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Information as Aid. Improving information lines in camps, an internally displaced person (IDP) reads through an information, education and communication (IEC) material distributed by IOM in all evacuation camps.© IOM 2014
On behalf of the CWC, CECOM Chief of Staff Col. William Montgomery and APG Community Women's Club Scholarship Committee Chair Amy Lueders presented $1,000 college scholarships to high school seniors Rosser (attending George Washington University) and Tiffany Strong (attending Dickinson College); $500 scholarships were presented to Samantha Carrick (school undetermined), Christopher Hoppe (Towson University), Elizabeth Muller (Salisbury University) and Ashley Hoppe who will use the funds to continue their education. Scholarships were awarded based on merit, academic and other achievements, community involvement, leadership, and original essay. The CWC raises money for local charities and hosts activities, including Bunco, luncheons, book clubs, dinners, local trips and more. Membership is open to anyone with an affiliation with APG—military, civilian, contractor or spouse. Learn more by visiting www.apgcwc.org.
CWC Scholarship Reception
On behalf of the CWC, CECOM Chief of Staff Col. William Montgomery and APG Community Women's Club Scholarship Committee Chair Amy Lueders presented $1,000 college scholarships to high school seniors Rosser (attending George Washington University) and Tiffany Strong (attending Dickinson College); $500 scholarships were presented to Samantha Carrick (school undetermined), Christopher Hoppe (Towson University), Elizabeth Muller (Salisbury University) and Ashley Hoppe who will use the funds to continue their education. Scholarships were awarded based on merit, academic and other achievements, community involvement, leadership, and original essay. The CWC raises money for local charities and hosts activities, including Bunco, luncheons, book clubs, dinners, local trips and more. Membership is open to anyone with an affiliation with APG—military, civilian, contractor or spouse. Learn more by visiting www.apgcwc.org.
Children are playing with Ganesh Idols while immersing Palavakkam
Chennai | Tamil Nadu | India
© maveeran somasundaram 2013
Shot during CWC (Kanchipuram)
Kanchipuram Trip
First i should thank Mr AyAshok for his participation towards CWC. This was an encouragement to all of us. We would like to have lot more encouragements in near future. And i have to thank all who have participated in the trip.
Personally my special thanks goes to 2 friends. one is of course Ashok for the participation and forced me to explore more in Manual mode. and another one is Mr Senthil (sen shot) hey man you really made my day. He has taught me differences in Aperture value, shutter speed, metering and many more things. Hats off to you senthil. Ive been taking photographs for about 2 years now. till last friday i was very sure that what i was doing is correct. My god... there are lot more things to learn from these experts.
I hope i can improve my style of photography with Mr ashok feedback.
thank you once again all.
Annual Transgender Festival at Koovagam, Viluppuram, India May 2014
Koovagam is a village in the Ulundurpettai taluk in Villupuram district, Tamil Nadu, India. It is famous for its annual festival of transgender and transvestite individuals, which takes fifteen days in the Tamil month of Chitrai. The festival takes place at the Koothandavar Temple dedicated to Aravan (Koothandavar).
Thousands of transgender people from various parts of the country and abroad have started congregating in Koovagam village in the Villupuram district of Tamil Nadu to participate in the annual Koothandavar temple festival.
Transgender people regard Koothandavar, the principal deity of the temple, as their husband and worship him. Koothandavar is a common name given to Aravan, son of Pandava prince Arjuna. They hold the festival at the temple every year to commemorate the sacrifice of Aravan.
On the penultimate day, transgender people will follow all elements of the centuries old ritual to get their thalis (magalsutra) tied by the temple priests declaring Aravan as their husband. The wedding will be followed by wild celebrations until dawn.
The presiding deity of the temple will be taken in a procession on the last day of the festival. The festival will conclude with the breaking of the thalis and bangles as the transgender people mourn the death of Aravan.
In the Mahabharata, it was prophesized that the Pandavas would win the battle of Kurukshetra only if they sacrificed a ‘perfect’ male from among themselves to please Goddess Kali, who is the keeper of the Kurukshetra grounds. Prince Aravan, a son born out of an illicit relationship Arjuna had with a certain Naga princess, offered himself up, provided a few conditions of his were satisfied.
For one, he wanted to consummate with a partner before being beheaded; since no woman was willing to marry him and be widowed the next day, Lord Krishna took the form of Mohini to marry him.
The following morning, Aravan was beheaded and his head left on the grounds of war for him to watch the rest of the war, the other of his conditions. He saw his widow Mohini beating her chest and wailing inconsolably, bemoaning his death.
This tiny village of Koovagam has a temple dedicated to Lord Aravan, the prince warrior who is deified here.
The marriage ritual is followed in letter and spirit, and for that one day, they attain a position the human society continues to refuse to them, the status of a wife.
On the temple grounds, thousands of Aravanis (as they call themselves) are dressed in their best sarees and jewellery, all lined up to get married.
The sanctum sanctorum allows a very narrow strip of light to penetrate through and is presided by the local priest or pujari. He makes an offering of coconut and bananas, offers camphor to the deity, and recites various mantras to invoke the spirit of the Lord. He then ties the thali.
