Puthiyakavu Pongala is observed at the Sri Puthiyakavu
Bhagavathi Temple located near Kollam Railway Station. The annual Pongala
festival in the temple is observed on the last friday in Kumbham month. The
shrine is dedicated to Goddess Bhadrakali.
The annual festival in the temple is held in Malayalam Meena Masam (March - April). The festival is famous for traditional temple art forms, dance, music, melam, caparisoned elephant and procession. Various Shakteya Tantric pujas and rituals are part of the annual festival.
The annual festival begins with Kodiyettam and concludes with the arattu procession.
Pongala ritual comprises of preparing ‘prasad’ for the deity
outside the shrine. Women cook rice and jaggery in earthen pots and they offer
it to the Goddess. They also cook different type of sweet dishes using rice
powder and jaggery. Coconut tree fronds are used to cook the ‘prasad.’ The temple is decorated during the period with lights, lamp,
plantain, coconut fronds, flowers etc. Holy fire from the temple is taken out to start the fire for
cooking Pongala.
Naranga vilakku is an important offering on Fridays in the temple.
The temple conducts a lot of charity programs including serving good in nearby hospitals and Sanskrit classes.
Daily rice porridge offering is done by devotees.Tuesdays Fridays and Sundays are the most important days in the temple.