The ‘Aravanis’(Transgenders) festival at Koovagam begins today the 21 st of April,2008.Koovagam is situated at Villupuram District of Tamil Nadu, about 30 km away from Villupuram.
A festival exclusively meant for ‘Aravanis’(Transgenders) is celebrated regularly every year at ‘Koovagam’ in the Villupuram District and at ‘Kothattai’ nearby Bhuvanagiri at Cuddalore District in Tamil Nadu.
The festival eulogises the role of ‘Aravan’ in the Mahabaratha war. As per the story, before the beginning of the Mahabaratha War, it was usual and customary, to sacrifice a person at the altar, before beginnig the war, in the battlefront. It was the Pandavas who had to sacrifice a person at the altar to begin the war. But no one came forward to sacrifice himself at the altar. Finally a prince from the Pandava family, namely ‘Aravan’ came forward to sacrifice himself at the altar, but with a condition. He wanted to get married, before getting sacrificed at the altar.Who would come forward to marry a person,who is going to be sacrificed at the Altar, the next day ? Then it was Lord Krishna, who came to the rescue of Pandavas, by taking the ‘Mohini’Avatar and got married the prince.The next day, the prince was sacrificed at the altar and Mohini became a widow by loosing her husband and also the ‘mangalsutra’ tied by her husband and she would cry in a typical style called ‘oppari’, mourning the death of her husband.
Symbolising the above events, the ‘Aravanis’(transgenders) get mangalsutras tied around their neck before the festival and the very next day,on the death of their husband who is being sacrificied at the altar,mourn the death of their husband in the typical style.
Till the first day of the ‘Aravanis’ festival, they would be in colorful sarries, sporting as much flower as possible in their head.The next day, the ‘Aravanis’ would untie their mangalsutras, wear only white sarees, symbolsing their widowhood. They would lose all their charm and glory, once the ‘Aravan’ is sacrificed at the altar.
This story traces the history of ‘Aravanis’ (transgenders) to time immemorial Mahabaratha days.It is worthy to mention here that recently, Tamil Nadu Government has established a separate ‘Aravanis Welfare Board’, to look after their welfare and it is a welcome sign and augurs well for the progress of the transgenders who had hitherto been neglected.