Chennai: Koovagam village in Tamil Nadu is regarded as a safe haven for transgenders. A large number of people from the LGBTQI communities throng this village every year in the month of Chaitra (March/April in the English calendar). There is a particular reason why they do so.
Koovagam village situated 25 kilometres from the Villupuram district headquarters has a temple dedicated to Aravan who is the son of Arjuna.
According to history, on the 18th day of the battle of Mahabharata, the Pandavas had to offer a family member as a sacrifice to Goddess Kali. The sacrifice had to be made to win the war against the Kauravas. Aravan stepped up and offered himself to the Goddess.
Aravan however, had a condition. He wanted to marry before he died. But then there was a problem. None of the women wanted to marry Aravan and become a widow the next day.
With no other option left, Lord Krisha transformed himself to ‘Mohini’ and married Aravan. The next day true to his word Aravan sacrificed himself. ‘Mohini’ mourned his death and observed widowhood for some time before getting returning to his Lord Krishna avtar.
To remember the sacrifice of Aravan, the transgenders in bridal makeup enact the story on the occasion of Koovagam festival, which lasts for 18 days. This is why the transgender people of this region are known as ‘aravanis’. They marry the idol of Aravan for a day before going back to the normal chores.
Since Krishna, despite being a male, married Aravan by transforming himself into a woman, the transgenders who are basically considered males in female forms accept him as their husband, even if it is for a day.