Guest guest Posted January 19, 2003 Report Share Posted January 19, 2003 The photographs posted of Pongala are from Professor Dianne Jennett's dissertation RED RICE FOR BHAGAVATI/COOKING FOR KANNAKI: AN ETHNOGRAPHIC INQUIRY OF THE PONGALA TIRUAL AT ATTAKUL TEMPLE, KERALA, SOUTH INDIA. The photos are from 1997. The dissertation was approved in July 1999. As you see from the photo overlooking MG Road, Trivandrum, tens of thousands of women participate. It seems ot be a "new" festival, having developed since a small start in the 1950s when Attukal temple was a very small place and only a few women joined. Each year it becomes larger. One photo shows women wearing mundu, the traditional dress of Kerala. In the photo they are buying a clay pot in which to cook their pongala. My favorite picture is the one I titled "Triumphant Devotee." It shows a woman who must have received whatever sign she believes in that the Goddess has accepted her offering of Pongala and she and her family are assured of continued blessings. I love her expression. The two professors are my Professor Dianne Jenett and her professor Elinor Gadon, Harvard educated, author of THE ONCE AND FUTURE GODDESS, and at that time the chair of the Women's Spirituality Department at California Institute of Integral Studies where Dianne earned her doctorate. Although the festival is so large, many people here are not familiar with it, perhaps because it has recently developed. Posting the photos here I am again moved that Dianne "accidentally" came upon it. Things like this may be why Amma has given blessing for the MA Center and our Women's Spirituality Department to work together, if we ever figure out how that should go. I hope someday Dianne gets her dissertaiton published as a book. Many people would love to read it. She interviews Moslem, Christian and Hindu women of all castes who celebrate Pongala. It's a great story of the Goddess straightening us all out in her inimitable way. Aikya Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 19, 2003 Report Share Posted January 19, 2003 Namah Shivaya dear Aikya, Am happy to realize it's been about a year since you first told us about this on the list. A nice anniversary. When exactly is the festival this year? Since it is the dead of winter here, am unlikely to be cooking outside, but would be fun to prepare and serve as prasad. Also, the photos didn't get through, I think because the server does send attachements to this list. Could you please send to this child separately? There may be others who also want to receive. In Amma's grace, premarupa Aum Amriteshvaryai Namah Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 21, 2003 Report Share Posted January 21, 2003 Here's the message I received from Attukal Temple last week. Looks like the big day is Feb 17. Dear Aikya, Ponkala Festival of 2003 commences on 9 February 2003 and ends on 18 february 2003. The Pongala being held on Monday 17 February 2003. www.attukal.org MAY GODDESS ATTUKALAMMA BLESS YOU ALL. A.B.T.T. Aikya Ammachi, Kenna <kenna@m...> wrote: > Namah Shivaya dear Aikya, > > Am happy to realize it's been about a year since you first told us about > this on the list. A nice anniversary. > > When exactly is the festival this year? > > Since it is the dead of winter here, am unlikely to be cooking outside, but > would be fun to prepare and serve as prasad. > > Also, the photos didn't get through, I think because the server does send > attachements to this list. > > Could you please send to this child separately? There may be others who also > want to receive. > > In Amma's grace, > premarupa > Aum Amriteshvaryai Namah Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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