Kollam isn’t the most famous district in India, and the village of Chavara in this district is even less well-known. However, this tiny Indian settlement would be almost unknown to anyone if not because it is home to a particular temple. This temple is named” Kottankulangara Devi Temple” and is dedicated to Durga, the mother goddess. This temple would also be unknown to most people, particularly a white westerner such as Paul Allen were it not for a particular festival that happens there every March. This festival is called Chamayavilakku and is particularly interesting to men like Paul.

Paul’s interest comes from the fact that the Chamayavilakku is a festival where men become women, if only for a couple of nights. This festival was customary for men to worship dressed as women. So men from across the district, state, and country can come dressed in dazzling saris and ask for blessings from Durga. It was for this reason that Paul had traveled to Kollam. He wanted to experience wearing a sari without being judged and share an authentic Indian tradition.

Paul was a young man with blonde hair and blue eyes. He wore a pair of jeans and a t-shirt, both adorned with the logo of his favorite football team: Chelsea Football Club. But packed in his bag was something else, something more important than any shirt or pair of shoes. It was a sari that he had bought just before leaving London. The sari was a beautiful deep red color and had intricate designs running down its length. He planned to wear it on the festival day and then pack it away after the event. But, of course, you can’t wear a sari alone, so he also has an Indian petticoat, a choli shirt, and a pair of jutti shoes made in his size. He had the whole set carefully packed in its own suitcase.

He struggled with the poor English of the receptionist of the hotel, who finally understood enough to order him a taxi.

****

Paul’s journey from his hotel to the temple was uneventful. The village itself was quiet and quint while also covered in signs and ads written in a script that he didn’t understand or even recognize. The people were obviously unaccustomed to seeing white men as they kept staring at him as he traveled across the village towards the temple. He didn’t mind, though; he felt very excited about what he was about to do. He knew that there was a small building outside of the temple that would help him prepare for his devotion as a woman. The taxi driver was quiet as he drove him there. Paul thought that he must not be able to speak any English. He could barely contain himself until he reached the building, so much so that he was practically skipping along the way while carrying his special suitcase with his Indian clothing.

He knocked on the door and waited for someone to answer. A moment later, he heard footsteps approaching from inside, and the door opened to reveal a smiling young girl wearing a traditional sari. She looked at him with curiosity but quickly smiled when she saw how happy he looked.

“You must be here for the festival,” she said in strongly accented English.

“Yes, I am.”

“I’m sure you are going to have a great time!”

She ushered him into the building, where he found a room full of other men getting ready for the festival. Some were changing their clothes while others were busy applying makeup to their faces. None of them paid attention to him.

“We will do anything to help with our worshippers. May I do your makeup for you?”

Paul didn’t need to overthink it.” Sure!”

The girl led Paul to a seat with a mirror in front of it. She then took out her supplies and began to work on Paul’s face. First, she applied some foundation and then started to apply some eye shadow and lipstick. She worked diligently as she worked her craft.

“What is your name?”

“Paul.”

“Paul, nice to meet you! My name is Seema.”

Seema worked tirelessly on Paul’s face, giving him a beautiful look. She finished with a powdering of his face and then stepped back to admire her handiwork.

“Do you like it?” she asked.

Paul nodded, unable to speak.

“Very pretty, isn’t it?” You look lovely.”

Paul smiled. He had never seen himself look like this before. Of course, he was still himself, but he also looked… Well, he looked beautiful.

“Thank you, Seema. You’re very good at this!”

“It is my pleasure to serve. We have a changing area where you can change your clothing.” Seema said while pointing to a curtained-off cubical, the kind you might see at a pop-up clothing stall in a shopping mall. Paul got in and stripped off down to his underwear. He then started to open up his special suitcase. He undid the catch with a click and slowly opened it.

“What the fuck!?!” Paul exclaimed in surprise as he stared at the sight inside.

It was empty. There wasn’t a single article of clothing inside.” No, no, no, no, no!” Paul screamed as he threw the suitcase onto the ground. Someone must have stolen it all, maybe at the airport.

“Is something wrong?” Seema whispered through the curtain.

“My clothes have been stolen!” Paul cried.

“Oh dear, I am sorry to hear that.”

Paul didn’t know what to do. How was he supposed to go through with the festival now? Was this big opportunity going to be wasted? He couldn’t let that happen. He had to find another way.

“We can probably loan you some clothing,” said Seema.

Paul perked up immediately.” Really? Can you do that?”

