Transgenders, otherwise called
'Hijaras' in India, have been always been a part of the society. But till today,
they have failed to gain acceptance into mainstream society and live on the
fringes of it. Reduced to begging and forced prostitution to somehow
make a living, the transgender community has always been scorned and looked
down upon. While that is the general perception around the country, there is a
village in south India which cherishes and celebrates the transgender identity.
Every year, between April and May,
thousands of transgenders from across the country celebrates the transgenders
festival in Koovagam, a remote village in Tamil Nadu. This festival is
celebrated in the Koothandavar Temple of Koovagam and has its roots in Hindu
Epic Mahabharata.
According to legend, during the Mahabharata
war, on the 18th day there came a scenario where the Pandavas had to
sacrifice someone from themselves to Goddess Kali to win the battle. Aravan
(the son of Arjuna and Ulupi, the Naga Princess) offered himself to be
sacrificed for his clan to win. But he asked Lord Krishna for one last wish to
be fulfilled, to be married before his death. With just one day’s marriage and
a lifetime of widowhood ahead, no woman was willing to marry Aravan. So Lord
Krishna took his ‘Mohini’ Avatar and became Aravan’s bride. As promised, Aravan
offered himself as sacrifice the next day.
In this festival, thousands of
transgenders who came for the annual event consider themselves the brides of
Aravan. They celebrate this festival with songs, dances, games and even a
beauty pageant. The winner of the pageant is crowned ‘Miss Koovagam’. On the 17th
day, these transgenders dress up like brides and tie mangalsutra around their
necks, acts like Mohini and on the last day i.e. 18th day, acts as
widows and mourn the death of Aravan by breaking their bangles and mangalsutra,
symbolizing the end of their one-day marriage.
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