Eunuch In India, eunuchs are known as Hijras , or a "third gender," neither a he nor a she. While they were once worshiped in ...
Eunuch
In
India, eunuchs are known as Hijras, or a "third gender," neither a he
nor a she. While they were once worshiped in the Hindu world and also worked
for Islamic rulers, they are now widely feared. Even though "Indians
attribute a sacred power to them ... (they are) often considered vulgar and are
sometimes despised, mostly silently, and harassed.
Calumny of the Eunuch
Misfortune
has long been a companion of India's eunuchs. Because the country has
historically recognized only two genders, Hijras have been deprived of the
right to vote, own property, marry or go to schools, according to a report
written by the People's Union for Civil Liberties. In 2005, Indian passport
office allowed eunuchs to write "E" instead of male or female. Ironically,
their lot is considered so bad that they turn up to places of joy, such as
weddings and births, to take away everybody else's bad luck.
Loud
finger snapping followed by a popping hand gesture announces their arrival
before they show their demanding hands. And they don’t take no for an answer.
People usually pay up quickly afraid of bad luck, obscene gestures and profane
language. Once they give cash they get a blessing and are safe from the curses.
Hijras are known to crash weddings and appear at birth celebrations demanding
lots of money. Everyone is eager to pay for good fortune. There is no option -
It’s either cash or curse.
The Past and Cultural
Relations
The past and cultural relations of the hijras are
rooted both in ancient Hinduism, where eunuchs are mentioned in a variety of
texts, including the epic Mahabharata, and in Islam, where eunuchs served in
the harems of the Mogul rulers. The ritual participation of hijras in
life-cycle ceremonies has a clearly Hindu origin, though they may perform for
Muslims as well. Many aspects of hijra social organization are taken from
Islam, and many of the most important hijra leaders have been and are Muslim.
However,
hijras differ from traditional Muslim eunuchs, who did not dress as women. Nor
were Muslim court eunuchs endowed with the powers to bless and to curse that
hijras derive from their ambiguous sexuality and connection with the mother
goddess. In the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries Hindu and Muslim hijras did
not live together, but in contemporary India they often do. Another historical
connection of the hijras appears to be with the Magna Mata cults in ancient
Greece, whose devotees also dressed in women's clothing.
What the eunuch used to do
Apart
from sing and dance, they used to earn a livelihood by becoming servants in the
women's quarters of the house. In the old days, women of wealthy families had a
separate "ladies only" area. Hijaras worked in such houses as they
could bridge the male / female divide in the house. They could go out and do
the errands, do the shopping for the ladies and also be their guards. Emperors
kept them as trusted guards. Some even became generals in the Moghal armies!
Social coalescence of
the eunuchs
SUKHDUA
Saint Dr.
Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh Ji Insan has given them a new name of Sukh Dua Samaj ,
i.e. the community that seeks well being and prays for the welfare of others.
This was traditionally their role in society which subsequently degenerated.
Saint ji inspires people not to desert such children that are born with such
defects, but if they feel compelled , the Dera Sacha Sauda is ready to accept
them.
About the author
Ishant Sunaria
B.Tech In Mechanical Engineer, Lyricist, Singer, Insurance Advisor, Humanity Lover.
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