74-737: Koovagam is a village in the Ulundurpettai taluk in Kallakurichi district , Tamil Nadu . It is famous for its annual festival of transgender individuals, which takes fifteen days in the Tamil month of Chitrai (April/May). The festival takes place at the Koothandavar Temple dedicated to Iravan (Koothandavar). The participants marry the Lord Koothandavar, thus reenacting an ancient history of Lord Vishnu / Krishna who married him after taking
148-557: A daitya (demon) called Krodhavasa in a prior incarnation . Srutayush is later killed by Arjuna. On the seventh day of war, Iravan also defeats Vinda and Anuvinda, the princes of Avanti , who are later killed by Arjuna. On the eighth day of the war, Iravan combats the princes of Gandhara , sons of king Suvala, and the younger brothers of Shakuni , the treacherous maternal uncle of the Kauravas. The brothers Gaya, Gavaksha, Vrishava, Charmavat, Arjava, and Suka attack Iravan, supported by
222-533: A terukuttu performance, this is depicted by covering the actor playing Aravan with a white cloth from the neck down. It is also believed that Aravan's spirit may possess the actor at this point. Sometimes a chicken is sacrificed on stage in a terukuttu performance to signify the sacrifice. In Villiputuralvar's retelling, an elephant is sacrificed to the goddess, complementing Aravan's own self-sacrifice. Aravan, after being stripped of his flesh, has only his head and skeleton remaining. Krishna advises him to pray to
296-469: A bow, but Iravan counters, breaking Alambusha's bow and slicing the giant into several pieces. Alambusha's body, however, reconstitutes itself. Then Iravan assumes the form of the serpent Shesha (Ananta), and his serpent army surrounds him to protect him. Alambusha counters this by assuming the form of Garuda (the eagle-man), the eternal foe of the serpents, and devours the serpent army. Ultimately, Alambusha kills Iravan by cutting off his head, though Iravan
370-476: A curse and disgrace in the eyes of God. This causes lots of transgender people in India to be kicked out and disowned by their families and communities. The transgender people who are kicked out are often forced to resort to things like sex work and bar dancing in order to support themselves. People participating in this line of work would often become infected with HIV . 2.1 million people are infected with HIV/AIDS and
444-499: A dramatic marriage of Irawan to Titisari, daughter of Krishna, and a death resulting from a case of mistaken identity. These stories are told through the medium of traditional Javanese theatre ( Wayang ), especially in shadow-puppet plays known as Wayang Kulit . According to the Monier Williams Sanskrit–English Dictionary (1899), the name Iravan ( Sanskrit : इरावान् , Irāvān ), also spelt Irawan ,
518-464: A form of a woman called Mohini. The next day, they mourn the god Koothandavar's death through ritualistic dances and by breaking their bangles. An annual beauty pageant and several other competitions like singing contests are held. Basic rights of transgender individuals and health care are discussed in seminars too. People attend this festival from all over India. Location From Viluppuram 25 km and from Ulundurpet 15 km. The Koovagam festival
592-498: A goddess. He takes particular note of a scene towards the end of a puranic text, Devi Mahatmyam , in interpreting old Tamil sculptures depicting a warrior king spilling his own blood, as in the Purana , in adoration of a goddess of victory. In the Tamil sculptures, the goddess is Korravai , who became associated with Durga and hence Kali. He also finds parallels in the Telugu legend of
666-514: A guardian against spirits. Aravan is worshipped in the form of his severed head and is believed to cure disease and induce pregnancy in childless women. Iravan is also known in Indonesia (where his name is spelled Irawan ). An independent set of traditions have developed around Irawan on the main island of Java where, for example, he loses his association with the Naga. Separate Javanese traditions present
740-450: A heavenly voice, or he sends the true Garuda to assist Alambusha. At the sight of Garuda—his perennial "eagle" adversary—Shesha uncoils in fear, leaving Aravan unprotected and leading ultimately to Alambusha beheading the weakened Aravan. A traditional story local to Koovagam describes how Aravan came to be known as Kuttantavar. After the war, while the Pandavas are boasting about vanquishing
814-401: A heroic death during the war and both are incompatible with living to see the full duration of the war. The Kuttantavar cult resolves the first dilemma, holding that Aravan's body reconfigured itself after the sacrifice and that Aravan went on to die a heroic death on the eighth day of the war. The Kuttantavar cult are not overly concerned about the second boon of Aravan's continued observation of
