Transgenders celebrate their 'wedding'

Draped in colourful sarees and having decorated their braids with fresh jasmine flowers, scores of transgenders thronged the Koovagam village for one of the most important days of their life--their annual "wedding" ceremony.
In one of the Hindu legends, Lord Krishna is believed to have taken the feminine form to marry Naga prince Aravan in order to grant his last wish to get married before being sacrificed for the victory of Pandavas in the war.
Aravan is worshipped as Koothandavar in this village located in Villupuram district.
Today, the wedding ceremony was held with scores of transgenders donning the role of Aravan's bride with the priest at the temple tying knot around their neck.

This is a symbolic gesture of their getting married in a recreation of the Mahabharata episode.
Smiling transgenders queued up in good numbers to get married even as many of them recalled their continuing struggle for acceptance and recognition in the society.

Some of them said all of their financial savings was reserved for the Koothandavar festival since it is a very important part of their life where they mingle with fellow community members from across the country.
Yesterday, in a show of confidence, many of them had participated in a beauty pageant, 'Miss Koovagam.'
The "Thalis" are subsequently removed the next day and the transgenders mourn the death of Aravan.