“Of course, we can. Just wait a minute, and I’ll get you some clothing.”

Paul felt relieved as he waited in the changing area in his underwear.

Seema came back with a set of clothes.” These should do the trick.” She said as she handed them to him through the curtain.

They were much simpler and duller than the ones he had worn before—a simple green sari alongside a matching choli shirt and petticoat. There was even a pair of jutti shoes that matched the outfit. Paul felt so happy when seeing these.

“These are perfect! Will they really fit me?”

“Don’t worry. I sized you up earlier, so they will definitely fit!”

Paul took the clothing and started to put it on. The petticoat and choli shirt fit him perfectly, as did the jutti. A sari is, of course, just a long piece of material that would fit in any case; he started to wrap it around himself. Then, following the instructions he had watched many times online before coming, He tied the ends together and held them up. He then sheepishly stepped out of the curtain.

“There you go. You look wonderful!” Seema exclaimed.” Go look at yourself in the mirror.”

Paul stepped up to the mirror. The outfit complimented the makeup on his face perfectly. He could never have imagined himself looking so beautiful. Instead, Paul just found himself staring at himself, speechless.

“The clothes have been with our temple for a long time, so look after them, okay.” So said Seema with a smile.

“Of course, I will!”

“Some say the clothes are blessed. If you wear them, you may receive blessings.”

Paul didn’t understand what she meant by that. He was still in a daze. He simply nodded.

Well, I’ve got other men to help out. I will look after your old clothes for you,” said Seema, who began to walk away.

“Thanks for everything, Seema. I mean it.” Paul said, with tears in his eyes.

Seema smiled back at him. It’s my pleasure. I hope to see you at the festival!”

***

Paul was feeling sheepish. He got many stares before, but now dressed in a sari; it was like everyone was staring at him. This feeling was so strong that it followed him into the darkness of night. The temple was roofless and was becoming increasingly illuminated by the lights of the festival. As the area got more lit up, so did Paul’s feeling of being watched. Still, wearing such beautiful clothing was a fantastic experience and worth it.

Paul was enjoying the festival. There was music playing, and the air was filled with the scent of incense. Everyone was offering their prayers to Durga, usually by lighting candles. The atmosphere was lively, and he felt happy. It was incredible to be surrounded by so many men dressed as women and not be judged for it. But, it was what was expected of you here, at this time.

As the evening progressed, the number of people attending the festival increased. Paul was surprised to see how many people were there. He knew that the Chamayavilakku was a popular event, but had no idea that so many people would turn up. It was indeed a sight to behold, especially with all the candles lighting up the area.

“Paul!”

Paul turned around to see a familiar face. It was Seema, the young girl who helped him dress. She wore a bright green sari that contrasted greatly against her dark skin. She looked stunning.

“Seema! It’s great to see you!”

“And you too!” Seema said, grinning.” But I think you look a little lost.”

“Yeah, I’m not sure where I should go or do.”

I thought that might be the case. So I bought you this.” She held a candle stick with candles in her hands.” You need to light this first.”

Paul took the candle and held it aloft.” Light it?”

“Yes, you need to light it and hold it.” She turned to a worshipper and said something in a language that Paul didn’t understand. The man, also dressed in a sari, turned to Paul and offered his candles.

“Thank you!” he said to the man as Paul used the man’s candles to light his own. The man didn’t reply.

“How do I say thank you in Hindi?” He introduced Paul to Seema, who smiled at him kindly.” We don’t use Hindi here. We speak Malayalam.”

“Oh, sorry, I didn’t know.” Paul was embarrassed.

“Don’t worry about it. You can say ‘nandi’ to him. It means thank you in our language.”

“Nandi!” said Paul to the man, who smiled at him before walking away with his candles.

“You did well!” said Seema.

“Thank you.”

“So now you have your candles, you need to thank Durga.”

Paul nodded.” How do I…”

Just think about why you are thankful. For example, Durga is our mother, so think about how you would thank your mother and do that.”

Paul closed his eyes and tried to think of things he was thankful for. First, he thought of his family and his friends. Then, Paul thought of the life he had. And finally, he thought of himself. Not one of these things did Paul feel thankful for. But then he thought of seeing himself in makeup, seeing his face as beautiful for the first time. He thought of how kind it was of the temple to lend him the clothes and how beautiful he felt wearing them. These thoughts made him feel grateful.

Paul opened his eyes and looked at the candle he was holding. It was flickering brightly.

“Thank you, Durga.” He said, letting the words fall from his lips.

