chamayavilakku Festival 2011 - Kottangulangara Chamayavilakku Festival

Kottangulangara Chamayavilakku Festival

Start Date: 24/03/2011 - 00:00

End Date: 25/03/2011 - 00:00

Classification of the festival-Cultural/ Religious.: Religious

Entry restrictions exist (Religious restrictions / Entry pass).: No

Details of access to the place

Nearest Railwaystations: Kollam about 13 km

Nearest Airports: Thiruvananthapuram International Airport, about 71 km from Kollam town

Religion.: Hindu

Description of festival (Legends, History, Customs related with the festival, Highlights):

Here’s your chance to watch a really amazing festival, come, attend chamayavilakku, the annual festival at Kottankulangara devi temple. Hundreds of beautiful ‘women’ strolling on the temple premises on the festival night may not surprise you in the first instance until you realise that they are men in drags as part of a special ritual. During night, these 'damsels’, holding traditional lamps, walk in procession to the temple to the accompaniment of traditional orchestra; a memorable sight indeed. The festival falls on the 10th and 11th of the Meenam month on the the Malayalam calendar.

Season:All

Nearby tourist destination : Not at any Destination

Number of days of festival:2

Place 

District: KOLLAM

The festival falls on March 24 and 25th this year. Though it is only starting of summer, temperature will be around 34 to 37 degrees, which you should be able to manage.

This festival is purely divine in nature. Five-year-old boy to senior citizen, without any age restrictions, used to participate in the festival as a part of a ritual to the Goddess for fulfillment of their wishes. On an average 1200 to 1500 guys used to participate every year.

Participants should be dressed in decent female clothing and hold a lamp called ‘Chamayavilakku’ with them (available for rent at the temple premises). Those do not have lamp come with sexy dresses (even wearing sleeveless blouse) will not be allowed to participate in the festival.

Fem dressed males, in local language called as, ‘Vilakkukal (lamps)’ assemble first at the temple premises to ignite the lamp with them by the temple priest, then moving towards the pathway (small road) through which the deity is taken on procession. They will be taking position on either side of the pathway, about one km stretch. Once the procession is over they will move to the temple to put off the light in their lamps in the place provided in the temple premises. While they hold the lamp they are treated as escort of the Goddess and will be respected by the local public, who are having belief / faith.

Though the ‘Vilakkukal’ start assembling in the temple premises from 9 pm in the night, the procession will be taking place around 4 am in the next morning. There is no rules that you would wait till the procession is over. At any point of time, you can put off your lamp according to the custom and leave for your place. However most of them will wait till the procession is complete in all respects.

The temple is situated in a village called ‘kottankulangara’, which is about 14 kms from Kollam and 10 kms from Karunagappally, another nearby town in the Trivandrum – Salem National Highway (NH-47). Kollam and Karunagappally, both are suitable for comfortable stay. Since Kollam is the district headquarters availability of accommodation is more. Rooms are available from Rs.200/ to Rs.2500/- depending upon the facilities.

Bus services are available from Kollam and Karunagappally throughout the night to reach the temple. If you get dressed at your place of stay at Kollam / Karunagappally and going to the temple by bus, you have to face the public traveling in the bus, for which you should be prepared for. We cannot rule out presence of nuisance elements in the bus.

At the temple site many make-up kiosks are available, providing make up. They also give wig for rent. However dresses are not available for rent, which take note. Since the make-up parlors will be busy with clients, make up will not be that good to your expectations. There are many shops selling bangles, ear ornaments and other fem accessories but will be of cheap varieties only.

Participants should get a ticket of Rs.5/- from the temple authorities to enter the temple.
Kollam Junction is a substantially big railway station in the main line connecting Ernakulam to Trivandrum / Kanya kumari. Since Trivandrum, capital of kerala, is directly connected with all the Metros by train, anybody coming from any part of India doesn’t have difficulty in reaching Kollam. Advance reservations are most important, as passenger traffic in this route is very high. Those who are coming down to participate the festival can get down at Kollam as all the trains, including super fast trains stop there. Nearest airport is Trivandrum (Thiruvananthapuram), which is about 74 kms from Kollam.

The festival falls on March 24 and 25th this year. Though it is only starting of summer, temperature will be around 34 to 37 degrees, which you should be able to manage.

Dos
- To and fro journey tickets are to be booked in advance.
- Arrive at the place of stay on the previous evening to get decent accommodation.
- Arrange your own conveyance if you wish to go to the temple site dressed from room
- Go to the temple early to get lamp before the stocks get exhausted.

Don’ts
- Avoid going outside the temple between 11 pm to 2 am without proper escorts.
- Walking alone outside the temple premises is not advisable.
- Avoid drinks and food items from temple site as they are polluted.
- Face the comments from admirers with a smile and don’t react.

