Kuvagam
| Kuvagam கூவாகம் |
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 India
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| State : | Tamil Nadu | ||
| District : | Viluppuram | ||
| Sub-district : | Ulundurpettai | ||
| Location : | 11 ° 50 ′ N , 79 ° 21 ′ E | ||
| Residents : | 3,038 (2011) | ||
Kuvagam ( Tamil : கூவாகம் Kūvākam [ ˈkuːʋaːɡʌm ], also Koovagam ) is a village in the Viluppuram district in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu . It is located in the Taluk Ulundurpettai between Ulundurpettai (19 kilometers southwest) and the district capital Viluppuram (24 kilometers northeast). The population is around 3,000 (2011 census).
Kuvagam is known for the annual festival of hijras and homosexuals, which is held in the Tamil month of Chitrai (April / May) and lasts for a fortnight. The festival takes place at Koothandavar Temple . According to the Mahabharata , the prince Aravan was to be sacrificed by his family in order to avert impending defeat. He agreed, but wanted to spend the night before the sacrifice with a woman. Since no woman could be found who wanted to become a widow after one night, the god Krishna took the form of a woman and married Aravan. The Hijras slip into the role of Krishna, spend the night with a man of their choice and become "widows" the next morning. Their bracelets are pierced and they wail in ritual dances. There is also a beauty contest and other competitions, such as a singing contest, and seminars on health issues and basic rights of the hijras.
In addition to hijras and homosexual men, this festival is also an attraction for numerous men who otherwise lead an inconspicuous heterosexual life.