The candle flared brighter, and Paul felt a warm sensation run through his body.

“That’s right!” said Seema.” Now I need to go help other people.” You can return the clothes tomorrow. Enjoy the rest of the night!”

“Thank you!” Paul said with a smile. After that, Seema once again left him to help other people. While this left Paul alone, he felt so much better now that he knew how to participate.

Paul walked around holding the candle. He continued to thank Durga as he did so. The more he thanked her, the more he felt her presence. He could feel her warmth. He felt so close to her as if she was with him. He began to wonder whether this was actually possible. Could Durga really be here? The candles seemed to burn brighter as he wondered this.

Paul continued to wander around the area, thanking Durga. He felt so happy, as this was the most beautiful thing he had ever experienced. He could sense that Durga was smiling down on him. He thought to himself.” Thank you for the shoes your temple brought to me.” As he said this, the shoes and his feet inside shrank significantly. He didn’t notice this at all and instead felt himself slip further into devotion. He fell further into spirituality that he did not know he was capable of.

He continued to thank Durga as he wandered around the area with his candles. He saw other men and women dressed as women, but none of them seemed as happy as he was. He wondered why.” Thank you for the petticoat that your temple wrapped around my waist.” He said to himself. As soon as he said it, the petticoat over his legs shrunk down and his waist with it. His legs reshaped themselves to be slender and shapely, while his waist pinched inwards. While this was happening, his ass inflated outwards. He continued walking around, not noticing these changes as he focused on Durga.

“Thank you for the choli that your temple wrapped around my chest.” This time the choli shrank, causing his torso to reshape. His shoulders pushed inwards as his arms became slender. Fat rapidly redistributed itself to give itself a very different shape. This fat also filled his chest, inflating his breasts into a large pair of boobs.

“Thank you for the sari that your temple wrapped around my body.” “A beautiful sign of femininity,” he said to himself next, as his areola grew more prominent and his sex reformed itself. His breathing increased as pleasure radiated through his body. This pleasure didn’t distract him from his prayers; however, it only added to his devotion as the pleasure built up.” Thanks Durga…” He whispered breathlessly, his lips opening up where his penis and testicles used to be.” Thanks Durga…” He breathed again as fluids began pouring for the first time out of a fresh new vagina.” Thank you, Durga…” He said as he let out a very quiet moan. Then, it was time for his face to change, as new femininity appeared across his features. Every part of Paul’s face shifted as his hair grew longer and longer.

The candles were now brighter than such small candles had any right to be. Paul stared at them, feeling pure joy from the blessings of Durga.” Thank you for the welcome from Seema, who made me feel like this is my home.” He said to himself. With this, his skin darkened rapidly, his hair turning a dark black. His newly feminized features were going through further changes as he began to look more and more like a local. His eyes were now brown, while his features were recognizably Indian. Paul felt like he had little else to be thankful for now but also felt like there should be more devotion. He searched his brain for something and came across something essential.

“Thank you for giving kindness to all your people. Thank you to the man who helped me light my candle, which I dedicate to you. I wish I could thank him better next time in his language.” As he said this, new words began to invade his mind, conquering old ones.

“Thank you…” he said awkwardly as his tongue started to want to form different words and sounds.” Nandi…” came from his lips next before he could finally form entire sentences in Malayalam.

“Ellustinu nandi durgga!” Finally, he called out loud in Malayalam, thanking Durga for everything. His new female voice pronounces each word perfectly. Paul’s English was wiped out entirely from this. All that remained was this new, perfect Malayalam.

His voice carried through the crowd, and many people turned toward him. He was so happy that he couldn’t stop smiling. He was so grateful to Durga for making him feel this way.” Thank you, Durga,” he said in Malayalam again. Then, the crowd turned back; there was nothing worth seeing in a local woman’s praying at the festival after all.

Paul kept praying for many more hours before getting a taxi home.

***

The next day, Paul woke up in his hotel room. He was naked under the duvet; the clothes he had borrowed were on the floor while the curtains were open and strong sunlight streamed into the room. Paul looked at his phone and saw the time. It was noon. It was late, so he decided to shower quickly and return to the clothes. As he went to the bathroom, he walked past the mirror. He got a few steps away before running back to look at himself.

He stared into the mirror, and a beautiful brown Indian woman was staring back at him. She was tall, with long black hair and big brown eyes. This woman’s skin was smooth and dark, while her figure was thin and with very feminine curves. The woman in the mirror was a perfect representation of an Indian woman. Paul stared at her for a while before reaching up and touching his face. The skin on his face was unbelievably smooth, while the woman staring back at him copied his movements exactly.