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#1733085388665888-490: A patron god of well-known transgender communities called Ali s (also Aravani in Tamil, and Hijra throughout South Asia). The Mahabharata portrays Iravan as dying a heroic death on the 8th day of the 18-day Kurukshetra War ( Mahabharata war), the epic's main subject. However, the South Indian traditions have a supplementary practice of honouring Aravan's self-sacrifice to the goddess Kali to ensure her favour and
962-522: A red face and multi-coloured ornamentation. Unpainted black stone images of the Aravan-head are seen in Kothattai, Madhukarai and Pillaiyarkuppam. Some paintings also depict the sacrifice of Aravan. In these scenes, he is often depicted bowing to Kali, while his head is about to be severed; or, as in one Sowcarpet painting, a self-decapitated Aravan holds both a sword and his own severed head, offering
1036-514: A white elephant. In the traditions of the village of Neppattur, in the Thanjavur district , Aravan is described as being so strong that he could slay all the Duryodhanas at once, thus preventing any war from happening. So Krishna prescribes the human sacrifice of Aravan in order that "the greater sacrifice of the war can take place". In terukkuttu performances, at the time of Aravan's sacrifice, he
1110-568: Is also used elsewhere to denote a substance that Devas (gods) and Asuras (demons) vie for. Iravan is generally known as Aravan ( அரவான் , Aravāṇ), also spelt as Aravaan in South India. He is revered as a deity in two southern Indian Hindu cults: the Kuttantavar cult (dedicated solely to Aravan), and the cult of Draupadi (Aravan's stepmother and Arjuna's wife). In his own cult, Aravan is also known as Kuttantavar (கூத்தாண்டவர்), originating from
1184-598: Is an annual gathering of transgender women, referred to as Aravani in Tamil that begins on the full moon of the Chithirai month of the Tamil calendar . Tens of thousands of transgender women gather for an 18-day-long festival. For the first 13 days, the festival is filled with performances and programming as well as the Miss Koovagam beauty pageant. During the 14th day of the festival, the women dress in their finest and arrive at
1258-510: Is formed from the root Iravat (इरावत्, Irāvat ), also spelt Irawat . In turn, the root Iravat is derived from Irā (इरा)—closely linked with Iḍā (इडा)—meaning "possessing food", "endowed with provisions" or, by extension, "comfortable" (as used in the Mahabharata and the Rig and Atharva vedic scriptures). Alf Hiltebeitel, George Washington University professor of religion, suggests that
1332-455: Is found in Parata Venpa —the earliest surviving Tamil version of the Mahabharata —by Peruntevanar (9th century). The tale is later retold by Villiputuralvar in his 14th-century Makaparatam and by Nallapillai in the 18th century. The legend is also mentioned in the text Khoothanvar Sthala Purana , associated with the shrine of Kuttantavar. Another source of Aravan traditions is
1406-481: Is later avenged when Ghatotkacha , his cousin, finally kills Alambusha during the night war on the fourteenth day. The earliest source of Tamil traditions regarding Aravan is found in Peruntevanar's Parata Venpa , a 9th-century Tamil version of the Mahabharata . One of the features of this work is its reference to a rite it calls kalappali ("sacrifice to the battlefield"), a term found only in Tamil versions of
1480-526: Is often compared to Puru and Bhishma , characters in the Mahabharata who gave up their youth and sexual fulfilment for the sake of their respective fathers, Yayati and Santanu . In the drama, after acquiring Aravan's approval, Krishna approaches Aravan's mother, Ulupi—Nagakanni or Nakakanni ("Serpent maiden") in Tamil, for her consent. At first she strongly opposes her son's proposed sacrifice but finally relents when Aravan appeals to her, explaining that he belongs to Kali alone. Finally, in all versions of
1554-433: Is staged annually in the villages of Melattur , Kodukizhi and Yervadi, according to various forms of the koothu folk-theatre. In Karambai, Aravan Kalappali is performed as part of the cult of Draupadi, on the 18th day of an annual festival (April–May), to please the goddess. In modern interpretations, Aravan's head symbolises not only self-sacrifice but also regeneration and continuity, because of his ability to see
