The Koovagam Festival is an annual gathering of transgender community at the Koothandavar temple in Tamil Nadu’s Villupuram district. It is referred to as Aravani and begins on the full moon of the Chithirai month of the Tamil calendar. This year, the festival commenced on April 9 with a Saagai Vaartha event. The annual festival at Koothandavar temple serves as an attraction point for various transgender people from across the country to celebrate their existence. Among many events held during this festival, one of them was Miss Koovagam transgender beauty pageant. This year, Riya, a trans woman from Erode district of Tamil Nadu was crowned Miss Koovagam at the beauty pageant held on April 22.
It was organised by the South India Transgenders Federation along with the Tamil Nadu Directorate of Social Welfare. This beauty contest saw a huge number of entries from different parts of the country. Riya was declared the winner, while Megha from Coimbatore came second. Evangeline John of Chennai was the second runner-up. The winners were first crowned by P Mohanambal, president of the South India Transgenders Federation. The rehearsals for the Miss Transgender Beauty Pageant were held at Villupuram District Artist College. Miss Transgender 2024 and Miss Koovagam 2024 were the main events of this festival.
Thousands of transgenders from different parts of Tamil Nadu, other states and foreign countries including Malaysia and Singapore have come to Viluppuram and Koovagam villages to participate in this festival.
Talking about this event, Sudha, the founder of the National Transgender Welfare Organisation said, “Every year, the transgenders participate in the Koothandavar temple festival. It will be followed by the Miss Transgender and Miss Koovagam festival.”
Sakshi, a transgender, said that all transgenders should get an education. “If you study well you can get a good job. All people should treat transgenders as equals,” Sakshi said while talking to Local18.
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