The Chandra Pongal offering conducted in connection with the annual Kumbha Bharani festival of the Valiya Koonambaikulam Sree Bhadrakali temple will be held from 6 p.m. on February 21.
Devaswom Recruitment Board chairman M. Rajagopalan Nair will light the lamp on pongala day and temple tantri Kumarakam Jithin Gopal and melshanthi (chief priest) Sajeev will pass on the fire to pandara aduppu. From there the fire will move to other hearths.
First Friday
“Chandra Pongal is offered on the first Friday of the Kumbha Bharani festival and since Shivratri also falls on the same day, more devotees are expected this time. Around two lakh women are expected to take part in the ritual,” said the temple authorities in a press meet here on Tuesday.
The area within 10 kilometre radius from the temple will be divided into 27 blocks for the smooth conducting of the ritual.
A total of 2,700 volunteers will be deployed and over 200 priests will carry out the sanctification ceremony by splashing holy water on the pongala offering prepared by devotees.
Annadanam
The temple authorities have made elaborate arrangements for the ritual including the provision for food.
There will be annadanam on all days of the festival and the devotees will be provided snacks on pongala day. The 10-day Kumbha Bharani festival will end with the guruthi offering on Februray 29.