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#17330853886651628-421: Is the clay head of Aravan, fixed on a posta and witnessing the re-enactment of the 18-day war, that is prominently ritualised. Additionally, Draupadi-cult texts from Thajavur concentrate only on this second boon, omitting the other two. The pre-battle sacrifice is incompatible with the first and second boons, but the cults have their own explanations. The self-sacrifice prior to the war is incompatible with dying
1702-431: Is the presence of demonic canine teeth. Although the central Koovagam icon does not feature such demonic teeth, they are a regular feature of most Draupadi cult images, where Aravan's demonic features are emphasised. Aravan-head icons are either painted or unpainted portable ones for processions; they are housed together in the temples of his shrines. Koovagam, Kothadai, Kothattai and Pillaiyarkuppam have icons painted with
1776-478: Is usually depicted with a moustache, pronounced eyes and large ears. Typically, he also wears a conical crown, a Vaishnava tilak mark on his forehead and earrings. Aravan is often depicted with a cobra hood over his crown, cobra heads sprouting through the crown, or a snake emerging from behind the crown. Even the chief Koovagam icon features a serpent on Aravan's crown asserting his mother Ulupi's naga lineage. Another distinctive feature of Aravan's iconography
1850-477: Is usually white sarees, but the dress code is temporary and transgender widows can still wear bright colors after the ceremony. These transgender women in can still come return the following year to repeat this wedding ceremony. Although this Koovagam is very big in Tamil Nadu , there is still a very large stigma against transgender people. Being transgender is still something that to some people would be described as
1924-767: The Goddess Kali and so his body was cut into 32 pieces to which Kali blessed the Pandavas and allowed them to win the war. The day after Aravan's sacrifice, Mohini grieved him like a widow and followed different rituals to honor his death. On the 14th day of the Koovagam festival, which is also the full moon day, transgender women dressed as Mohini gather at the Kuttatavar temple from dawn in order to marry Aravan . Transgender people who are brides are usually dressed in their finest attire, bangles, and garlands. Various offerings are also carried: kalasha , and thali made of turmeric. In
1998-548: The Mahabharata . This is a ritual performed before battle to ensure victory. In Peruntevanar's narrative, just before the Mahabharata war, Duryodhana—the leader of the Kauravas and opponent of the Pandavas—learns from the Pandava's expert astrologer, Sahadeva , that the day of the new moon , indeed the very next day, would be the most auspicious time for a kalappali . Consequently, Duryodhana approaches and convinces Aravan to be
2072-491: The 2011 census, the taluk of Ulundurpet had a population of 369,357 with 186,410 males and 182,947 females. There were 981 women for every 1000 men. The taluk had a literacy rate of 60.38. Child population in the age group below 6 was 23,270 Males and 21,734 Females. Iravan Iravan also known as Iravat and Iravant , is a minor character from the Hindu epic Mahabharata . The son of Pandava prince Arjuna (one of
2146-409: The 32 lakshanam and the only 3 people to have these were Krishna , Arjuna, and Aravan. Krishna could not be sacrificed and Arjuna was essential as he was the best archer, so Aravan volunteered himself to be the one to die. Because of his brave decision, Krishna granted him the wish of marrying before dying so he took on the form of a woman named Mohini and married Aravan. He was to be sacrificed to
2220-411: The Kauravas, Krishna asks Aravan—the sole witness of the entire war, "who was truly responsible for winning this war?" Aravan replies that he saw two things: Krishna's discus decapitating the enemy, and his conch shell collecting their blood. This reply is understood to give all the credit for the victory to Krishna. Aravan's opinion enrages the proud and quick-tempered Bhima, whose influence in deciding
2294-464: The Koothandavar temple to become symbolic brides of the deity Aravan . Priests officiate the marriages as proxies for Aravan by tying thaalis around their necks and applying kumkum on their foreheads. The women spend a day joyously celebrating their status as newlyweds. On the 16th day, the image of Aravan is repainted and paraded during the festival throughout the village until the deity reaches
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2368-414: The Naga, Adi-Shesha, his grandfather, and father of Ulupi. Adi-Shesha coils himself around Aravan, becomes his flesh and restores his body. To fulfil the second boon, Krishna orchestrates the heroic death by making one of the enemy strong enough to defeat the mighty Aravan. Krishna selects Alambusha. Then, depending on the version of the story, Krishna either advises Alambusha to assume the form of Garuda via
