Believe it or not! These paragons of beauty are not women, but men dressed as women

Chamayavilakku festival held at Kottankulangara Sree Devi Temple, Kollam is celebrated on the 10th and 11th day of the Malayalam Meenam Maasam (March 15 - April 14)

Hyderabad: Well! We are sure you are also one among the thousands who are rubbing their eyes in disbelief after looking at these photographs of these damsels.

Would you believe us if we tell you that these paragons of beauty are not actually women, but men dressed as women. These men clad in fashionable saree, bedecked in jewellery and even imitating the graceful walk are, indeed men.

Take some consolation. You are not the only one to be deceived by the beautiful faces and the sartorial splendour. Social media users have been going gaga over the photographs and videos of these ‘men’, who could make any beautiful woman an inferiority complex.

Now lets come to the event which attracted these beautiful women, nay men.

Have you ever heard about the Chamayavilakku festival where men dress up as women?

If not, there is a festival celebrated in Kollam district of Kerala where men dress up as women and participate in the festival. Photos and videos of these ‘paragons of beauty’ have been going viral on social media with many incredulous people sharing the photos of these ‘women’.

Chamayavilakku festival held at Kottankulangara Sree Devi Temple, Kollam is celebrated on the 10th and 11th day of the Malayalam Meenam Maasam (March 15 – April 14) and you can see these ‘beautiful women’ holding up lamps but do not be allured by their looks, if you have a close look at them you will be surprised that these beautiful women are actually men dressed up in women attire.

According to Kerala tourism, men across Kerala dolls up as damsels, irrespective of caste and creed, hold the divine Chamayavilakku (traditional lamp) and walk around the temple as a show of devotion for the Goddess Bhagavathy, the deity of the temple, and get their wishes fulfilled.

The Chamayavilakku festival is a 19-day-long festival and this ritual takes place on the final two-days of the festival and also it has turned out to be the largest congregation of the transgender community in Kerala.

Here’s how twitteratis reacted

The Devi Temple in Kottamkulakara in Kollam district in Kerala has a tradition called the Chamayavilakku festival.

This festival is celebrated by men who are dressed as women. The above picture is that of the man who won the first prize for the make up In the contest. #festival pic.twitter.com/ow6lAREahD

— Ananth Rupanagudi (@Ananth_IRAS) March 27, 2023

Here is a video that’s getting viral from this unique tradition pic.twitter.com/3qKHA7ggzk

— Arvind (@tweet_arvi) March 27, 2023