The Festival of Transgenders

You cannot escape from noticing the transgender moving in large numbers, who converge at towns like Villupuram and Cuddalore in Tamil Nadu during the months of April and May.It is a festival season for transgender at villages like Kuwagam, around 30 Km away from Villupuram and at Kothattai, some 30 Km away from Cuddalore. 

Though remain dormant throughout the year, during this festival season, the transgender became busy collecting funds from the people through their group dancing; they are also clad in new sarees or wear modern attires like salwar kummies, chudidar and in rare occasions even wear jeans; they are also busy with the cultural activities specially organized by the State Government in this season. They participate in the beauty contests, singing and oratory competitions. The District Collector presides over such functions and even select and distribute prizes for the beauty queen among the transgender with the title ‘Miss.Kuwagam’.You may wonder to hear that during this festival season the transgender are coming from various parts of India traveling thousands of kilometers to enjoy their festival.They usually do not come from far off places just for fun or enjoyment.They are committed to their way of living and life style and are also under the pious obligation of  getting married at the Kuwagam festival and becoming a widow the very next day. 

The transgender are in fact brimming with joy during this festival season and they almost behave like new brides whose marriage is shortly fixed.The transgender festival that takes place in Kuwagam is unique in many ways.The festival is celebrated on the basis of a traditional story of Mahabaratha. The story of Mahabaratha runs like this:The 18 days Mahabaratha battle between the Pandavas and Kauravas was about to begin.However, there arose a hitch in commencing the battle. According to Hindu sasthras, before the beginning of any battle, it was usual and customary to sacrifice a human life at the battle front known as ‘Kalappali’. 

Nobody was willing to sacrifice and lose his life at the battlefront. Finally, Aravan, an unmarried son of Arjuna (one of the Pandavas) offered himself to sacrifice his life at the battlefront before the commencement of the battle. However, he offered to sacrifice his life on one pre-condition that he should get married before his sacrifice or death in the battlefront.Who would come forward  to marry a person who was going to die the next day ?The news reached Lord Krishna. He tried his best by persuading many chieftains to give away their daughters for the proposed marriage with Prince Aravan.It was no avail. Nobody was willing for the proposed marriage for fear of seeing their daughters as a widow, the very next day of their marriage.