2442-422: The Pandavas but mentions his prior commitment to Duryodhana. Later Tamil sources provide variants to Peruntevanar's version. In Villiputuralvar's 14th-century version, Krishna first offers himself as the sacrificial victim, but Aravan volunteers to replace him. There is no mention of Duryodhana in this version of the legend. In other accounts, Aravan is sacrificed in order to counteract the Kauravas' sacrifice of
2516-451: The Sanskrit name Iravan or Iravant is derived from Iḍā-vant, "one who possessed Iḍā ". The French Indologist Madeleine Biardeau describes religious use of the word Iḍā as reference to an "oblatory substance consumed by the participants from which comes all fecundity of the sacrifice". Based on this definition, Biardeau concludes that Iravant means sacrificial victim in the Mahabharata . Iḍā
2590-401: The Sanskrit text probably reached something of a "final form" by the early Gupta period (about the 4th century CE). The editor of the first great critical edition of the Mahabharata commented: "It is useless to think of reconstructing a fluid text in a literally original shape, on the basis of an archetype and a stemma codicum . What then is possible? Our objective can only be to reconstruct
2664-506: The Tamil Nadu districts of Cuddalore , Thiruvannamalai , Vellore and Villupuram . Draupadi's devotees have also spread across these districts, as well as into the Kanchipuram (former Chingleput ) district. Her temples can also be seen in the Thanjavur district and beyond, to the southern districts of the states of Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka. The temples of Kuttantavar are fewer than
2738-505: The Vedas, which have to be preserved letter-perfect, the epic was a popular work whose reciters would inevitably conform to changes in language and style." The earliest surviving components of this dynamic text are believed to be no older than the earliest external references to the epic, which may include an allusion in Panini 's 4th-century grammar manual Ashtadhyayi (4:2:56). It is estimated that
2812-483: The Vedic period but dated by modern scholars to the 9th or 10th century CE. Although the original Sanskrit version of the Mahabharata records Iravan's (Sanskrit name) death during the 18-day Mahabharata war, the Tamil versions discuss Aravan's (Tamil name) ritual self-sacrifice to Kali before the war. Hiltebeitel relates this to the South Indian glorification of "heroic" self-mutilation and self-decapitation before
2886-514: The abode of the Nagas. Iravan is described as being born parakshetre , literally "in a region belonging to another person", interpreted by Hiltebeitel as "upon the wife of another". Iravan grew up in Nagaloka, protected by his mother, but was rejected by his maternal uncle because of the latter's hatred of Arjuna. After reaching maturity, Iravan, hoping to be reunited with his father, departs for Indraloka ,
2960-523: The abode of the god Indra , who is also Arjuna's father. Upon meeting his adult son, Arjuna requests his assistance in the Kurukshetra War. Thus Iravan finally reaches the battlefield of Kurukshetra to assist his father and Pandavas against their cousins and opponents, the Kauravas and slays many enemy warriors. On the first day of war, Iravan fights a duel with Srutayush, a Kshatriya king who had been
3034-609: The battle at the hands of Alambusha (Alampucan in Tamil). In both the Kuttantavar and Draupadi cults, Aravan is believed to have been granted a second boon—to see the entire 18-day war. A second boon is indeed found in Villiputuralvar's 14th-century version of the Mahabharata . In this version, Aravan is granted boons of watching the battle for a "few days" and of dying gloriously after killing many enemies, though Villiputuralvar does not actually specify whether Aravan's head survives to see
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3108-470: The beauty pageant are Miss Koovagam 2023: K.Niranjana from Chennai Miss Koovagam 2022: Mehandi from Chennai Miss Koovagam 2018: Mubina from Chennai Miss Koovagam 2017: Andrea from Chennai Ulundurpettai taluk Ulundurpet is a Taluk located in the eastern region of Kallakurichi district in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu . The town of Ulundurpet is the taluk headquarters. According to
3182-439: The boon of a heroic death on the battlefield at the hands of a great hero. Although Parata Venpa mentions only one boon, the overall Tamil tradition preserves a total of three distinct boons associated with Aravan. The single boon of Parata Venpa , according to Hiltebeitel, indicates an early (9th-century) effort to harmonise the Tamil tradition of Aravan's pre-battle sacrifice with the original Sanskrit account of his death during
