2,336 houses damaged in DK, Udupi, relief works on war footing in Kodagu: Deshpande
Three villages in Kodagu witnessed maximum damage, 825 people rescued, two bodies found
Mangaluru, August 19: Total 2,336 houses were completely damaged in Dakshina Kannada and Udupi districts. But the exact loss of property was not yet ascertained in Kodagu district due to rain-related incidents. Rescue operations were still going on in a war-footing level in the district, said Revenue Minister RV Deshpande.
After visiting the flood affected, landsliding areas and gruel centres and rehabilitation centres here on Sunday, the Minister said that in Dakshina Kannada district, total 1,326 houses were damaged in the rain, of which 299 houses were completely damaged and remaining houses were partially damaged. In Udupi district, 1,010 houses were damaged. In Kodagu district, thousands of houses were damaged. But actual figure was not yet ascertained, he said.
Rescue operation on war footing
Landsliding were occurred in three places like Jodupala, Monnangeri and Madenadu villages in Kodagu district. So far, 828 people were rescued and 825 people were in the rehabilitation centres. All concerned authorities and officers were strictly directed to look after the victims without any problem at the rehabilitation centres till the situation would come under control, he said.
In Dakshina Kannada district, total seven rehabilitation centres were opened for the victims. The government would get the report from the experts on the sudden landslides and other damages in Kodagu district. So far, the government has not received the expert opinion for the landsliding. But he was of the opinion that both man-made and natural aspects were the main reasons for this tragedy, he said.
The state government has already released Rs 100 crore for taking up immediate relief measures in the Kodagu district. Apart from this, the government has also released Rs 50 crore each to Dakshina Kannada and Udupi districts for the purpose. For those who died in the natural disaster in Kodagu, the government has given Rs 5 lakh each compensation and two more people were missing, he said.
Dakshina Kannada district minister UT Khader, former minister B Ramanath Rai, former MLA Vijay Kumar Shetty, MLA Harish Kumar and others were present.
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Thousands of women offer pongala at Attukal Bhagavathy temple
Thiruvananthapuram (PTI): Thousands of women from across Kerala and outside the state offered 'pongala' to the presiding deity of the Attukal Bhagavathy temple here on Tuesday, braving the hot weather and turning the state capital into a huge 'yagyashala'.
Women, of various ages and wearing caps or white shawls over their heads, were ready since last night with their makeshift brick stoves along the roads for several kms in the heart of the city.
The rituals began around 9.45 am when the chief priest lit the main stove (Pandara Aduppu) near the shrine, signaling the start of the annual event.
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As the drum beats and music signalled the lighting of the main stove near the shrine, the women, waiting on the roadsides and specifically designated areas for the ritual, lit their brick stoves and began preparing the 'pongala'.
The 'pongala' is cooked using rice, jaggery, and scraped coconut in fresh earthen or metal pots.
AICC general secretary in-charge of Kerala, Deepa Dasmunshi, also participated in the ritual, the first time for her.
"This a very well-known festival. People all around the world know about it. It is a divine thing with women sitting together and making their offerings. I am making 'payasam'," she told a TV channel.
Union Minister of State for Ministry of Labour and Employment, Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises Shobha Karandlaje also participated in the festival.
LDF ministers V Sivankutty, G R Anil and V N Vasavan, Congress MLA M Vincent, grand old party leader K Muraleedharan, BJP leader and former Union Minister of State Rajeev Chandrasekhar and Thiruvananthapuram corporation Mayor V V Rajesh were among the political leaders present at the Attukal Bhagavathy temple to witness the ceremony.
Speaking to media, Vasavan said arrangements were made expecting a larger turnout than in previous years and everything worked out as planned.
"There will be no hassles in the return journey of the devotees. Steps have been taken to provide food, water and other facilites to ensure a smooth pilgrimage for the devotees," the minister said.
Chandrasekhar said he was proud and happy to see the festival's size and scale.
"This is Keralam, God's own country. We respect all religions. We all should celebrate all festivals, be it Attukal Pongala or Christmas, together irrespective of religion, that is our view," he told a channel.
Preparing 'pongala' is considered an auspicious all-women ritual as part of the annual festival of the Attukal temple here, popularly known as the "Women's Sabarimala."
The ceremony will conclude with the sprinkling of holy water by temple priests at an appointed time in the afternoon.
Extensive arrangements were made by the authorities to provide food, water and medical aid to the devotees.
The police, fire department and Railways have put in place arrangements, including restrictions on vehicular movement and parking, to ensure the festival is celebrated without any mishap or inconvenience to the general public.
The pongala festival marks the finale of the 10-day ritual at the shrine.
The festival begins with the "Kappukettu ceremony," featuring the musical rendition of the Goddess's story (Kannaki Charitam) by authorised families invoking the presence of Kodungallur Bhagavathy and the slaying of the Pandiyan King.
The nine-day recitation culminates in a dramatic moment marked by temple drums and devotees' chants, leading to the lighting of stoves for the Pongala offering, symbolising the triumph of good over evil.
The ritual had made it to the Guinness Book of World Records in 2009 for being the largest religious gathering of women on a single day when 2.5 million took part in it.
As per local legend, the annual festival commemorates the hospitality accorded by women in the locality to Kannagi, the heroine of the Tamil epic 'Silappadhikaram', after she destroyed Madurai city to avenge the execution of her husband Kovalan, for wrongly branding him as "thief".
VIDEO | Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala: Thousands of devotees participate in the Attukal Pongala festival at Attukal Bhagavathy Temple.
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) March 3, 2026
(Full video available on https://t.co/n147TvrpG7) pic.twitter.com/nlhaJHiPgY
