Have you heard of a festival were men dress up as women to take part in the ritual? Yes, you heard it right. Hundreds of men cutting across religions dress up like women at the Kottankulangara Devi temple in Kollam district in Kerala to please the deity and get their wishes fulfilled.
The festival is observed for close to 19 days in the month of March every year. On the last two days, the men dress up as women by wearing sarees, decked in shimmering jewellery and elaborate makeup to participate in the "Kottankulangara Chamayavilakku" ritual. They also shave their moustache to look as authentic as possible.
Indian Railways officer, Ananth Rupanagudi took to Twitter to share a photo of a man dressed as a woman during the Chamayavilakku festival. According to his post, the man won first prize for the make up in the contest held at the temple.
"The Devi Temple in Kottamkulakara in Kollam district in Kerala has a tradition called the Chamayavilakku festival. This festival is celebrated by men who are dressed as women. The above picture is that of the man who won the first prize for the make up In the contest. #festival," read the caption of the post shared by Rupanagudi.
The post after being shared has gone viral and amassed 353.6 views and tons of comments.
I'd have never guessed. I wonder how he looks otherwise, wrote one user on the post.
"If thats man, then the makeup artist has to be nominated for Oscar," wrote another user.
"No .....HEROINES of Tollywood, Bollywood,kollywood can match with this picture," wrote a third.
According to one of the local beliefs, a group of boys who used to herd cows would playfully dress up as girls and offer flowers and a coconut dish called "kottan" to a stone they considered to be God. Folklore has it that the goddess appeared before one of the boys, and subsequently a temple came up and the ritual of cross-dressing to offer prayers to the goddess got underway, reported IANS.