CULTURE

THE CULTURAL HERITAGE 

                              OF THIRD GENDERS

                                                -Aachal Burande

           When anyone talks about Third Gender, many of them reacts very wiardly & asks ‘Really these peoples has any culture?’ Why society use to react like this as living in the 21st century? Don’t they should get a respect in society?
 

              These peoples are the most beautiful creation of GOD on Earth. Even these are pure hearted peoples. It’s a concept in which individuals are categorized, either by themselves or by society, as neither man nor women. It also describes a social category present in those societies that recognize three or more genders. Physically the child born with genitals that cannot be defined clearly as male or female are known as ambiguous genitals. The medical cause for these conditions includes a metabolic disorder,  named as congenital adrenal hyperplasia & abnormalities in the chromosomes.
         

  Talking about theirs great cultural heritage, this ‘Hijra’ community has been mentioned in ancient literature, mostly in Kama Sutra, a text written between 400 BC to 200 BC. Also their significance founds in Great texts in Hinduism, The Mahabharata & Ramayana. One of many forms lord Shiva, while merging with his wife Parvati & becomes AEDHANARINATESHWAR holds very prestigious significant of Hijra community. During Mughal Era-India, this Hijra community has respect in community, in court & various facet of administration.
                 

God Aravan

  The origin of great cultural festival that is KOOVAGAM has its roots in Mahabharta. The mythological story says, Aravan (also known as Iravan) who was the son of Arjuna & Naga princes Uluipi. On the 18th day of Mahabharata, for success of Pandava brothers in battlefield, one have to sacrifice his life in front of goddess Kali. Aravan volunteers to sacrifice his life but he asked lord Krishna to fulfil his last wish that was to marry & spend one day of mariedlife. The women who marry with Aravan will have to spend whole her life as a widow. So no one agreed to marry with Aravan. Then lord Krishna taken the form of MOHINI, and married Aravan & next day Aravan sacrified his life. In Tamil Nadu, Villupuram a small village, there is a temple of Aravan where this festival is celebrated with great spirit. In the month of April ending and May starting all Hijras from all over the world visit this temple n takes part in festival. The festival is of 18 days. From begining various games, music, dance programmes tooks place. On the 17th day every Hijra dressed up like bride, wears chudiyas,ect. and marry with Aravan & spends 1 day marriage life. Next day, Aravan have to sacrifice his life so every bride becomes widow & have to break theirs chudiyas and all. This is the very heartful moment over in the festival.
           

Miss Koovagam2017

   Atlast, according to participation in dances & games, one of them best is choosen as 'The Miss Koovagam'. Many campaign also being takes places here like Swachha Bharat Campaign, Blood Donation Campaign, Tree-plantation Campaign to create awareness about this burning issues. The years ago, this festival was not been famous over the world but last recent years it is being famous over the world.
               

Prin. Miss Bandopadhyaya

 The society should accept them in their routine life. All have great examples in front us, Miss Bandopadhyaya who was the principal of one of the college in Delhi. But she had to resign her job because of humiliating her. This is the main reason, why Hijras are begging still. No one gives them admissions in schools & not even jobs. Many of them use to learning now. We all have to accept them as a third gender and make them the part of life. So that they could be respectly working in the IT's & high up above.