3256-475: The child Carapalan ("reed-child"). The tradition goes on to relate that Carapalan grew up, going on to kill the demon Kuttacuran, who had wounded his adopted father in battle. Draupadi—identified in this tradition with the Supreme Goddess —blesses Carapalan with the new name Kuttantavar—the slayer of Kuttacuran—and grants him a temple in Koovagam. There are variants within this tradition. Some versions give
3330-477: The complete battle after his bodily death on the eighth day. The third boon is found only in the folk rituals. This third boon provides for Aravan to be married before the sacrifice, entitling him to the right of cremation and funerary offerings (bachelors were buried). However, no woman wanted to marry Aravan, fearing the inevitable doom of widowhood (see also sati ). In the Kuttantavar cult version, Krishna solves this dilemma by taking on his female form, Mohini
3404-446: The credit for finding the child to Queen Kirupanci of Chandragiri. Others omit mention of the king of Chandragiri altogether, and omit reference to the Koovagam temple. Instead they focus on the demon Kuttacuran and an apparently impossible boon granted to him that he will be killed by a person having only a head and who was born from water. Vishnu, incarnated as Krishna, informs the gods that Aravan will kill this demon. With this in mind,
3478-515: The daughter of Krishna's younger cousin-brother Satyaki . Hiltebeitel theorises that both the first (heroic-death) and third (marriage) boons originated with the Kuttantavar cult, while the second boon originated with the Draupadi cult. The Kuttantavar cult ritualises both the heroic death and the marriage ceremony—enacted by Alis (officially, "eunuchs" in Tamil Nadu). Whereas, in the Draupadi cult it
3552-602: The eighth day, observing the remainder of the war through the eyes of his severed head. In any case, the pre-battle sacrifice is the common element in the Tamil traditions. After Aravan requested and was granted his boons, he was ready for the sacrifice. He proceeds to the Kurukshetra battlefield. While Yudhishthira is worshipping Kali in his "hall of weapons", Aravan removes his epaulettes and chest plate. He then cuts his body into 32 pieces—one cut for each of his 32 bodily perfections—which are offered by Yudhishthira to Kali. In
3626-400: The enchantress, marrying Aravan, and spending that night with him. The Koovagam version additionally relates Krishna's mourning as a widow after Aravan's sacrifice the next day, after which he returns to his original masculine form for the duration of the war. The terukuttu performance presents a stylised wedding ceremony followed by Mohini's abrupt departure, which is taken to signify that
3700-422: The entire duration of the Mahabharata war through the eyes of his severed head. In another 18-day festival, the ceremonial head of Aravan is hoisted on a post to witness the ritual re-enactment of the Mahabharata war. The head of Aravan is a common motif in Draupadi temples. Often it is a portable wooden head; sometimes it even has its own shrine in the temple complex or is placed on the corners of temple roofs as
3774-550: The epic, Arjuna, the third Pandava brother, is exiled from Indraprastha (the capital city of the Pandava kingdom) to go on a 12-year pilgrimage as a penance for violating the terms of his marriage to Draupadi, the Pandava brothers' common wife. Arjuna reaches the north-east region of present-day India and falls in love with Ulupi, a widowed Naga princess. The two get married and have a son named Iravan; later, Arjuna proceeds with his pilgrimage, leaving Iravan and Ulupi behind in Nagaloka ,
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#17330853886653848-422: The folk-theatre of Tamil Nadu, called koothu . Aravan Kalappali (or Aravan Kalabali ), "Aravan's Battlefield Sacrifice", is a popular theme of the traditional Terukuttu ("street theatre"). Aravan Kalappali tells the story of Aravan's pre-battle self-sacrifice to the goddess Kali to win her support, guaranteeing victory for the Pandavas (Arjuna and his brothers) in the Mahabharata war. Aravan Kalappali
3922-415: The head of Aravan is consigned to the river and is transformed into a child called Kuttan ("born from water"), who kills the demon. Hiltebeitel argues that the Kuttantavar cult might represent the original Tamil tradition regarding Aravan, however it is no longer the only tradition that venerates Aravan. The Draupadi cult has developed traditions and rituals of its own. Most Kuttantavar devotees reside in
