's lives. May the spirit of harmony and togetherness be furthered in society.
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) March 3, 2026
BJP Keralam President Rajeev Chandrashekarn greeted all on the occasion of #AttukalPongala
This is my third consecutive year attending the historic #AttukalPongala, famously known as the Sabarimala of Women.
This year feels even more special, coming just days after PM @narendramodi ji honoured our heritage by restoring our state’s name to Keralam.
Today, I had the… pic.twitter.com/ZwPt7CVKkj
— Rajeev Chandrasekhar 🇮🇳 (@RajeevRC_X) March 3, 2026
Attukal Pongala, an annual festival in Trivandrum, Kerala, is a celebration of devotion and a powerful affirmation of womanhood, strength, and unity. Known as one of the largest gatherings of women, the festival brings together thousands of women to offer prayers to Attukal Bhagavathy, an incarnation of Maa Shakti. This sacred occasion, filled with rich traditions and spiritual fervour, continues to be a symbol of empowerment and collective strength.
Attukal Pongala event draws women from all over the state and beyond, creating a vibrant and empowering atmosphere in Trivandrum. It coincides with the Pooram Nakshatram and Poornima in the Malayalam month of Kumbham, which marks the full moon of February or March.
Attukal Bhagavathy is celebrated for her strength in overcoming challenges and injustices, making this festival a tribute to the strength and resilience of women.
