Hijra - Indian Ladyboys

[rxpharm]

Interesting article in Hindustan Times, an Indian film director, Santosh Sivan has produced a film about Hijra called Navarasa.

Not sure the have the date of Cinefan right that would have been 2 years ago.

Link: Hindustan Times Sivan Makes a Difference

Do not make the mistake of thinking that Santosh Sivan the cinematographer is almost a thing of the past as the director in him has been more in evidence of late. Though he continues to be part of mega projects like Paul Berges' Mistress of Spices, it is in the films like Navarasa that the sharp, perceptive eye emerges, and he combines his two roles best. Suman Tarafdar caught up with him at Cinefan 2005, where his latest film premiered on Sunday.


A film on transgender people. That's an unusual subject. Why this?
Well, we always talk of being doing more for causes. There has been a lot of sympathy expressed for transgender people, but we have done very little for them. I wanted to create more empathy towards the 'third' gender, to give them a chance.

What were the chances?
They have done all the roles depicting transgender people. This film has given them a platform to act - and now some of them are seriously considering acting as an option to earn a living. As a character in the film says, "for us life itself is a struggle."

For this film, I definitely did not consider other actors for their roles, as that would have taken away the authenticity.

And as a woman told me after seeing the film, she would look at them with greater understanding than before. That gives me great satisfaction.

How did the idea come to you?
I have a habit of going around with my camera and shooting a lot - various subjects. Among my shootings I came across these people and was intrigued by them.

The film has Bobby Darling playing himself. Was it deliberate?
Bobby Darling is trying to make it in Bollywood, in acting - something the film also shows. Yes, he was great to work with, very cooperative. Shweta, who has also been part of my earlier film, Malli was wonderful as usual.

The pitch of the film varies. Is this on purpose?
Yes, I wanted the film to be like their lives - they are into remix songs. Their music is on the higher scale. For them everything has a bit of a propaganda element - and that comes to the film as well.

The film combines different formats - fiction, fantasy, melodrama and documentary styles to tell its story. The camera too goes close into their lives to bring out the essence of the Aravanis.

Is the festival depicted in the film real?
Yes, the festival is an annual that takes place in Villupuram in Tamil Nadu. Transgender people from all over India come to participate in this ages old tradition, which has only recently caught wider media attention. We shot the film on location, during the festival.

What are you currently working on?
Mistress of Spices was a great experience. We shot in San Francisco and Aishwarya Rai was good to work with.

I am also doing a Malayalam film - an entirely 'commercial' film.

And as a cinematographer?
I am not doing any film solely as a cinematographer for the next two years.

Which type of films has been more satisfying to work with - 'commercial' or 'parallel'?
Both. I enjoy all kinds of films, and making a film like Navarasa only becomes possible due to the support of friends and well-wishers. These are the times I live in and must record them the best I can.

[Pinga]

Just saw the show on CNN international here in South America. Pretty strange, and not very attractive.

[Guest]

I have been in and out of Madras aka Chennai, literally since the late 1960's. I have seen hijra on the street in Triplicane around the Star Cinema, Broadlands Hotel area but they were collecting money from merchants. I was shooting video several years ago and asked my friend in the area if he could arrange a session of videos and interviews. The next day he called me and two hijra were at his house. It seemed that this group lived near the central railway station with others. They seemed very open to being interviewed and treated with interest and respect. This encounter had nothing to do with sex. I really don't know how I could have asked this question of them for I was surrounded by my friend's family and the usual crowd that gathers around one when you stop, let alone video taping. That is why I asked where they lived. But the prostitution question is vague. Many of them are not allowed to do this because the mamasan wants total control and wants to use them to hustle donations on the streets. There are probably groups that have mamasans that approve. But as noted most if not all, hijras are castrated. I have endless stories of trying to get women in this area and some very surreal experiences. Bye the way
Mahabalipuram is known as a hooker containing town. I once took two girls by bus to this seaside resort and it was only 30 minutes before cops were knocking at the door. They took the girls and didn't want anything to do with me but I followed them to the police station and wouldn't leave until they released them back to me under the promise that we would leave the next day or move to a 5 star hotel!!!!!!!

[Onebadindan]

Me being from India,, Well have not been to india for last 10 years or so Now reside in Los Angeles I could tell you that Hijra are considered scum of society. Considered no status in country...Stay clear from them,, as some of them will rob you and will hurt you. Just my 2 cent

[Socrates999]

I believe they were included in the documentary in which Stogie was involved. I'll try to find a link or make it available for DL, as t still lives on my HD.

[Guest]

I've gone through 2 books and probably 100 internet articles on Hijra for my book.

They used to be held with high esteem in ancient times, but as noted, now are pretty much forced into prostitution and aggressive begging, or drawing money at the birth of male children or at weddings. They are perceived to have power with respect to fertility from ancient lore.

They follow a mix of Hindu and Muslim traditions.

They are the a very marginal part of society and the most gruesome part of their lives is the castration process; almost always carried out by a non-professional, with many ceremonial aspects to it, and one can only guess at how awful the result is.

