‘KOOVAGAM’- the transgender festival in Tamil Nadu

People who identify as transgender or transsexual are usually people who are born with typical male or female anatomies but feel as though they’ve been born into the “wrong body”. For instance, a person who identifies as transgender or transsexual may have typical female anatomy but feel like a male and seek to become male by taking hormones or electing to have sex reassignment surgeries.

Koovagam is a unique festival that is celebrated among the transgender community in Tamil Nadu. It is an 18-day long festival that is celebrated in Koovagam village. This village (Koovagam) is located about 25 km away from Villupuram District of Tamil Nadu. These days fall in the month of Chiththirai (according to the Hindu calendar), that is in March/April month. The ‘Koothandavar temple‘ is the place where this festival is held. 

Lord Aravan, from the epic Mahabharatam, is one of the core elements of this festival. Lord Aravan is worshipped by all the transgenders, visit Koovagam during Koovagam festival. Various mythological stories trace back to the importance of Lord Aravan among transgender community. Koovagam festival is also referred to as the Kuthandavar-Aravan Mela.

Koovagam Festival- Origin and Significance

The origin, history and mythological significance of this festival trace back to the time of ‘Mahabharata‘. For Pandavas to win the Kurukshetra war, it required sacrificing a life to Goddess Kali. At this time, Lord Aravan, son of Pandava Arjuna offered to sacrifice his own life for the victory in the battle. His last wish before death was to get married and experience marital life for once. Since no woman would agree to marry a man who was supposed to die the next day, it was Lord Krishna who took the form of a woman named ‘Mohini‘. In one night, they got married, and Aravan sacrificed his life on the next day. 

Koovagam festival commemorates this mythological incident and thus celebrates the union of various transgender women, also known as Aravanis, in order to celebrate this festival. 

The 18 days of celebration

• Koovagam village is one of the quietest, sleepy villages. But during the Koovagam festival, it awakens and illuminates. This 18-day long festival includes a lot of activities that brings tons of transgenders at Koovagam, about 25km from Villupuram district. 
• The first 16 days involve enormous activities such as programmes and cultural performances, in order to make transgender community happy. For instances, awareness skits by NGOs, singing, dancing and more. 
• The 17th day is the most important one. On this day, various transgender women dress as bride (to take the form of a women called Mohini), wearing bright coloured sarees, colourful bangles, jewellery and ornaments. They visit the Koothavandar Temple in order to marry the deity ‘Aravan‘. The temple priests tie the ‘thali‘ or ‘mangalsutra‘ around their necks to signify marriage. 
• The streets are filled with crowds to witness the procession and festivities. A huge image of Lord Aravan is also carried across the streets. It is kept in the temple throughout the rest of the year. It’s only during this festival that a fresh coat of paint is applied to it, and it is taken out from the sanctum. 
• The next day, they mourn the Aravan’s death through ritualistic dances and by breaking thier bangles, wore white saree and no makeup is worn. The priests remove the thali, signifying their widowhood. 
• The rejoice heard on the day before, is converted to sorrow and mourning on the next day and this is one of the stark contrasts of this festival. 

The cultural activities and union of various flocks of people from all over the country lead to a spirit of togetherness and a sense of belonging in the hearts of everyone. It is an occasion to bring about light where there is darkness, and let all groups of people rejoice who they truly are. It is indeed a unique festival that brings about the diversity and culture of Tamil Nadu in a rather beautifully dramatic manner.