According to legend, the Goddess (Bhagavathy) revealed herself to the head (Karanavar) of an ancient family known as the Mulluveettil family in Attukal. One day, while the Karanavar was bathing in the Killi River as part of his evening rituals, a radiant young girl appeared before him from the opposite bank of the river and requested him to help her cross to the other side. After helping her cross the river, the Karanavar noticed the divine aura of the girl. Filled with reverence, he took her to his home and welcomed her respectfully. However, while making arrangements for her stay, the girl suddenly disappeared. Distressed by her disappearance, the Karanavar later saw the Goddess in his dream. She instructed him to establish her abode at a nearby sacred grove (kavu), at the spot marked by certain signs. The next morning, the Karanavar went to the grove and found three lines marked at a specific place. He consecrated the Goddess at that very spot. That sacred place where the Goddess was installed later became what is now known as the Attukal Bhagavathy Temple.https://www.attukal.org/origin&history Another legand ties the origin to the story of kannagi as well Kannagi was a faithful wife whose husband Kovalan was wrongly accused of theft and executed by the king of Madurai. She proved his innocence by showing her anklet (silambu) was different from the queen’s. Enraged by the injustice, she cursed the city, and Madurai was destroyed by fire. After this, she left the city and later became deified as a goddess symbolizing justice and chastity.The connection to Kannagi comes later, influenced by the Tamil epic Silappatikaram. Over time, people identified the local goddess with Kannagi because both represent divine feminine power and virtue. One temple legend says Kannagi came to Attukal after destroying Madurai and later appeared in a devotee’s dream asking for a temple to be built. Tradition also states she traveled west to Kerala and rested at Attukal, which became the temple site.The famous Attukal Pongala festival (women-centered) resonates with Kannagi’s image as a symbol of feminine strength and virtue. https://mythicremembering.com/books/silappatikaram/, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kannagi. A different legend identifies the goddess of Attukal as Bhadrakali, who emerged from the third eye of Shiva to slay the
asura king Daruka. == Pongala festival ==