There are 5 "houses" in India (kind if like clans), and each house might have a representative actual house in cities (kind of like a fraternity house), where a mamasan basically enslaves 10-15 girls in prostitution, begging, whatever. This too is quite bizarre. They endure it because by being on the edge of society they often have no family and few friends, and so the Hijra household is their life and blood.

Anyhow, it's truly a strange minority. If you really want to meet some, there are some temples 'guarded' by Hijra and several festivals each year. I can dig them up. It would be worth a look, and I may try my next trip to India, however, of all the pictures I've seen of them, they are not Miss Universe.

[liisawinkler]

(ziggystardust @ Jul. 15 2007,10:49) It would be worth a look, and I may try my next trip to India, however, of all the pictures I've seen of them, they are not Miss Universe.

if their castrations had taken place during the pre or even during their puberty years it would have been a different story...and considering INdia probably manufactures hormone medications that are sold cheaply too...

[rxpharm]

Interesting article from Daily News and Analysis, India.com about Hijras.


TN transvestites demand €˜promised cut€™
Arun Ram
Sunday, July 15, 2007 05:31 IST

CHENNAI: Almost seven months after the Tamil Nadu government's revolutionary order offering free penile amputations for aravanis (as they are referred to here), members of the community are fuming as doctors refuse to wield the scalpel, citing medical ethics.

The government order was aimed at preventing unsafe castrations that a large number of aravanis resort to for lack of an alternative but that can cause infections and, in some cases, even death.

In Tamil Nadu and Maharashtra, home to more than 60,000 registered aravanis, a large number of cross-dressers go to 'dayammas' (designated elderly eunuchs) for crude forms of castration. Quacks also make a killing, doing penile amputation on poor and confused cross-dressers for Rs 10,000.

The order gained popularity among aravanis during the annual Koovagam festival on May 1 and 2 when tens of thousands of them from across the country congregated in Koovagam village of Tamil Nadu and marry Lord Aravan symbolically.

"We welcomed it as a revolutionary step by the government. But when we approached the government hospitals, doctors either said they were not aware of it or just refused to do the surgery," says Mohini, a transvestite from Tambaram in suburban Chennai.

About 40 aravanis who have registered for the surgery at the Vellore Government General Hospital have complained against the doctors to the district collector.

"Yes, there is a problem with doctors refusing to do the surgery. We will set things right in a few days," says district collector Dharmendra Prathap Yadav.

Doctors, however, say they cannot be forced to do the surgery. "It is not a life-saving surgery. A surgeon has the right to refuse to do it. There are sensitivities involved," says Dr A Zameer Pasha, ex-president of Indian Medical Association, Tamil Nadu branch.

Moreover, doctors say, many of the government hospitals lack expertise and facilities for the surgery which involves plastic surgeons, urologists and vascular surgeons.

€œIt is not a simple surgery. If something goes wrong, we will be charged with medical negligence," says a surgeon at the Government General Hospital, Chennai. Moreover, the government has not put in place pre- and post-operative counselling, which is considered vital in such cases.

€œAs a policy, we don't encourage penile amputations," says Lakshmi Bai, director of Tamil Nadu AIDS Initiative.

Link: Transvestites Demand Promised "Cut"

[andre459]

For those in    who are interested there is a doco on the ABC tonight about the Hirja

India's Ladyboys
12:10am Tuesday, 18 Dec 2007  
Society and Culture   Repeat CC M
Follows a group of Hirjas - those who were born hermaphrodites and those who were born men and have since been castrated - who, until now, have been misunderstood and are still considered outsiders in their own country.

I will try and upload it if anyone is interested.

[Guest]

So that explains what happened to my luggage that I purchased in Tamil Nadu and Maharashtra. I placed a small carry on in the overhead bin on the plane and during the trip it grew to immense proportions and could not get it back out!! Must have been all the rubbing and bumping that made it swell. I wonder what kind of material it was made from?

[rxpharm]

Sounds interesting - but be sure it isn't a recycled documentary from BBC or CNN before you upload it. These documentaries sometimes make rounds through different channels.

The CNN documentary is now available online as well: CNN Harsh Beauty, India's Hijras

[James Taylor]

Hijras aren't ladyboys, they're eunuchs.
Traditionally most were not in prostitution.
Here are some pics.
Have never seen a beautiful one.

[James Taylor]

More on hijras:

Hijras on bbc.co.uk.
Hijra pix on PBase.
Muslim hijras on flickr.
Scholarly research on hijras, pdf.
Article in "The Hindu".
Hijra blogging (only in Tamil, lots of pics).
Hope that's enough info to dispell some of the myths and legends re Indian "LBs"...

[Guest]

(James Taylor @ Dec. 17 2007,17:01) More on hijras:

Hijras on bbc.co.uk.
Hijra pix on PBase.
Muslim hijras on flickr.
Scholarly research on hijras, pdf.
Article in "The Hindu".
Hijra blogging (only in Tamil, lots of pics).
Hope that's enough info to dispell some of the myths and legends re Indian "LBs"...

Having been to India quite a few times for work I have yet to see a feminine looking Hijra. I did do seom extensive searching on my first few trips but gave up.

[rxpharm]

Here is an attractive Indian lb, but she actually lives in Singapore:

Arisha Rani, 1st runner up Miss International Queen 2004. She was runner up to Nong Poy.