Advice to first time participants:
First day visit the temple site in male dress; enjoy the festivities as admirer seeing and understanding happenings thereat. You can see how makeup parlors are working, the rate they charge etc. Don’t miss a walk through the crowds outside the temple at the peak time; say 11 pm to 2 am. Second day you can dress and participate in the festival and enjoy your feminity.

F.FARZANA

F.FARZANA sexy super hot

Kottankulangara Sridevi Temple at Chavara in Kerala – Men Cross Dress for Goddess in Chamayavilakku Festival

According to Hindu tradition all animate and inanimate rise and fall in the Supreme Truth. This concept has given rise to numerous unique traditions in Hinduism like the Ardhanareeshwara and unique temple festivals related to the concept half-man and half-woman. One such festival is the Chamayavilakku festival held at the Kottankulangara Sridevi Temple at Chavara in Kerala. Chamayavilakku Festival 2010 date is March 24 and 25. The temple is dedicated to Vana Durga – an incarnation of Goddess Shakti.

Please note that the festival is today being associated with homosexuals, crossdressers and transgender. But this is not correct. The ritual is a unique offering done by straight men to the Goddess. Homosexuals, crossdressers and transgender actively participate in the ritual.

The ritual is held during the last two days of the 11-day temple festival. On the day, regular men from all walks of life dress up as women for the chamaya Vilakku (chamaya is make-up, vilakku is lamp). The offering is made for the fulfillment of desires or as a thanksgiving for a wish fulfilled.

Beautifully dressed in female clothes and with flowers on hair, lamps in hand, men wait patiently till the wee hours of dawn for the goddess to bless them.

The temple festival also attracts large number of homosexuals and transgender.

There are two legends that are associated with the Chamayavilakku Festival and Kottankulangara Sridevi Temple.

According to legend, little boys grazing cattle had first stumbled upon the deity worshipped in temple. While trying to dehusk a coconut, they accidentally hit a stone which began to bleed. The frightened children told their parents about this. The adults then consulted astrologers. Finally, the phenomenon was attributed to the presence of Vana Durga. A temple was built. The little boys dressed as girls and held lamps to welcome the goddess.

Another legend has it that a group of cowherds used to dress up as girls and playfully offer remains of the coconut after it is grated and the milk extracted to a murti or idol. Pleased by their devotion, the goddess, in the garb of an ordinary woman, appeared before them and blessed them.

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Kottankulangara Festival

The '''Kottankulangara Festival''' is an annual Hindu festival in Kerala, India in which thousands of men dress as women. The festival takes place at the Kottankulangara Devi temple at Chavara, Kerala which is sacred to the goddess Bhagavathy.
The '''Kottankulangara Festival''' is an annual Hindu festival in Kerala, India in which thousands of men dress as women. The festival takes place at the Kottankulangara Devi temple at Chavara, Kerala which is sacred to the goddess Bhagavathy.
- - -There is a temple named Kottankulangara Devi Temple at Chavara in Kollam. This is a place in Kerala where there is a religious offering by hindus , in which men dress up as girls and all make ups will be applied on them so that they will look like a real girl.

- - - This is a rare religious festival performed in south india and this is done to show respect to the Devi for the favours and blessings received. The boys wear set mundu and saree or pattu pavadai , churidhars and apply lipstick and put long hair wigs and after completing all such things these devotees will light up lamps and start visiting the temple as a procession.
- - - Kottankulangara photos is a very beautiful scene to watch with beautiful girl like boys, who can make the girls jealous of their wonderful beauty that amazes everyone with this transformation. Chamaya Vilakku is also known as Make Up Lamp and this procession is conducted at night when all of them will walk in the procession with lighted lamps to the temple.

set saree wearing male offering worship as a devotee in kottankulangara temple at kollam at the time of chamayavilakku festivalpavada davani blouse wearing male offering worship as a devotee in kottankulangara temple at kollam at the time of chamayavilakku festivalred saree wearing male offering worship as a devotee in kottankulangara temple at kollam at the time of chamayavilakku festival.

set saree wearing male offering worship as a devotee in kottankulangara temple at kollam at the time of chamayavilakku festival.

Lot of Homosexuals and transexuals, kothis in India from places like Kerala, Bangalore, Hyderabad and Mumbai attend this festival. You can reach this temple which is 14 km away from Kollam. ( Take a Bus or Train from Your Place to kollam in kerala and then go to this temple and then enquire in Bus Station about the Next Bus to Kottakulangara. ( Do not get trapped in hands of agents or guides who will ask for Huge Fees to Guide you to the temple)
- - - To attend this festival of men dressing as women you have to follow below tips,