There are countless men–panthis, lined up along paddy fields and coconut groves. Sex is regular fare here.
I stand amongst the Transgenders and try to capture all the frenzied action through my view finder. The broken glass bangles and thali fall on me. They sing songs about their ill-fated life, and wish their sexual status was only incidental. They cry over their birth, their mixed identities and their craving to find a soulmate. I sense that these tears however go much deeper.
The Koovagam festival is an eye opener for anyone interested in understanding the transgender community.
Every Transgender Want only one thing, that is “Year after year I ask koothandavar for just one thing. Love”
Shanghai Financial Center (上海环球金融中心), Jinmao Tower (金茂大厦) and Shanghai Tower (上海中心大厦 - under construction). Currently the Shanghai Financial Center is the tallest building in China and 3rd tallest in the world, a position that will be taken by Shanghai Tower when construction is completed in 2014.
Annual Transgender festival @ Sri Koothandavar Temple, Kovaagam, Viluppuram, Tamilnadu, May 2014.
The story behind this festival inspired me to travel to Kovaagam and witness the event
A short gist of the story:
The festival has its root from Mahabaratha war, where in order to stop the war it was required to to sacrifice a man filled with all the good qualities of Valor, strength to the goddess of war, Kali. It was "Aravaan (son of Arjuna) who took up this to get sacrificed. To satisfy his last wish, Lord Krishna transformed himself as Mohini and married Aravaan. On 18th day, Aravaan sacrificed his life and so as the war also ended. Aravaan,during his final moments on earth, he sees Krishna, as Mohini, beating her breasts and wailing, the very picture of a widowed woman grieving her husband.
Calvary Worship Centre BC
For more information about this project, contact JdB Sound Acoustics at www.jdbsound.com
Calvary Worship Centre BC
For more information about this project, contact JdB Sound Acoustics at www.jdbsound.com
Empowering the province. IOM through the Philippine Information Agency's partnership established the first ever Communication with Communities Workshop for 50 Provincial Officers in Bohol last 20-21 March 2014. © IOM 2014
Annual Transgender Festival at Koovagam, Viluppuram, India May 2014
Koovagam is a village in the Ulundurpettai taluk in Villupuram district, Tamil Nadu, India. It is famous for its annual festival of transgender and transvestite individuals, which takes fifteen days in the Tamil month of Chitrai. The festival takes place at the Koothandavar Temple dedicated to Aravan (Koothandavar).
Thousands of transgender people from various parts of the country and abroad have started congregating in Koovagam village in the Villupuram district of Tamil Nadu to participate in the annual Koothandavar temple festival.
Transgender people regard Koothandavar, the principal deity of the temple, as their husband and worship him. Koothandavar is a common name given to Aravan, son of Pandava prince Arjuna. They hold the festival at the temple every year to commemorate the sacrifice of Aravan.
On the penultimate day, transgender people will follow all elements of the centuries old ritual to get their thalis (magalsutra) tied by the temple priests declaring Aravan as their husband. The wedding will be followed by wild celebrations until dawn.
The presiding deity of the temple will be taken in a procession on the last day of the festival. The festival will conclude with the breaking of the thalis and bangles as the transgender people mourn the death of Aravan.
In the Mahabharata, it was prophesized that the Pandavas would win the battle of Kurukshetra only if they sacrificed a ‘perfect’ male from among themselves to please Goddess Kali, who is the keeper of the Kurukshetra grounds. Prince Aravan, a son born out of an illicit relationship Arjuna had with a certain Naga princess, offered himself up, provided a few conditions of his were satisfied.
For one, he wanted to consummate with a partner before being beheaded; since no woman was willing to marry him and be widowed the next day, Lord Krishna took the form of Mohini to marry him.
The following morning, Aravan was beheaded and his head left on the grounds of war for him to watch the rest of the war, the other of his conditions. He saw his widow Mohini beating her chest and wailing inconsolably, bemoaning his death.
This tiny village of Koovagam has a temple dedicated to Lord Aravan, the prince warrior who is deified here.
The marriage ritual is followed in letter and spirit, and for that one day, they attain a position the human society continues to refuse to them, the status of a wife.
On the temple grounds, thousands of Aravanis (as they call themselves) are dressed in their best sarees and jewellery, all lined up to get married.
The sanctum sanctorum allows a very narrow strip of light to penetrate through and is presided by the local priest or pujari. He makes an offering of coconut and bananas, offers camphor to the deity, and recites various mantras to invoke the spirit of the Lord. He then ties the thali.
There are countless men–panthis, lined up along paddy fields and coconut groves. Sex is regular fare here.
I stand amongst the Transgenders and try to capture all the frenzied action through my view finder. The broken glass bangles and thali fall on me. They sing songs about their ill-fated life, and wish their sexual status was only incidental. They cry over their birth, their mixed identities and their craving to find a soulmate. I sense that these tears however go much deeper.
The Koovagam festival is an eye opener for anyone interested in understanding the transgender community.
Every Transgender Want only one thing, that is “Year after year I ask koothandavar for just one thing. Love”