Aravani
A Tamil word for the hijra-community people of Tamil Nadu, tied to the god Aravan — and one many now set aside for thirunangai.
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A word that belongs to a people. This identity is held within a specific culture. The page is here to understand it, not to adopt it.
A shorter entry: the essentials, written to the same standard. The fuller guides are on the main identities.
What it is
Aravani is a Tamil word, and it belongs to Tamil Nadu. It names the transgender women and hijra-community people of that state, and it comes from Aravan, a figure in the Mahabharata. Wikipedia's page on hijras records that in South India hijras claim Aravan as their progenitor and call themselves aravanis.
The word is bound to a place and a day in the calendar. Every year at Koovagam, in Tamil Nadu, aravanis marry the god Aravan — Koothandavar — in a re-enactment of his one night of marriage, then mourn him as widows. Wikipedia's page on the festival describes the eighteen days, the beauty pageant and the discussions of transgender rights that now run alongside the ritual.
What it is not: a label to pick up because a description fits. It is not the Tamil translation of "transgender". And it is no longer the word most of the community reaches for. The same hijra page notes the older Tamil terms are often considered derogatory and have been supplanted by in-community words, above all thirunangai, "respected woman". If you are not from these communities, this word is not yours to adopt. If you are, you already know which one you use.
Pronouns
Aravanis live in feminine forms. In English that is she/her; in Tamil the honorifics and verb endings carry it. If you are unsure, the person in front of you decides — and many will tell you they prefer thirunangai as the noun.
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Nearby identities
The distinction is the useful part.
The word most of the same community now prefers. Same people, same state; thirunangai says "respected woman" where aravani points at the god. If you are choosing between them for someone else, choose thirunangai.
Compare Aravani and Thirunangai →The wider South Asian community with houses, gurus and its own economy. Aravani is Tamil Nadu's own strand, with its own festival and its own history — not a translation of hijra.
Compare Aravani and Hijra →A box on Indian government forms. It covers aravanis, thirunangais, hijras and others who share little beyond the paperwork.
Compare Aravani and Third gender →It might not be you if…
- You are not Tamil and have no tie to these communities. The description may fit; the word is still not yours.
- You are Tamil and trans and want the respectful public word. That is thirunangai, and the community has said so.
- You want a general word for "transgender" in an Indian language. There is not one; each region has its own, and each carries its own weight.
Questions people ask
Is aravani offensive?
It depends who says it and where. Inside the community it is still used, especially by older people, and the Koovagam festival keeps it alive. Wikipedia's hijra page records that the older Tamil terms are often considered derogatory and have been supplanted by thirunangai. From an outsider, use thirunangai unless the person tells you otherwise.
What is the difference between aravani and thirunangai?
Same community, two words. Aravani is the older name, tied to Aravan and the festival. Thirunangai is the in-community coinage meaning "respected woman", later adopted by the Tamil Nadu government at the community's request. Neither is a synonym for the English "transgender".
What happens at Koovagam?
An eighteen-day festival at the Koothandavar temple in Tamil Nadu. Aravanis marry the god in a re-enactment of the Mahabharata story, then mourn him as widows, in white, with their marriage ornaments removed. Wikipedia's page on the festival says tens of thousands attend, and that a pageant and discussions of transgender rights now sit alongside the ritual.
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