Trans women in India, known as Hijra, have been a part of the subcontinent for nearly as long as civilization has been. The Hijra community, which has a known history of over 4,000 years and is described in ancient literature, is a monument to the sexual variety that is essential but frequently overlooked in Indian culture.
Trans women in India, known as Hijra, have been a part of the subcontinent for nearly as long as civilization has been. The Hijra community, which has a known history of over 4,000 years and is described in ancient literature, is a monument to the sexual variety that is essential but frequently overlooked in Indian culture.
The Hijra society is described in ancient literature, the most well-known being the Kama Sutra, a Hindu treatise on human sexual conduct published between 400 BCE and 200 CE.
Hijra figures have prominent parts in several of Hinduism’s most famous books, including the Mahabharata and the Ramayana. One of the numerous manifestations of Shiva, a major Hindu god, includes his combining with his bride, Parvati, to become the androgynous Ardhanari, who bears special significance for the Hijra people. During the Mughal era in India, from the 16th to the 19th century, Hijras held key roles in court and many aspects of government.
The representation of Hijras or Kinnaras was a frequent motif in art in Ancient India. Sanchi, Amaravati, Nagarjunakonda, and Ajanta paintings are examples of ancient art sculptures.
Hijras are a distinct caste. They mainly worship the mother deity Bahuchara Mata, Lord Shiva, or both. Koovagam is a hamlet in Tamil Nadu, India, known for its yearly Hijra, transgender, and transvestite festival. They host ceremonial dances, beauty pageants, and seminars to highlight transgender people’s basic rights.
For years, many Hijras have lived in organized all-Hijra villages. Some Hijras undergo nirwaan, an initiation ceremony into the Hijra society that involves the removal of the penis, scrotum, and testicles. For security, the Hijra people established a secret language. It is known as Hijra Farsi, and it is related to the Hindustani language in several ways. It is a one-of-a-kind language with roughly a thousand words.
The guru (master or teacher) and chela connection are the most important in the Hijra community (disciple or student). Hijras are frequently emotionally and financially supported by the Guru.
Hijras appear to join these societies in their youth for a variety of reasons, including the desire to completely express their feminine gender identity, the pressures of poverty and ill-treatment, the conclusion of a period of gay prostitution, or a combination of these factors.
Many Indians were upset with Hijras when the British came to control. Authorities sought to exterminate the Hijras. In 1897, British colonialists passed legislation designating all eunuchs as ‘criminals’ and a ‘breach of the law.’
Hijras, particularly sex workers, were frequently subjected to horrific violence in public places, police custody, jails, and even their own houses. Transgender persons confront tremendous prejudice and ignorance in health, housing, education, job, immigration, and law, just as they do in the rest of the globe. Hijras have lately come to be seen as auspicious, and they are frequently called to bless events like weddings and births.
Since the late twentieth century, some Hijra activists and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) have fought for formal recognition of the Hijra as a “third gender,” as they are neither man nor woman.
The Supreme Court of India recognized Hijras as a ‘Third Gender’ in law in April 2014. However, not all transgender persons are comfortable with the term “third gender.”
The Supreme Court of India decriminalized homosexuality on September 6, 2018, by ruling Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code unconstitutional, which was a significant step forward for Hijras.
Also Checkout: Looking beyond the binaries: Towards a Nuanced Understanding of Gender
