Mahesh Balasubramanian

Photographer
www.maheshb.com/
     
Koovagam Festival - Celebration of Transgender Identity
Stories (16)
Location: Chennai, India
Nationality: India
Biography: Mahesh is an Independent Photographer from Chennai, India. His works are published in various international magazines like National Geographic Traveler US, BLUR, Digital Photo UK, Wanderlust UK, Dodho, etc. He has won many international awards... read on
Public Story
Koovagam Festival - Celebration of Transgender Identity
Credits: mahesh balasubramanian
Date of Work: 04/23/13 - 04/24/13
Updated: 11/02/20
Location: Koovagam
Archived as:  , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
Koothandavar festival is the biggest annual transgender's festival in India. It is a celebration of love and death, of sacrifice and life.  The festival takes place at the Koothandavar Temple dedicated to Aravaan. The transgenders marry Lord Aravaan, thus reenacting an ancient myth of Lord Krishna who married Aravaan after taking a form of a woman called Mohini. The next day, all transgenders mourn the god Aravaan death through ritualistic dances and by breaking their bangles and removing their mangalsutra. 
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Also by Mahesh Balasubramanian —

VISUAL STORY

Around Home - During Floods

By Mahesh Balasubramanian — In Dec 2015, Chennai, India had an unusually heavy rainfall generated by the annual northeast monsoon in..
VISUAL STORY

Child Education & Development

By Mahesh Balasubramanian — “EDUCATION IS THE MOST POWERFUL WEAPON WHICH YOU CAN USE TO CHANGE THE WORLD.“ - NELSON MANDELA..
VISUAL STORY

Manapad - Coastal Village

By Mahesh Balasubramanian — Manapad is a coastal village of South India, near Tuticorin and Tiruchendur. St. Francis Xavier came to..
VISUAL STORY

Kulasai Dasara Festival

By Mahesh Balasubramanian / kulasekarapattinam — Sri Mutharmman temple is located at Kulasekharapattinam village near Tiruchendur 55 km south of Tuticorin,..
VISUAL STORY

Cotton Candy

By Mahesh Balasubramanian — This is a series of pictures about Cotton Candy vendors on the street. These are taken in different periods..
VISUAL STORY

Life at Marina Beach - Color

By Mahesh Balasubramanian / marina beach, chennai — Marina is the longest natural urban beach of India, along the Bay of Bengal. It is one of the major..
VISUAL STORY

Marina Beach

By Mahesh Balasubramanian / Chennai, India — Marina is the longest natural urban beach of India, along the Bay of Bengal. It is one of the major..
VISUAL STORY

Ghats of Varanasi

By Mahesh Balasubramanian — Varanasi, also known as Banaras is a city on the banks of the Ganges and it is the spiritual capital of..
VISUAL STORY

Kaveripattinam 2019

By Mahesh Balasubramanian / kaveripattinam, india — Taken during "The Mayana Soora Thiruvizha" festival takes place every March in the small village..
VISUAL STORY

Shore of Kulasai

By Mahesh Balasubramanian / kulasekarapattinam — Sri Mutharmman temple is located at  Kulasai (Kulasekharapattinam) village near Tiruchendur 55 km south..
VISUAL STORY

Daily Life - Color

By Mahesh Balasubramanian
VISUAL STORY

Portraits in Color

By Mahesh Balasubramanian — Portraits taken during travel. 
VISUAL STORY

Portraits in B&W

By Mahesh Balasubramanian — I started this portrait work in 2010. I am fascinated with people and faces. Initially, I wanted to portray..
VISUAL STORY

Kolkata 2019

By Mahesh Balasubramanian / Kolkata — Kolkata is the capital of the Indian state of West Bengal and the second-largest city in India.  It is..
VISUAL STORY

Daily Life - B&W

By Mahesh Balasubramanian — I love to take daily life pictures as part of my travel around India. These are some of the pictures taken..
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