Iravan (, ), also known as
Iravat (, ) and
Iravant, is a minor character from the
Hindu epic of
Mahabharata. The son of
Pandava prince
Arjuna (one of the main heroes of the Mahabharata) and the
Naga princess
Ulupi, Iravan is the central deity of the cult of
Kuttantavar —which is also the name commonly given to him in that cult—and plays a major role in the cult of
Draupadi. Both these cults are of
South Indian origin, from a region of the country where he is worshipped as a
village deity and is known as
Aravan (, Aravāṇ). He is also a patron god of well-known
transgender communities called
Ali (also
Aravani in South India, and
Hijra throughout South Asia).
