There are many societies of Eunuchs in India. A large number of eunuchs reside in India. Today we will tell you the story of God of Transgenders – Iravan. You will find eunuchs in every city. These people come on Holi, Diwali or on the birth of a child and bless everyone. It is a popular belief that Lord Shri Ram had blessed the eunuchs and said that you will rule in Kalyug. Now there is even an akhada of eunuchs in India, whose Acharya is Mahamandaleshwar Lakshmi Narayan Tripathi.
Who was Iravan ?
Iravan is the deity of all eunuchs across the country. Iravan was the son of Arjuna. He was born in special circumstances. In fact, once Arjuna had broken the marriage rule by seeing Yudhishthira and Draupadi in solitude, due to which he voluntarily left Indraprastha by accepting a pilgrimage for a year. One day he was taking a bath in Haridwar when Ulupi, the daughter of Nagraj Kauravya, saw him and fell in love with him. In such a situation, she dragged him to her Naglok and on her request, Arjuna had to marry her.
Arjun spent that night at Nagraj’s house. Then at sunrise, Arjuna along with Ulupi rose above Naglok and again came to Haridwar (Gangadwar) on the banks of the Ganges. Ulupi left them there and returned to her home. While leaving, he gave this boon to Arjuna that you will be invincible everywhere in the water and all aquatic creatures will be under your control.
Iravan was brave son of Prince Arjun
From the union of Arjuna and Nagkanya Ulupi, Arjuna got a brave son named Irawan or Aravan. In the 90th chapter of Bhishma Parva, Sanjay introduces Iravan to Dhritarashtra and tells that Iravan was born by Arjuna from the womb of Ulupi, the daughter of Nagaraj Kauravya. That daughter of Nagraj, Ulupi was childless. Garuda killed her nominated husband, due to which she beacme very poor and pitiful. Airavatvanshi Kauravya Nag offered her to Arjuna and Arjuna took that Nagkanya as his wife. Thus Arjuna’s son was born. Irawan always remained in the maternal family. He was brought up in Naglok by mother Ulupi and was protected there in every way. Iravan was also handsome, strong, virtuous and truly mighty like his father Arjuna
Eunuchs marry to Iravan every year for one day
There is a day in the year when eunuchs wear colorful sarees and adorn their hair with jasmine flowers and marry Iravan. Although this marriage is only for one day. The next day their married life ends with the death of Iravan Devta. It is believed that on this day Iravan died in the war of Mahabharata.
Thousands of eunuchs gather in Koovagam village of Tamil Nadu to remember this. Where they attend the annual ‘Shaadi’ ceremony on the most important day of their lives. According to mythological belief, Lord Krishna married the serpent prince Iravan in the form of a woman. He is worshiped in the form of Koothandwar in this village of Villupuram district. Thousands of eunuchs attend the wedding ceremony as Iravan’s bride and are tied around their necks by the temple priest.
Reason behind one day marriage of Iravan and eunuchs
According to belief, there comes a time in the Mahabharata war when the Pandavas needed a prince to voluntarily sacrifice a man at the feet of Maa Kali for their victory. When no prince comes forward, Iravan offers himself for it, but he also puts a condition that he will not die unmarried. The danger arises because of the condition that if he is married to a king’s daughter or a common woman, he will immediately become a widow. In such a situation, no father is ready for his daughter’s marriage to Iravan.
Then Lord Krishna himself marries Iravan in the form of Mohini. After this, he offered his head at the feet of Maa Kali with his own hands. After the death of Iravan, Krishna mourns his death for a long time in the same Mohini form. Now Krishna, being a man, marries Iravan in the form of a woman, so eunuchs, who are considered men in female form, also marry Iravan for one night and consider him as their deity.