Pongala: aerial survey next year

Thiruvananthapuram: The Attukal Bhagawathy Temple Trust (ABTT) plans to conduct an aerial survey of the Pongala festival from next year for an accurate assessment of the number of devotees participating in the event. Addressing a press conference here on Friday, Trust chairman R. Ravindran Nair, president R. Gopinathan Nair and secretary K.P. Ramachandran Nair said the Trust would join hands with the National Geographic channel for the aerial survey using a helicopter. They said about 30 lakh women devotees were expected to offer Pongala this year. As many as 3,000 police personnel, including 600 women constables, have been deployed. Arrangements have been made to provide water to the devotees. The hearth at the temple will be lit at 10 a.m. signalling the start of the Pongala. At 3.15 p.m., about 200 priests will go around the festival zone to consecrate the Pongala offering by sprinkling holy water. An aircraft will be pressed into service to shower 500 kg of petals. The Trust said 50 portable toilets had been installed at different locations. The Killipalam-Bund Road-Attukal route would be kept free for the use of the police, Fire and Rescue Services, ambulances and emergency services. No one would be allowed to prepare hearths by the side of this road. The office-bearers said people of other faiths were cooperating for the smooth conduct of the Pongala, in a demonstration of secular traditions.