Koovagam

Koovagam is a village in the Ulundurpettai taluk in Kallakurichi district, Tamil Nadu.[1] It is famous for its annual festival of transgender and transvestite individuals, which takes fifteen days in the Tamil month of Chitrai (April/May).

Lord Koothandavar

Koovagam
village
Koovagam
Location in Tamil Nadu, India
Koovagam
Koovagam (India)
Coordinates: 11°50′11″N 79°20′31″E
Country India
StateTamil Nadu
DistrictKallakurichi
Languages
  OfficialTamil
Time zoneUTC+5:30 (IST)
Vehicle registrationTN-

The festival takes place at the Koothandavar Temple dedicated to Iruvan (Koothandavar). The participants marry the Lord Koothandavar, thus reenacting an ancient history of Lord Vishnu/Krishna who married him after taking a form of a woman called Mohini. The next day, they mourn the god Koothandavar's death through ritualistic dances and by breaking their bangles. An annual beauty pageant and several other competitions like singing contests are held.

Basic rights of transgender and transvestite individuals and health care are discussed in seminars too. People from different places attend this festival.

Location From Viluppuram 25 km and from Ulundurpet 15 km.

See also

References

  • Media related to Koovagam at Wikimedia Commons


This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.