The
Chamayavilaku festival
is an annual Hindu celebration held at the Kottankulangara Sree Devi Temple in Kerala.
Men dress up
as women as a sacred offering to the presiding deity, Goddess Durga (Vanadurga).
By donning female attire, they seek
blessings, forgiveness for sins
, and fulfillment of wishes.
By donning female attire, they seek
blessings, forgiveness for sins
, and fulfillment of wishes.
An
astrologer
advised constructing a temple, and the cowherders, who first performed the
puja, dressed
in female attire as part of tradition.
For many men, participating in
Chamayavilaku
is a custom passed down through generations. They buy
new sarees, jewelry,
and even get blouses stitched.
Boys
below the age of 10
also participate by dressing as girls during the daytime in a ritual called
Kakkavilakku
.
The
festival spans two days,
starting in the evening and lasting until dawn.
Men
believe that dressing as women during
Chamayavilaku
will bring blessings, prosperity, and success in various aspects of life.
Chamayavilaku
is more than just a transgender festival—it’s a unique blend of
tradition, faith, and cultural
expression in Kerala.