Effigies were installed by devotees of Moonniyur Kaliyatta Kavu Temple in Malappuram praising Padma Lakshmi’s achievement.
Effigy raised by Malappuram's Moonniyur temple devotees in honour of Padma Lakshmi, first transgender to become a lawyer in Kerala.
Padma Lakshmi couldn’t have it better. Ever since she enrolled as the first transgender lawyer in Kerala, she has been flooded with congratulatory messages.
Now, a temple in the Malappuram district has honoured her by installing her in effigies as part of its annual festival.
“Being the first is always tough,” read a note pinned to an effigy put up by VIP Valakkund, a devotees’ collective, at the Moonniyur Kaliyatta Kavu temple.
“There are no predecessors. There are many obstacles on the way to the goal. There will be people to silence and push back,” its English translation further said.
“Congratulations to Padma Lakshmi, Kerala’s first transgender lawyer who survived everything,” it added.
The Moonniyur Kaliyatta Kavu Temple is dedicated to Ammancheri Amma (Mother Goddess).
The temple is famous for its initiatives to augment Hindu-Muslim unity in Kerala’s Malabar region. The effigy in honour of Padma Lakshmi has religious symbols such as the Cross, Crescent, Star, and Om.
The annual Kaliyattam festival, also known as Thalapoli Utsavam, is a major event for the temple’s devotees as they take out effigies in a procession to the temple, accompanied by percussion instruments.
The effigies are brought from faraway places and are considered to be divine forms.
Actor and transgender activist Sheetal Shyam (Supplied)
Actor and transgender activist Sheetal Shyam opined that it is the men who mostly organise and celebrate festivals in Kerala.
“Despite that reality, if they are remembering people like us and organising such activities, it is remarkable,” she told South First.
“It is interesting to see people reacting to her achievement. Such celebrations are not just about one person, it impacts numerous people,” she said.
“If there are transphobic people in that area, I believe this kind of activity will make them rethink and understand that transgender people, too, have achieved different things in this world,” she added.
Shyam also stated that celebrations become more meaningful when they are inclusive and the temple devotees’ act has opened doors in that direction.
Padma Lakshmi was overjoyed by the temple celebrating her achievement and was at a loss for words.
“I am so happy to see it. Only those who are ignored and forced to stay apart will understand the value of inclusion. I am having the feeling of being accepted as one among them. It is hard for me to express it in words. I consider them as my siblings,” Lakshmi told South First.
In an earlier interview with South First after swearing in as the first transgender lawyer from Kerala, Lakshmi said that the road to becoming a lawyer was not an easy one, and she had to struggle to reach her position.
Lakshmi, a Physics graduate, had worked as a life insurance agent for LIC and Star Health before enrolling as a lawyer.
The hurdles she faced couldn’t hold her back from pursuing her passion and, according to Lakshmi, it was all because of her sheer dedication and hard work.
May 04, 2024
May 04, 2024
May 04, 2024
May 04, 2024
May 04, 2024
May 04, 2024
