Why Kerala Men Dress Up As Women During Chamayavilakku Festival?

In India, there is a multitude of festivals celebrated with great enthusiasm and excitement that attracts people from all walks of life. One such unique festival that takes place in the Kollam district of Kerala is called Chamayavilakku.

It is particularly distinctive because, during the festival, the men dress up as women and are almost unrecognizable due to their makeup and attire.

What is the Chamayavilakku festival?

The festival, which lasted for two days, commenced on Thursday and ended on Friday evening after carrying out customary ceremonies and devotions.

The Chamayavilakku festival, which hasn't involved public participation in the past two years, is now back in action.

The yearly festival had to be cancelled in both 2020 and 2021 due to the restrictions imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic.

While the number of attendees for this year's festival was lower than in previous years due to the COVID pandemic, a notable number of men of varying ages still participated by dressing up as women.

As per the temple officials, prior to the COVID-19 outbreak, the number of individuals participating in the event was as much as 3000 to 4000.

They adorn themselves in garments like half-saris, kasavu saris, and churidars, and accessorise with jewellery.

Frequently, the application of makeup for these occasions is carried out by family members or makeup artists who specialise in this type of makeup and who are often present at the temple premises.

During the procession and while offering prayers, the men are seen carrying a chamayavilakku, which is essentially a lamp that is lit up with five wicks and serves as a makeup light.

Some individuals hold the belief that by offering prayers while dressed as women, they can attract blessings such as employment opportunities and financial prosperity.

The principal idol at the temple is the goddess Durga, who is commonly referred to as Vanadurga.

History of the festival:

As per the local mythology, there was an incident where a group of cowherd boys attempted to break a coconut by striking it against a rock they stumbled upon in the forest. However, they were surprised to see blood drops flowing out of the stone.

The individuals were frightened and notified the citizens of their encounter.

Subsequently, the local people sought advice from astrologers who proclaimed that the stone possessed extraordinary abilities of Vanadurga and that the religious ceremonies must commence promptly following the establishment of a temple.

A temple was constructed at the location where the stone was discovered through the utilization of poles, coconut palm leaves, and tender coconut palm leaves.

In ancient times, it was only permissible for young girls to make floral decorations and light lamps in small and personal religious spaces. However, cow herders started to disguise themselves as girls and women to perform these religious rituals in the temple.

The origin of men and boys dressing up as women and girls can be traced back to this tradition.

These days, Chamayavilakku has become a festival that attracts many transpersons from the community.

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