Paul looked down at his hands. They were brown, long and slender. Next, he looked down at the rest of his body. He also saw that his whole body was equally brown and smooth. He also noticed that he had a pair of breasts. They were large yet very firm and perky. He turned to the side and saw his ass. It was big and round, matching his boobs. He touched it gently, and it jiggled slightly. He moved his hand down and ran it over his stomach, which he found to be flat and toned. He felt his pussy. It was still soft and wet. He felt a jolt of pleasure as he brushed over his new sex.

“What’s happened to me!?” He shouted out loud. His new voice shocked him even more. Was he dreaming? He didn’t even recognize himself anymore. He ran back to his bed to grab his phone, but he couldn’t use it as it was in a language he didn’t understand.

Paul decided he’d go to the temple to get help. He grabbed the clothes off the floor and put them on. They were the only clothes in the room that would fit him now. He checked himself in the mirror again before leaving the room. He saw that he was gorgeous but didn’t care; he just needed to get help. He went to the front desk and asked them to order him a taxi. The receptionist, who had struggled so hard to understand him before, found it much easier to understand him this time.

He walked outside the hotel and looked at the village around him. He found that while before he didn’t understand most of what was written around him, he now understood it all. He could read every sign, the unrecognizable script being as easy to read as Latin letters were to him before. The taxi drove up, and he jumped in. While last time the taxi driver said nothing, this time the driver engaged him in conversation. I asked him where he was from and why he was there.

“Oh, you are from America? Your parents must be from here; you speak our language perfectly!” “Said the taxi driver.” Paul laughed when he said this, realizing that he must be speaking Malayalam. Had his phone’s language changed, or did he not understand English anymore?

The taxi took him to the small building near the temple, and as soon as he stepped out, he saw Seema.” Hello, Seema!” called Paul to her, her voice full of panic.

“Yes, do I know you?” Seema asked.

“It’s me, Paul!” He replied.

“Paul?” Seema repeated. I don’t think so, as you are an Indian woman, while Paul was a white…” She stopped as she realized what Paul was wearing.” Wait! Isn’t this the sari I gave Paul yesterday.?

“Yes, it is!” Paul confirmed.” I’m Paul!”

“You’re… you’re beautiful!” Seema said, looking at him with wide eyes. But how is it that you look like this? And how do you speak our language so well?”

“I dunno, I just woke up this way!” Paul said, smiling at her.” Please help me! I need to go back to the temple to get help!”

Seema led him inside the temple. She told him that maybe one of the temple’s pujaris would be able to help him. They walked through the temple and down to a room where a pujari was sitting, reading a book. Seema explained the situation to him. The priest listened carefully as she spoke, nodding as he heard her out. He didn’t seem surprised at all by what had happened. Finally, the pujari turned to Paul.

“You were thanking Durga last night, right?” He asked calmly. He was a particularly old man with a skinny body that showed the shape of his bones. His skin was almost black.

“Yes, I did.”

“And you wanted to be a woman, right?”

Paul felt awkward about answering this but decided he would have to tell the truth.” Yes I did.”

“And, while wearing blessed clothes, you were blessed by Durga. She blessed you by making you one of the temple’s women.” I’m afraid there is no going back now.” The pujari said, smiling at Paul.

But how am I supposed to live as a woman in this country? I don’t know anything about being a woman or living here.”

“I’ll be happy to help you!” The Seema said,” You can even stay with me until you get used to your new life.”

“Can I really do this?” Paul said. He thought about how much he wanted to be a woman before. Now that he was presented with the opportunity, however, could he accept it? Finally, he decided that if a goddess had really given him this blessing, he would have to give it a shot.

“Don’t worry. We will take care of you!” Seema said. Come on, let’s go back to my place. We need to get some things settled first. For instance, you can’t keep using the name Paul, can you?”

****

It had been six years since Ria Chandra first came to Chavara. Since arriving there, she had adjusted to life rather quickly, and no one would ever have guessed she wasn’t from there. Her friend Seema hadn’t just helped her adjust to life in the village; instead, she quickly paired her off with one of her friends. It was almost time for her third child, and after two daughters, who couldn’t wish for a son? Ria didn’t mind either, as she was happy to be there and loved. She was loved as an Indian woman, and she was loved as an Indian mother. She gave thanks to Durga for making her life so perfect.