3996-500: The highest percentage of people infected come from the transgender community. This high percentage comes from the lack of medical care that the transgender community has access to. This is another result of the stigma towards the community. A large part of the festival's message is to get rid of the stigma towards the transgender community to then ultimately lower the number of HIV infections. Non-Governmental Organizations or NGOs are working to help spread this message while also stopping
4070-496: The idol of Aravan was taken out and paraded. Newly married transgender women gather at a place called Azhukalam, which is a designated place of mourning. As the procession proceeds, many of the decorations on Aravan 's body, such as flowers, are removed, signifying that Aravan was killed on the battlefield and his flesh and bones are removed. At this point Aravan 's widows collectively remove their thalis , break their bangles and cry bitterly. Lamenting their widowhood. Their attire
4144-498: The insatiable Goddess of War". Indologist David Shulman , on the other hand, considers Aravan's sacrifice to be a reworking of the serpent sacrifice in the Tamil epic tradition. While the marriage of Iravan's parents is mentioned in the first book of the Mahabharata , Adi Parva (the Book of Beginnings), both the birth and death of Iravan are mentioned later, in the sixth book, Bhishma Parva (the Book of Bhishma). In this sixth book of
4218-411: The latter to the goddess. Iravan first appears as a minor character in the Mahabharata as the son of Arjuna, the chief hero of the epic. The background to the Mahabharata infers a date that is "after the very early Vedic period " and before "the first Indian 'empire' was to rise in the third century B.C.", so "somewhere in the eighth or ninth century". It is generally agreed, however, that "Unlike
4292-402: The legend of Kuttantavar killing the demon Kuttacuran. This name is sometimes spelled as Kuttandar , Khoothandavar or Koothandavar . The South Indian, Tamil name, Aravan, is popularly believed to be derived from the word aravam (அரவம்) (snake). Aravan's association with snakes is also apparent in his iconography. Aravan is always worshipped in temples in the form of his severed head. He
4366-452: The main heroes of the Mahabharata ) and the Naga princess Ulupi , Iravan is the central deity of the cult of Kuttantavar ( Kuttandavar ) which is also the name commonly given to him in that tradition—and plays a major role in the sect of Draupadi . Both these sects are of Tamil origin, from a region of the country where he is worshipped as a village deity and is known as Aravan . He is also
4440-456: The marriage is unconsummated. Another version, popular with trans people, cites the reason behind Aravan's wish to be "coital bliss" and tells explicitly about consummation of the marriage. This third marriage boon is not, however, uniform across all the folk traditions. In other legends, Krishna arranges some other pre-war marriages. In Thanjavur, the marriage of Aravan and Mohini is unknown; instead it depicts Aravan as married to Paravanacciyal,
4514-469: The mourning grounds, where the brides become widows and wear white sarees, remove their thaalis and break their bangles to spend a day as widows, mourning the death of Aravan . Throughout the festival NGOs spread awareness towards the high HIV rates within the transgender community in India and run testing centers. The mythology associated with the celebration of the Koovagam Festival comes from
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#17330853886654588-596: The myth of Aravan , a character of the Mahabharata . The Mahabharata tells the story of the 18-day Kurukshetra War and how Aravan sacrificed himself in a heroic way to help win it. In the myth, Aravan is the son of the Pandava prince Arjuna and the Naga princess Ulupi . According to the Mahabharata, a human sacrifice known as the Kalappali had to be made by the Pandavas to win the war. The person to be sacrificed had to have
4662-562: The oldest form of the text which it is possible to reach on the basis of the manuscript material available." Iravan is also mentioned, as the son of Arjuna and Ulupi, in passing references in two Puranas ("sacred texts") known as the Vishnu Purana (4:20:12)—also with a text history from the late Vedic through the Gupta periods—and the Bhagavata Purana (9:22:32)—traditionally dated to
4736-429: The outcome of the battle is covered at great length in the Mahabharata . However, before Bhima can wound Aravan, Krishna orders Aravan's head to be dropped in the river Caraparika, where he assumes the form of a child, and is eventually found by the king of Chandragiri, a city on the river bank. The child cries "Kuva Kuva", when picked up by the king, who therefore names the location Kuvakkam (Koovagam). The king also names
