EUNUCHS

EUNUCHS

What do you mean by "EUNUCHS" ?? Hijras , chakkas , transgender , homosexual, hermaphrodites, tranvestites, androgynes , bisexual and gynemimetics are some of the words used to describe them. These terms make them different from normal unisexual individual.They are also called intersex , emasculated, impotent, transgender, castrated, effeminate, or sexually anomalous or dysfunctional. Mostly they are male which are castrated(removal of testicles, leaving the penis intact).

When Lord Rama was exiled from Ayodhya and his entire kingdom began to follow him into the forest, he told his disciples: “Men and women, please wipe your tears and go away. So they left. Still, a group of people stayed behind, at the edge of the forest, because they were neither men nor women. Those people waited in the woods for 14 years until Lord Rama returned, which won them a special place in Hindu mythology. There's a great controversy in the origin of this community.

Have you ever thought about their residence? Or how they live? What's their lifestyle? What and how are their reservations in jobs and exams? Why and how are they discriminated among everyone? Why they beg for money at houses in every festivals?

Eunuchs are considered as integral part of society since very long. An estimated 5-6 million eunuchs live in India.They make a living by dancing and celebrating in births and marriages but often have to resort to other means to make both ends meet. Yet, the community is beginning to make a mark in the national mainstream as well.

A member of the eunuch community, Shabnam Mausi, was elected as a member of the legislative assembly in Madhya Pradesh in 1999. She was the first transgender Indian to be elected to public office. She had only limited 2 years of schooling. But still she learnt 12 different languages. And earned a name in the society.

In past, they didn't had any reservations in jobs, or any other necessary thing. Begging was the only option left for them. Many of them work as a prostitute and earn a living for themselves. Many leave their houses because the family members can't accept them and consider them as a disgrace to family name. They are forcibly told to abandon their houses. Many of them try to work as maid or in any stores or shops , but they are badly discriminated and bullied. It hurts their sentiment. They are treated as street dogs. In some places, they are called for their blessings in marriages or when a baby is born, because it is considered that a goddess resides in them, so their wishes holds an important place. They are also called for inauguration of shops or houses.

At the same time, they are well known for their blessings as well as curses.

Kuthandavar is the main festival dedicated to transgenders , where they celebrate rituals that are more than four thousand years old.The participants marry the Lord Koothandavar. The next day, they mourn the god Koothandavar's death through ritualistic dances and by breaking their bangles. An annual beauty pageant and several other competitions like singing contests are held.

Basic rights of transgender and transvestite individuals and health care are discussed in seminars too. People from different places attend this festival.

SOME UNKNOWN FACTS ABOUT THE EUNUCH WORLD:-

✓Only 1 out of 1000 eunuchs are born as an eunuch. While others are forced to join or either they intentionally castrate themselves for economic benefit.

✓There is a hijra mafia or guru who controls the operations secretly. And there is an auction region wise, where a newly castrated eunuch is given to the highest bidder. Fair , clean limbed boys who can earn more attracts more to the bidders. Auction is done by a single clap that means 1000 rupees. Gurus are the head of the pyramid. They are mostly more older and handle their territory or regions. They control their people. Some of the doctors are also in partnership with hijras for their benefits i.e. operations.

✓ After a death of a eunuch , they never cry or mourn for them. Instead they laugh and dance because they think that God took them , and they got free from this hell life. And they pray for not being reborn in this gender.

✓ After the death of a eunuch , they beat the dead body with shoes and sandles. They take the body only during the night time so that no normal person can see it. The body of eunuch is never burnt . They always bury them . And the whole eunuch community have a ritual of fasting upto 1 week without food.

✓ The secret language of hijra is known as "hijra farsi" which is a combination of Urdu words and some unknown vocabulary of a different language.

Recently, government diluted Section 377 , which was criminalizing any type of sexual activity against order of nature. It was very crucial as well as celebrating moment for them.

In Mehsana , there is a Bahucharaji temple. The eunuchs are well respected in the region and one lakh of them gather during the fairs. If a eunuch child is born in a family, their parents leave them in the temple where the eunuchs adopt and anoint them as an eunuch after a surgical ritual and confinement period of 45 days.

The temple is well known for accepting and confessing any offence conducted by any individual towards any eunuch.

The eunuchs are an important, and integral, part of Indian society. No celebration is considered complete without their participation and blessing.

Yet, they remain a neglected part of our population.

Talking about their physical health,

although they have obvious endocrine dysfunction, no systematic attempt has been made to evaluate, assess, and improve their physical health. A concerted effort is needed by endocrinologists, and allied specialties, to understand the endocrinology of eunuchs and to optimize it.

And mentally, public has made their life more miserable. Discrimination has always been a dejected part of their lives. They have become habituated to it. But I don't think so that they deserve it. They are normal humans. Treat them as a human. They are not going to harm you. They go through a lots of hardships throughout their life. Negligence, ignorance, taunts , bullying , begging are parts of their life. Suffering with lots of diseases mainly HIV , is not easier for them to deal with. Dealing with the public in day to day places like hospitals, public transports , police stations , malls etc. are really harsh for them. The look people give them , makes them feel embarassing. Just try to behave like a human in front of them.

Don't make them feel as if they are from another planet.

Because they also want to SURVIVE in this so called liberal society.

A simple rule exists,

" GIVE RESPECT, TAKE RESPECT "