Guest guest Posted April 1, 2004 Report Share Posted April 1, 2004 Om Parashaktyai Namaha! I have read about a certain group of sadhus that always wear women's clothes, because they believe that only women can serve the goddess. This is probably why they say that men who dress like women have their prayers answered. I think it's fascinating! There are also sadhus who strive to always inwardly maintain the attitude of a female servant to Devi, though they dress outwardly as men. pranams, Brianna --- "N. Madasamy" <ashwini_puralasamy wrote: > By Sanu George, Thiruvananthapuram, Mar 25 (IANS) : > > Thousands of men thronged a Hindu temple in Kerala > wearing saris, > skirts and churidars in a unique tradition in which > males seek divine > blessings while dressed as women. > Thiruvananthapuram, Mar 25 (IANS) > Thousands of men thronged a Hindu temple in Kerala > wearing saris, > skirts and churidars in a unique tradition in which > males seek divine > blessings while dressed as women. > > The unique two-day festival concluded at the > Kattankulangara Devi > temple at Chavara in Kollam district, and officials > said the response > this year was huge - with people cutting across > religious lines > pouring from all over the state. > > A walk through a three-kilometre stretch to the > temple compound could > take a first time visitor by surprise. > > Here, men wear women's clothes through the night. > This is no game, > though. It is believed that men who wear women's > clothes have their > prayers answered. > > The festival is called "Kottankulangara > Chamayavilakku". > > C. Sankar, a photographer, has not only observed the > festival from > close quarters because he stays close to the temple > but has dressed > up like a woman at least 10 times. > > "The last time I did it was in 1981. I did it > because my mother told > me that the family had taken a vow to observe the > ritual to receive > the goddess' blessings," he said. > > There are many stories about the origin of the > festival but the most > popular version says 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. > > The story goes that the goddess appeared before one > of the boys. > Subsequently, a temple came up and the ritual of men > dressing up as > women to offer prayers to the goddess got under way. > > > This stone has now come to be regarded as the temple > deity, and some > say the stone has been growing in size over the > years. > > The festival attracts people of various faiths. > > Thomachen, a 65-year-old Christian who came dressed > in a sari, > appeared very shy. "This is my first time here and I > have come with a > special request for the goddess. > > "I have three daughters and even though all of them > are employed, > none of them has been able to marry yet. I wish the > goddess would > listen to my request that they should get husbands > soon." > > The second day of the festival Wednesday saw close > to 3,000 males - > adults as well as children - dressed up in skirts, > churidars, saris > and even the traditional Kerala 'mundu' and > 'neriyathu'. > > By evening the men start to stand on either side of > the temple road, > waiting for the traditional lamp called > Chamayavilakku. > > The lamp is a peculiarity of this temple and is seen > here only. The > lamp is mounted on a long wooden rod and rises to > the waist. > > Speaking to IANS, five-year-old Nitin appeared shy > and sad as he > stood in a queue dressed like a girl in a > traditional skirt and > blouse. > > Asked what made him come to the temple, he said, his > eyes filled with > tears: "My brother is suffering from brain tumour > and my mother > offered to the Devi that I would be dressed up as a > girl so as to > save my brother." > > The ones who make a killing during the event are > makeshift shopowners > who sell ladies dresses and also help to get the men > dress up like > women. > > "Every year the crowd is increasing. This year I did > good business," > said one shop owner. "I notice that Christians > arrive in large > numbers now a days." > > The unique two-day festival concluded at the > Kattankulangara Devi > temple at Chavara in Kollam district, and officials > said the response > this year was huge - with people cutting across > religious lines > pouring from all over the state. > > A walk through a three-kilometre stretch to the > temple compound could > take a first time visitor by surprise. > > Here, men wear women's clothes through the night. > This is no game, > though. It is believed that men who wear women's > clothes have their > prayers answered. > > The festival is called "Kottankulangara > Chamayavilakku". > > C. Sankar, a photographer, has not only observed the > festival from > close quarters because he stays close to the temple > but has dressed > up like a woman at least 10 times. > > "The last time I did it was in 1981. I did it > because my mother told > me that the family had taken a vow to observe the > ritual to receive > the goddess' blessings," he said. > > There are many stories about the origin of the > festival but the most > popular version says 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. > > The story goes that the goddess appeared before one > of the boys. > Subsequently, a temple came up and the ritual of men > dressing up as > women to offer prayers to the goddess got under way. > > > This stone has now come to be regarded as the temple > deity, and some > say the stone has been growing in size over the > years. > > The festival attracts people of various faiths. > > Thomachen, a 65-year-old Christian who came dressed > in a sari, > appeared very shy. "This is my first time here and I > have come with a > special request for the goddess. > > "I have three daughters and even though all of them > are employed, > none of them has been able to marry yet. I wish the > goddess would > listen to my request that they should get husbands > soon." > > The second day of the festival Wednesday saw close > to 3,000 males - > adults as well as children - dressed up in skirts, > churidars, saris > and even the traditional Kerala 'mundu' and > 'neriyathu'. > > By evening the men start to stand on either side of > the === message truncated === Small Business $15K Web Design Giveaway http://promotions./design_giveaway/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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