4810-484: The sacrifice of Barbarika —another Mahabharata character—and its variants in Rajasthan (see also: Khatushyamji ), Himachal Pradesh , Garhwal , Kurukshetra , Bundelkhand and Orissa . Most notable among the similarities between Aravan and Barbarika is the boon to witness the entire duration of the Mahabharata war—through the eyes of the severed head, despite the sacrifice. The first account of Aravan's sacrifice
4884-417: The sacrifice to Kali as a part of an ayudha- puja ("worship of the weapons"). Krishna establishes that there are four candidates most suited to being offered as the victim: Shalya , who is on the side of Kauravas; Arjuna, the commander of the Pandavas; Aravan; and Krishna himself. From this shortlist, Krishna finally narrows the best choice down to Aravan. Aravan agrees to undergo the kalappali on behalf of
4958-402: The sacrificial victim for the kalappali . The god Krishna, who is a close friend of and advisor to the Pandavas, hears of Duryodhana's plan, and devises one of his own, to ensure that Aravan will give himself as a sacrifice on behalf of the Pandavas rather than the Kauravas. Krishna first discusses the issue with Yudhishthira ( Dharma or Dharmaraja), the eldest of the Pandavas, recommending
5032-455: The sanctuary, there are so many priests officiating at the weddings of the brides, each of whom will marry Aravan . The priests usually act as Aravan 's representatives, tying the thali around the bride's neck and performing some of the things that symbolize marriage in Hinduism. That night and the next day, a transgender lady can have sex to mark the consummation of a marriage. On the 16th day,
5106-484: The spread of HIV. One of these organizations is the Tamil Nadu AIDS Initiative which helps stop the spread of HIV through education on safe sex practices. Another organization is Alliance India which provides better healthcare and access to medical supplies to the transgender community. Miss Koovagam is an annual beauty pageant that occurs during the first 13 days of the Koovagam festival. Recent winners of
5180-544: The tale, Krishna tricks the gods Surya (the Sun) and Chandra (the Moon) to co-ordinate their movements so that the day of the new moon will fall one day earlier—the current day. This allows Aravan to make the initial sacrifice of flesh on behalf of the Pandavas, only making the rest-offering on behalf of Duryodhana the following day, yet fulfilling his promise to Duryodhana by doing so. In Parata Venpa , Aravan asks Krishna to grant him
5254-637: The victory of the Pandavas in the war. The Kuttantavar tradition focuses on one of the three boons granted to Aravan by the god Krishna in honour of this self-sacrifice. Aravan requested that he be married before his death. Krishna satisfied this boon in his female form, Mohini . In Koovagam , Tamil Nadu , this incident is re-enacted in an 18-day festival, first by a ceremonial marriage of Aravan to Alis ( hijra ) and male villagers (who have taken vows to Aravan) and then by their widowhood after ritual re-enactment of Aravan's sacrifice. The Draupadi tradition emphasises another boon: Krishna allows Aravan to witness
5328-431: The war after his sacrifice. For example, Iramacamippulavar's Merkolvilakka Kkatai Akaravaricai (1963)—which narrates the tale of Aravan—ends with the conclusion that Aravan continues to live on as a folk hero in Tamil Nadu, because he embodies "the ideal of self-sacrifice". Aravan is considered to be a representation of the cost of war; he evokes the "countless innocent" reluctantly sent by their mothers "to be consumed by
5402-443: The war. On the other hand, the Draupadi cult are not overly concerned about the first boon of the heroic death; they resolve the second dilemma, regarding Aravan's continued observation of the war, holding that Aravan was able to watch the entire war through the eyes of his severed head. A third view harmonises all the boons, holding that Aravan's body reconstituted after the sacrifice; he then fought heroically until being decapitated on
5476-551: The whole Kaurava army, but Iravan's army of Nagas slay all the soldiers, leaving the Gandhara princes for Iravan. Iravan, then gets down from his chariot and slays five of the Gandhara princes in a sword fight; Vrishava alone escapes death. Agitated by this reversal, the eldest Kaurava, Duryodhana , orders the rakshasa (giant) Alamvusha (or Alambusha), son of Rishyasringa , to kill Iravan. This time Alambusha, as well as Iravan, uses illusion in combat. Alambusha attacks Iravan with
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