When I was in college, I read an article in the news paper and then in a magazene about a drag festival associated with a temple in Quilon(Now known as Kollam), Kerala. That was a hot news for me. Since then, I wanted to go there to see what's it all about. After waiting for few years, I got an oppertunity to go there. The hardest part was to find out a reason to tell my Mom, to sneak out of the house for a couple of days. Finally something clicked!! I told her that one of my friends is in Quilon and I have to go to attend his sister's marriage and I will be back after two days only. She believed it. I felt so guilty about it, but there was no other way. I didn't think about any consequences which may occur if something happen to me on the way.
I packed my bag. Along with my clothes I took a saree, blouse, nighty, my underskirt, a bra, a panty and a pair of cotton socks, so that I can have some fun in the hotel room. I started my journey. On the way I was dreaming about the excitement I will be having for the next two days. I reached Quilon and took a room in a hotel near the railway station, had a bath and took a short nap. At around 6.30 p.m. I took a bus from the near by bus stop at Chinnakkada to Chavara, the place where the temple is located. It's only a few miles from Quilon city. In the bus I saw a few parents taking their boys, who are dressed up in long skirts and blouses, wearing bangles, earrings, necklaces etc. to the place I'm going. The bus got full on the way. After a few minutes it reached Chavara.
From the bus stop there is a short walk to the temple(Kottankulangara temple). On the way I saw a few men dressed up in saree with full makeup and everything. My excitement started building up down below!! Also I saw temperory makeup booths set up on the sides of the road with boards saying "We do make up and rent lamps". Ofcourse you have to pay for it. As I approached the temple I saw more kids, teenagers, young men and even old guys dressed up in different kind of dresses which include saree, settu mundu(a two piece dress which is worn with a saree blouse), churidar, long skirt and blouse, miniskirt and blouse and what not!!! Some of them looked so boring though. I entered the temple premisses and saw a lot of make up activity going on there- mothers and sisters dressing up their sons and brothers, wives transforming their husbands into beautiful women, guys doing the makeup and dressing up themselves. I spent quite some time watching this.
I felt my thing getting harder like a rock. The sight of wives putting make up on their husband's face, help them put on the bra, the blouse, the underskirt and then donning the saree was the one which I enjoyed the most. As I was walking around the temple, I saw a guy struggling to wear sari. It was evident that he never wore a saree before. I approached him and asked him if he needs some help. He was so happy to have someone to help him. I helped him to wear the saree and he was so thankful to me. Then I walked out to the road across the temple and started walking towards "Kunjalummoodu", which is a few yards away from the temple. As time goes by the crowd was getting bigger and bigger. Then came to the scene, a group of beautiful girls with complete makeup and wearing some georgeous sarees. They were wearing a lot of jewelry and their wigs look good. It was hard to figure out that they were really men. Except for their voice, they were truly feminine in all aspects. The way they were walking, talking and acting like girls was a joy to watch. They came there not because of their faith, but just to show off and have some fun. They drew the attention of the whole crowd. I could see some press photographers and videographers going after them.
Now, right from inside the temple all the way upto Kunjalummoodu, both sides of the road started filling up with men in drag holding lamps which burns with oil. The parents, sisters, wives and friends of these 'girls' were standing behind them with extra oil in bottles. I saw guys walking around teasing these girls with comments, which at times were so irritating. Some of the girls kept their cool spoting a smile on their face and blushing. But some of them tried to retaliate, but that made things worse. The guys gave them a hard time. Some parents were complaining about guys like these. As a matter of fact, a vast majority of the people who take part in this festival, go there because of their true faith. So incidents like this will hurt their feelings. But nothing can be done to stop it. This is all part of the show. I made several rounds from the temple to Kunjalummoodu and back, to have a closer look at all these beauties. Some of them were so cute with inviting eyes. But some of them looked so weird because they looked so manly or with a poor makeup and dress. There is a Photo studio right across the temple where you can take pictures of you in drag. There were so many temperory stalls which sell bangles, earrings, necklace, kajal(eye liner), and stuff like that. I bought some stuff for myself.
Around 2 O'clock in the morning, the procession started. In the procession, they will carry the deity(Devi). It's believed that the godess likes to see men dressed as women and in this procession she will enjoy watching all these "Purushanganas"(men dressed in drag)and she will laugh at them and finally she will bless them and help them fulfill their desires. The procession will go upto Kunjalummoodu and come back to the pond near the temple. Due to the crowd around the pond, I couldn't see what really happened there.
The pond thing mark the end of that days celebrations. The same thing will be repeated the next day evening also. People started leaving the scene. I left the temple around 4 O'clock in the morning, reached the hotel, had a bath and slipped into my bra, underskirt and nighty and went to bed. I got up late in the morning, went out to have lunch. Back in the room I tried the makeup and kajal I bought. Then I put on the bangles and earrings and then dressed up and had some fun. In the evening, for a second day's fun I started off to Chavara again.
Believe me, I enjoyed the trip very much. If any of you guys are planning to go there next year, I promise you that it'll be worth a trip. This event take place every year in the month of March. The exact dates are determined as per the Malayalam Calender. I believe it's Meenam 2nd and 3rd(usually it comes on March 23rd & 24th or 24th & 25th). People take part in this festival because they believe that all their wishes will come true if they can please the godess in this way. They have all kinds of wishes- to pass the exams, to get a job, to get a good marriage alliance, to get relief from sickness- and the list goes on and on..Some of them take part for their family members too.
I am glad if this info will help those of you, who are planning to go for this festival. Waiting for your comments.
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� Suni, April 2000
