Transgender artiste Shamala keeps Tamil Nadu folk arts alive for 22 years

The Story in Brief

Shamala, a trans woman performer from Cuddalore, begins her day at 3.30 am, checks a bag of costumes, jewellery, wigs and crowns weighing over 10 kg, and travels by bus to temple festivals and cultural programmes. In about 20 minutes she transforms with layered makeup, heavy costumes, flowers in her hair and an ornate crown to portray Goddesses such as Kali, Mariamman and Angalamman; devotees sometimes fold their hands before her. She has performed for 22 years and describes the work as her livelihood, identity and source of dignity.

After losing her father young, Shamala worked as a domestic help from about age 12, spent four to five years doing odd jobs in Kerala, and returned to Cuddalore in 2004. Introduced to local programmes by a friend, she trained under a Karagattam performer despite an initial loss on her first show. Over two decades she taught nearly 30 students, won awards including a doctorate and Puducherry’s Kala Ratna, and was selected for Chennai Sangamam last year. She says she actively sought government support, yet also reports daily abuse and slurs at events, even in temples, and accepts silence as a cost of safety.

The Indian Opinion

The article centres on a detailed personal narrative that highlights perseverance, cultural contribution and public recognition, while also reporting persistent abuse. Readers should note the piece relies chiefly on Shamala’s account and descriptive scenes from performances; emotive details such as the early wake-up, heavy costumes and devotees’ reverence underline the performer’s significance but are anecdotal. The report balances celebration with the claim that harassment happens “almost every day,” yet offers little wider data on prevalence, legal remedies or event safety measures. A cautious reader would welcome corroborating information on institutional support, enforcement of workplace safety and whether such recognition has produced lasting protection for performers.

Original article: Trans-artiste Shamala on preserving Tamil Nadu’s tradition of folk arts for 22 years on stage (www.newindianexpress.com)

This story was summarised and commented on by AI from the source linked above.