Chettikulangara Bhagavathy Temple is located near Kayamkulam in Alleppey District in Kerala. The temple is dedicated to Goddess Shakti and is considered highly powerful. The annual pongala festival in the temple is held on the Karthika nakshatra day in Makaram month.
The annual Pongala festival observed in the temple attracts thousands of women devotees. The temple is decorated during the period traditionally.
The fire for Pongala is brought out from the sanctum sanctorum.
'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 – called ‘mandaputtu,’ ‘appam,’ ‘therali’ – made out of rice powder and jaggery. Coconut tree fronds are used to cook the ‘prasad.’
The previous day Makara Bharani is also significance in the temple and numerous rituals are held on the day.