KOOTHANDAVAR FESTIVAL -
ART AND CULTURE
News: In Frames | Vicissitudes of a
wedding
What's in the news?
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Koothandavar festival at Koovagam in Tamil Nadu
plays out a tale of marriage and widowhood, all in a day.
Koothandavar Festival:
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The Koothandavar festival is an annual event held
in the Tamil month of Chithirai, spanning from mid-April to mid-May, in Koovagam, Tamil Nadu.
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This traditional 18-day festival garners global
attention for its distinctive celebration of the transgender identity.
History:
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According to a Tamil rendition of the Mahabharata,
a character named Aravan offered
himself as a sacrifice for the victory of the Pandavas in the war.
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Aravan possessed a boon granting him marriage
before his sacrifice, but no woman was willing to marry him as it would result
in widowhood.
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Eventually, Lord
Krishna is said to have married Aravan in the form of Mohini. Legend holds
that Lord Krishna mourned Aravan’s death as a widow.
Rituals:
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The central ritual of the festival revolves around
the sacrificial ceremony of Lord Aravan.
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On the 17th day of the festival, transwomen from
various regions assemble to wed Lord Aravan.
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The following day marks the culmination of the
festival, with Aravan’s sacrifice in the war.
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In observance of his death, the transwomen who
married Aravan undergo rituals of widowhood, mourning his demise.