The Kottankulangara Festival is an annual
Hindu
Hindus (; ) are people who religiously adhere to Hinduism. Jeffery D. Long (2007), A Vision for Hinduism, IB Tauris, , pages 35–37 Historically, the term has also been used as a geographical, cultural, and later religious identifier for ...
festival in Kerala, India in which thousands of male devotees dress-up as females and celebrate the festival.
The festival takes place at the
Kottankulangara Devi Temple at
Kollam, which is sacred to the goddess
Bhagavathy
Bhagavatī (Devanagari: भगवती, IAST: Bhagavatī), is a Hindu epithet of Sanskrit origin, used as an honorific title for female deities in Hinduism. It is primarily used to address one of the Tridevi: Saraswati, Lakshmi, and Parvati.
...
. Every year this festival is celebrated on the 10th and 11th day of the Malayalam Meenam Maasam which falls on the 24th and 25th of the year.
On the festival day thousand of Devotees visit the Temple to seek the blessings of the Goddess Bhagavathy. The men dress up in the female attire of their choice. Some wear Set sari, Pattu sari, half sari or even dance costumes.
References
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External links
Kerala Festivals: Kottankulangara ChamayavilakkuCrossdressing Bodysuits - The Crossdresser Store
Cross-dressing
Hindu festivals in Kerala
Festivals in Kollam district
April observances
March observances
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