MISS KOOVAGAM

Koovagam festival, the 18 day festival that celebrates Transgender community and the lore of Krishna’s avatar Mohini, has an initiative to encourage and empower the community by arranging a pageantry contest titled ‘Miss Koovagam’.

Pageants, this one word had beauty attached to it for a very long time. People still refer to Pageants as ‘Beauty contest’ or ‘Beauty pageants’. I have a very similar incident where my mother was telling us about how she wanted to name my elder sibling back in 1995 as Aishwarya. This was because in 1994, Aishwarya Rai was crowned as ‘Miss World 1994’ and was named as the ‘Most Beautiful Girl in the World’. “She won Vishwa Sundari, that's why,” my mom said back then. But today when I try to translate Vishwa Sundari (Worldly Beauty) into real context, it doesn’t translate to Miss World. So, how did beauty become associated with pageants? Maybe the answer lies in the archaic way of associating beauty in one way definition and how men viewed women as. Pageants have come a long way. Through its seven decades, the organisations like Miss World and Miss Universe have changed the perception of pageantry and welcomed doors for many pioneering women to be a part of the legacy. Miss World added purpose with the word beauty and Miss Universe added confidently beautiful as their tag line. In
this 21st century, the definition is ever evolving and has become more inclusive of how one participates in the national level to dream for that coveted title. Their job as the titleholder includes being an ambassador and spokesperson for the organisation advocating for causes that affect human kind globally.

Speaking about inclusion, the year 2018 was a special one when Angela Ponce was crowned as the first trans woman to win Miss Universe Spain. She earned the right to represent Spain at Miss Universe 2018 in Thailand, officially becoming the first Trans Woman to compete in Miss Universes’ seven decade history. Giving her a special honor during the live stream, Angela echoed “I don’t need to win Miss Universe, I just need to be here!” amplifying the importance of trans representation in mainstream pageantry. Following her lead, Miss USA 2021 welcomed their first Trans candidate Kataluna Enriquez representing the state of Nevada. These well known systems brought in the light that transwomen are women alike and they have to be given that honor and space they deserve.

In India, the transgender community as a whole is still eyeing for the acceptance in pageantry. Miss Diva Organisation, the national organisation responsible for choosing Indian delegates for Miss Universe Competition, opened applications for Trans Women for their 2021 edition.Though the candidates have to still be in the criteria put in by the national organisation, this inclusion paved the way for women of all spectrums to find and utilise this platform. On a global front, India has been actively sending its delegates to Miss Queen International and other pageants that specifically work for empowering trans individuals.

Amplifying the community in India, Koovagam Festival is an eighteen day festival that celebrates the transgender community from the state of Tamil Nadu. The origin of the festival touches upon the sentiments of marriage and the lore of Lord Krishna’s female avatar Mohini to honor Aravan’s last wish of getting married before he sacrificed himself in the war of Mahabharata. The trans community, an integral part of this festival, act as Mohini and follow the sequence of marriage, celebration and then enact widowhood by dressing up and mourning the death of Aravan. This entire sequence of the festivals not only honors the trans community but also gives them a sense of recognition and respect. This 18 day festival also kickstarts the variety of events and celebrations. Amidst this, the federation in Koovagam along with Trans community pioneers and workers organise a pageant called ‘Miss Koovagam’ to empower and impart the knowledge about various causes reflecting and affecting the Trans community alike.

Miss Koovagam, uniquely affiliated to a festival, sees positive reception from the entire India. Accepting entries over 200+ candidature, Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, and Bangalore see their active participation in this pageant. The aim of the pageant is as simple as it looks, since a lot of transgender community are involved in the sex work, the STD and HIV awareness is the prime focus of discussion. This holistic advocacy touches upon the lifestyle that the community is facing at large. Though recognized as an official third gender by the Indian Government, a little is done to have societal acceptance. Miss Koovagam aims to be a beacon of hope for the community by putting a lot of emphasis on imparting this knowledge in championing their acceptance in the society.

The one or two day pageant contest, sees a format of walk presentation in bold coloured Kanjeevaram sarees and the entire look resembles a Tamil bride. The look propagates the intention behind the festival as the Trans community has to be dressed as brides of Aravan. As they present themselves on the stage, they reflect the confidence that is so evident of their demeanor. Pageantry as a platform is a great way of showcasing representation and the voices that need to be amplified. The ornate hair accessories and the flower garlands all celebrate the beauty and importance of hair decoration that is culturally unique to South India. The contestants do have the freedom to don their favourite on stage outfit but since many of them belong to Tamil Nadu, they do believe in honoring the festival and it’s intention. For the winner, they do receive monetary prize, crown and tiara (for the first and second runner ups). In 2022, Chennai’s Mehandi won the 2022 edition especially after the two years of the pageant and the festival did not take place due to pandemic.

Miss Kovagam is a revelation in itself. Having set up a penchant to uplift and impart the necessary knowledge in the community, this pageant aims to provide the basic survival instinct for the transgender community. Pageants have come a long way and they are adapting to society by breaking the stereotypical mold. Names that are associated with Miss Kovagam are going to go down in history as the ones who pioneered a conversation about inclusivity. The tradition of this festival is going to keep a culture alive by being a space of trust, belonging and confidence. Miss Koovagam also talks about the issues that the community is facing at large and their well being is at forefront of their development. For the crown that serves a purpose, Miss Koovagam will always add pride as its bigger jewel on it.

Words by Prasheel (@prsh.journal), Intern at VisioNxt.
The Team - Dr. Kaustav Sengupta, Director - Insights, Dr. Shalini Sood Seghal, Director - Creative, Ms. Poornima S, Trendspotting
Coordinator, VisioNxt.
For more information, email us at visionxt@nift.ac.in