Kottankulangara Chamayavillaku festiwal is celebrated in Kerala, India, at the Devi Temple. The festiwal gathers thousands of men who dress up as beautiful women. Orchestras play, the crowd carries huge figures of gods, local artisans are building of the bamboo and coconut leaves the altar for the goddess. In the night, thousands of cross-dressed men walk barefoot to the temple with oil lamps offering wishes and thanks to the goddess, believing that the ritual brings fortune and success in life. The festival has also become a symbol of gender inclusivity for persons from LGBTQ community.
Anna Hartman-Ksycinska is a Polish photographer based in Rzeszów. She is a medical doctor.She is mainly focused on social issues trying to investigate and depict social injustice and look trough the eyes of those who lack social acceptance or struggle for establishing their place in society. She is a member of Polish Women Photographers team. Her photographs were presented at the individual and group exhibitions in Poland,Hungary,UAE,Italy, Spain and on-line.
