After two years, Chamayavilakku shines bright again

Hundreds of cross-dressed men carry lamps, seeking deity’s blessings

With hundreds of men dressed as women lining up before the deity, the renowned Chamayavilakku festival of Kottankulangara Sri Bhagavathy Temple began here on Thursday. During the last two years the festival was held as rituals only in view of restrictions imposed by the State government and Devaswom Board to prevent the spread of COVID-19. While usual customs including Kettukazhcha, Annadanam, Pongala, and procession were cancelled, Pujas were carried out with some temple committee members observing the ritual dolled up as women. Legend has it that the first puja of the temple was held by a group of cowherds wearing the clothes of women, leading to the extraordinary ritual.

Every year a large number of devotees attend the two-day festival with the unique custom. As part of the main ritual, cross-dressed men carry the traditional five-wick lamps to seek the blessings of the goddess. They line up in a ceremonial procession and the rituals go on till midnight on both the days.

The festival is conducted on the tenth and eleventh days of the Malayalam month of Meenam and usually small makeshift studios for the men to dress are set up on the temple premises a day before. Chamayavilakku is also a festival of transpersons as several community members turn up for it.