Ceremony — Clipahoy

Devotees throng Kottankulangara Sree Devi Temple: Chamayavilakku festival in Kerala

festival · temple

Men dress as women to please goddess during annual Chamayavilakku festival at Kottankulangara Sree Devi Temple, Chavara near Kollam, Kerala.

Hundreds of sturdy men dress up as comely females in Kerala

festival · temple

Men dress as women to please goddess during annual Chamayavilakku festival at Kottankulangara Sree Devi Temple, Chavara near Kollam, Kerala.

Men dress up as women in order to conceive children here, in Kerala

festival · temple

Men dress as women to please goddess during annual Chamayavilakku festival at Kottankulangara Sree Devi Temple, Chavara near Kollam, Kerala.

Pleasing the divine: Men dressed up as women participate in Chamayavilakku, in Kerala

festival · temple

Men dress as women to please goddess during annual Chamayavilakku festival at Kottankulangara Sree Devi Temple, Chavara near Kollam, Kerala.

Unique festival Chamayavilakku begins in Kerala

festival · ceremony

This is a unique festival where gender norms and equations are altered temporarily for a cause.

Pretty women? No! they are men dressed as women, in Kerala

festival · temple

Men dress as women to please goddess during annual Chamayavilakku festival at Kottankulangara Sree Devi Temple, Chavara near Kollam, Kerala.

Festival of crossdressing in Kottankulangara Sree Devi temple, in Kerala

festival · temple

The famous Chamayavilakku is a unique festival which is held at the Kottankulangara Sree Devi Temple, Chavara near Kollam, Kerala where thousands of men irrespective of their religious faith get dressed up as women to offer prayers to the G…

Boys dressed up as girls for Chamayavilakku festival, in Kerala

festival · temple

The famous Chamayavilakku is a unique festival which is held at the Kottankulangara Sree Devi Temple, Chavara near Kollam, Kerala where thousands of men irrespective of their religious faith get dressed up as women to offer prayers to the G…

Cross-dressers and transgenders wear gajra for festival

festival · temple

A gajra is a flower garland which women in South Asia wear during festive occasions, weddings or as part of everyday traditional attire.

Unique festival of cross-dressing in South India, in Kerala

festival · temple

In the Kerala state of India dangerous festival of cross-dressing is organized annually. Outside of this region, to the rest of the world this festival would seem Bizarre.

Chamayavilakku: unique festival of transgenders and cross-dressers, in Kerala

festival · temple

The famous Chamayavilakku is a unique festival which is held at the Kottankulangara Sree Devi Temple, Chavara near Kollam, Kerala where thousands of men irrespective of their religious faith get dressed up as women to offer prayers to the G…

Transgenders and cross-dressers from South India gather to celebrate Chamayavilakku, in Kerala

festival · temple

The famous Chamayavilakku is a unique festival which is held at the Kottankulangara Sree Devi Temple, Chavara near Kollam, Kerala where thousands of men irrespective of their religious faith get dressed up as women to offer prayers to the G…

Decorated elephants circumambulate temple during Chamayavilakku, in Kerala

temple · festival

Boy takes selfie with cross-dressers during Chamayavilakku festival at Kottankulangara Sree Devi temple.

Devotees from South India come to attend Chamayavilakku, in Kerala

festival · temple

Not only transgenders or cross dressers come to Kottankulangara Sree Devi Temple to attend this festival also devotees from different parts of south India come to Chavara to attend this unique festival.

Transgenders hold lamps and circumambulate Kottankulangara Sree Devi temple, in Kerala

temple · festival

Transgenders and cross dressers come to Kottankulangara Sree Devi Temple to worship Godess Bhagavathy.

Devotees circumambulate Kottankulangara Sree Devi temple

temple · festival

A boy is dressed up as girl wearing mangal sutra circumambulating. Devotees enter the temple and offers prayers to the presiding deity. Once this is done, they start circumambulating.

Little boys dressed as girls for Chamayavilakku festival, in Kerala

festival · temple

Little boys dress as women to please goddess during annual Chamayavilakku festival at Kottankulangara Sree Devi Temple, Chavara near Kollam, Kerala.

Woman dresses her grandson as girl for Chamayavilakku Festival in Kerala

festival · temple

Woman dresses her grandson as girl to please goddess during annual Chamayavilakku festival at Kottankulangara Sree Devi Temple, Chavara near Kollam, Kerala.

When men dress as woman: Chamayavilakku Festival in Kerala

festival · temple

Men dress as women to please goddess during annual Chamayavilakku festival at Kottankulangara Sree Devi Temple, Chavara near Kollam, Kerala.

People throng Kottankulangara Sree Devi Temple for Chamayavilakku Festival, in Kerala

festival · temple

Devotees throng Kottankulangara Sree Devi Temple during annual Chamayavilakku festival at Kottankulangara Sree Devi Temple, Chavara near Kollam, Kerala.

Men primp as women for Chamayavilakku Festival in Kerala

festival · temple

Men primp as women for Chamayavilakku Festival walk towards Kottankulangara Sree Devi Temple, Chavara near Kollam, Kerala.

Kottankulangara Sree Devi Temple prepares for Chamayavilakku festival in Kerala

festival · temple

Kottankulangara Sree Devi Temple organises annual Chamayavilakku festival in Kerala. The famous Chamayavilakku is a unique festival which is held at the Kottankulangara Sree Devi Temple, Chavara near Kollam, Kerala where thousands of men ir…

Chamayavilakku festival in Kerala

festival · temple

Devotees gather to celebrate Chamayavilakku festival at Kottankulangara Sree Devi Temple, Chavara near Kollam, Kerala.