Aravan

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Aravan is a heroic figure from the Indian epic Mahabharata, revered in various regional traditions and often associated with themes of sacrifice and devotion.

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Statements (45)

Predicate Object
instanceOf character in the Mahabharata
hero
mythological figure
associatedCommunity Hijra community NERFINISHED
transgender women in South India
associatedFestival Koovagam festival NERFINISHED
associatedMyth marriage to Mohini (Krishna in female form) before sacrifice
associatedWork Mahabharata NERFINISHED
cultCenter Koovagam NERFINISHED
Tamil Nadu NERFINISHED
culturalRole patron figure for gender-nonconforming devotees
culturalSignificance symbol of ultimate loyalty to kin and cause
deathCause ritual sacrifice before battle
devoteeOf Draupadi (in some regional traditions) NERFINISHED
Krishna NERFINISHED
epicBattle Kurukshetra War NERFINISHED
gender male
grandparent Kunti NERFINISHED
Naga king Kauravya (through Ulupi, in some traditions) NERFINISHED
hasVariantName Aravaan NERFINISHED
Iravan NERFINISHED
Kuttantavar NERFINISHED
iconography depicted as a warrior with severed head in some shrines
knownFor being offered as a sacrificial hero (kalabali)
regional cults of worship in South India
self-sacrifice before the Kurukshetra war
linkedConcept kalappali (battlefield sacrifice)
literarySource Tamil folk epics and oral traditions
regional Mahabharata retellings
parent Arjuna NERFINISHED
Ulupi NERFINISHED
regionOfInfluence South India NERFINISHED
Tamil-speaking regions
religion Hinduism
ritualAssociation mourning rituals after Aravan’s symbolic death
symbolic marriage of transgender women to Aravan
ritualTitle Aravani’s husband (in Koovagam tradition)
roleInWar sacrificial warrior to ensure victory for the Pandavas
sideInWar Pandavas NERFINISHED
theme devotion
liminality and gender variance in ritual
martyrdom
sacrifice
worshippedAs guardian deity
village deity

Referenced by (1)

Full triples — surface form annotated when it differs from this entity's canonical label.

Iravan hasAlternativeName Aravan