Every year in the month of Chaitra (April/May), the village of Koovagam comes to life during an 18-day festival which is attended by people from the transgender community across TamilNadu, India. sometime transwomen from other countries like Sri Lanka, Malaysia and Singapore also participated the Koovagam festival. According to Hindu mythology, he is the son of Arjuna, a heroic figure from the ancient epic Mahabharata, and Ulupi, a princess of the Naga tribe. While the Mahabharata depicts Aravan’s valiant death in the Kurukshetra War, the traditions of South India emphasize his act of self-sacrifice before the battle.
Koovagam is located around 25 km from Villupuram, which is the nearest transport hub and district capital. According to different versions of the epic, Arjuna entered into a marriage with a princess during his one-year exile in India’s Northeast. As Aravan grew older, he became a magnificent Naga warrior and fought alongside the Pandavas in the battle of Kurukshetra. Upon Krishna’s plea, Aravan sacrificed himself to please Goddess Kali, ensuring victory for the Pandavas. Krishna, who served as the main strategist for the Pandavas, granted Aravan three boons for his selfless act. The first boon promised Aravan a heroic death in battle, while the second allowed him to witness the entire Kurukshetra war even after his demise. Lastly, Aravan desired to be married before his sacrificial death. Unfortunately, no woman was willing to face the inevitable life of idowhood, leaving no volunteers. In order to fulfil Aravan’s final wish, Krishna transformed into the enchantress Mohini and married him. Following their consummation, Aravan offered himself as a sacrifice to Kali the next day. Mohini, now grieving her widowhood, returned to her true form as Krishna. These tales of Krishna’s boons are ritualistically celebrated by the Koothandavar cult during
the Koovagam festival.
The Koovagam festival features three significant ceremonies that hold deep cultural symbolism. Firstly, transgender women married with Aravan, followed by his sacrificial offering the following day. Additionally, during the festival, ransgender women remove their Thali and express their grief for the loss of Aravan hile wearing white sarees, reminiscent of traditional Tamil customs associated with widowhood.