Koovagam Festival 2012: India’s Largest Hindu Celebration Of The Transgender Community
This week in the Indian village of Koovagem, thousands of hijras, men who identify as women, along with eunuchs and cross-dressers (both men and women), gather for the countries largest annual celebration for transgender people. Transgender Indians have a powerful advocate: the Hindu deity Aravan. During the two-day festival, the Koovagem participants are ceremonially married to Aravan, and participate in beauty pageants and singing concerts.