Koovagam, Tamil Nadu · usually early April to mid May
Koovagam Festival
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Koovagam Festival
When is Koovagam Festival 2027?
Koovagam Festival usually runs early April to mid May. Exact dates are not announced yet.
How the dates are set: The festival is held over 18 days in the Tamil month of Chithirai (April and May); the exact days shift each year.
Koovagam Festival schedule
- April 19, 2022: Transgender people had thalis (marriage necklaces) tied by temple priests, declaring Aravan their husband.
- April 20, 2022: The last day ended with the breaking of the thalis and bangles in mourning for Aravan.
- 2025: The beauty contest was listed for May 4, the marriage for May 5 and the thali removal for May 6.
Sources: timesofindia.indiatimes.com, facebook.com
Getting to Koovagam Festival
- Koovagam is a village in Ulundurpettai taluk, about 25 km from Villupuram in Tamil Nadu.
Source: sahapedia.org
Koovagam Festival: questions people ask
What is the Koovagam festival?
It is an annual festival at the Koothandavar Temple in Koovagam, Tamil Nadu, famous for gatherings of Thirunangai (Aravani) and transgender people who marry the god Aravan.
Where is the Koothandavar Kovil located?
In Koovagam village, Ulundurpettai taluk, about 25 km from Villupuram district headquarters in Tamil Nadu.
What is the story behind the Koothandavar Kovil?
Aravan, son of Arjuna, asked to marry before his sacrifice in the Mahabharata war. Krishna took the female form Mohini to wed him, and she mourned him as a widow the next day.
How long is the Koovagam festival?
It lasts 18 days in the Tamil month of Chithirai (April and May).
What happens on the last day of the Koovagam festival?
The thalis and bangles are broken in mourning for Aravan, and those who tied the thali wear white saris to depict widowhood.
Source: sahapedia.org
About Koovagam Festival
An 18-day temple festival where Thirunangai and Aravani women gather at Koothandavar Temple to marry the god Aravan and then mourn him.
The Koovagam festival is held at the Koothandavar Temple in Koovagam village, Ulundurpettai taluk, in the Tamil month of Chithirai (April and May). Transgender women and others visit from all over India and neighboring countries. On the second-to-last day they are married to the god Aravan with a thali tied by temple priests, and on the last day they mourn his death by breaking bangles and cutting thalis. Dates follow the Tamil calendar and shift each year.
Know before you go
- Villages around the temple fill up during the final days of the festival, so plan transport and a bed ahead.
- The marriage and mourning rituals are the last two days of the 18-day festival.
- Koovagam is about 25 km from Villupuram; Chennai (MAA) and Tiruchirappalli (TRZ) are the larger airports in the region.
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