The hijra of India on

The hijra of India on: The Ancient Indian Kama Sutra refers to people of a “third generation” (triteeyaprakrti), which can either be dressed in men’s or women’s clothing and perform Fellatio on men. The term was translated as “eunuchs” (as in Sir Richard Burton’s translation of the book), but these persons have also been considered the equivalent of the modern Hijra of India.
Hijra, a Hindi term traditionally translated into English as “eunuch”, actually refers to what modern Westerners would call male-to-female transgender people and effeminate homosexuals (although some of their reports to identify as belonging to a third generation ). Some of them undergo ritual castration, but the majority do not. They usually dress in saris (traditional Indian garb worn by women) and wear heavy make-up. They typically live in the margins of society, face discrimination and earn their living in various ways, eg by coming uninvited at weddings, births, new shop openings and other major family events and singing until they are paid or Gifts are given away. The ceremony was supposed to bring good fortune and fertility, while the curse of a unappeased Hijra is feared by many.
Other sources of income for the Hijra is begging and prostitution. The begging is accompanied by singing and dancing and the hijras usually get the money easy. Some Indian provincial officials have used the assistance of hijras to collect taxes in the same way, they knock on the doors of shopkeepers, while dancing and singing, and embarrasseer them to pay.
Recently, hijras have started to find organizations improve their social condition and fight discrimination. There is even talk of a wave of Hijra in politics and be elected to high political positions. In the epic Mahabaratha of India, Arjuna, one of the 5 heroes who was originally a clever man, a soldier and archer Brihannala great touch, a eunuch when they spend their last years of exile in the kingdom of virata. Brihannala / Arjuna lived beneath the palace of the wife as a teacher of song and dance.