Tag Archives: Tamil Nadu

Sexual + Gender Minorities

India Feature | Transwomen

Mayana Kollai: Hindu Transwomen’s Annual Oasis of Acceptance

Mayana Kollai, a festival honoring the Hindu goddess Angala Parameswari, provides a rare opportunity for the public acknowledgment of transwomen in India. The women—known as kothis, among other designations—transform into spiritually revered beings welcomed into homes for blessings and incorporated into major festival events. Offering brief respite from the social struggles faced by the Indian trans community including physical and sexual violence, the late-winter/early-spring celebration involves elaborate preparations for the women, some of whom have become minor celebrities in their own right. The New York Times features a photo series of kothis in the state of Tamil Nadu as they prepare for the festival, marking the bridge from social marginalization to divine honor.

View:
“Mortal to Divine and Back: India’s Transgender Goddesses” (The New York Times)

(Image Credit: Candace Feit, via The New York Times)

Nationality + Migration, Religion + Belief

India News | Foreigners & Non-Hindus

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Court orders Hindu temples in Tamil Nadu to turn away out-of-dress-code visitors
  • The Madras high court issued an order banning jeans, shorts, skirts, leggings, and short sleeves from the 6,000 Hindu temples in the southern Indian state.
  • The court cited a desire to “enhance spiritual ambiance” as the motivation for the ruling.
  • The ruling applies to locals as well as foreigners at what are major tourist attractions, with one temple receiving more than 4 million visitors per year.

Read more:
“Tamil Nadu temples ring in dress code” (The Hindu)
“Hindu temples in southern India enforce western clothing ban” (The Guardian)

(Image Credit: M. Vedhan/The Hindu)