Imagine the bustling, busy and secular capital city coming to an absolute standstill and getting a religious makeover for just a single day every year. There will be no other sounds but those of fervent prayers. There will be no other thoughts but those of the all-powerful Goddess of Attukal.

A city jam-packed with devotees.

As part of this grand festival, women from across the state lineup in the streets of Thiruvananthapuram to pay homage to their beloved goddess.

The Pongala festival of Attukal Bhagavathy Temple is one of the most celebrated and unique festivals in Kerala. It witnesses the largest congregation of women for a festival in the world. As part of the fiesta, women make Pongal (a sweet porridge made from rice, jaggery, coconut and plantains cooked together )and offer it to the Goddess or ‘Bhagavathy’. The goddess fondly called Attukalamma is believed to be an incarnation of Kannaki, the central character of the Tamil epic "Silappathikaaram".

The festival entered the Guinness World Records in 2009 for the maximum participation by women.

Watch the video to understand its magnificence.