Kerala - Thiruvananthapuram   

Celebrities add charm to `pongala'

By G. Hari Sundar

Thiruvananthapuram March 6. Film personalities and mini-screen artistes gave a touch of glamour to the Attukal pongala festivities today. The noted playback singer, K.S. Chithra, and the actresses, Chippy,Praveena, Valsala Menon, Seema Nair, Chandra Lakshman and Ambili Devi were among those who offered pongala today.

Chithra, who was at Attukal after a gap of several years, offered pongala in 101 pots. "I had prayed to the deity that I would make this offering if I was blessed with a child," said the singer. Among those who offered pongala were `Mahanadi' Shobhana, Bhavana Radhakrishnan, Asha Menon, K. Omanakkutty and K. R. Shyama.

Jyothi Muraleedharan, wife of the Electricity Minister, K. Muraleedharan, offered pongala in front of the Attukal Temple Trust office building. "You know what this is for," she replied smilingly when presspersons asked whether the offering was for Mr. Muraleedharan's success in the coming Assembly byelection.

The DIG of the Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau, R. Sreelekha, Yamini, wife of the Kerala Congress (B) leader, K.B. Ganesh Kumar, Sulaikha, wife of the Cultural Affairs Minister, G. Karthikeyan, Sudha, wife of the Tourism Minister, P. Sankaran, and Sudha, wife of the Labour Minister, Babu Divakaran, also offered pongala.

For Melba Peterson and her sister, Matilda, from France, the smoke-filled atmosphere and the long wait for the sanctification of the pongala was a novel experience. They are in India as part of research work on Indian rites and rituals. The sisters also offered pongala at their friend's house at Manacaud.

The Union Minister, O. Rajagopal, and V.S. Sivakumar, former MP, were in the temple during the "aduppuvettu" ceremony. Mr. Sivakumar was seen supervising the free food supply organised by the INTUC unit, while Mr. Rajagopal inaugurated the "annadaanam" at the Karthika Kalyanamandapam.

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