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Full HQ 3k artwork + sketch/final: www.patreon.com/posts/62154017
Kinnar - in Hindi “किन्नर” - is one of several terms defining “third gender.” Kinnaras are called “hijrаs” in India, Pakistan and Afghanistan. In Indian Wikipedia, the term “kinnar” is given two designations: androgyne or eunuch (hermaphrodite, or in slang “shemale”).
And the third definition: Kinnaras in Vedic mythology are described as a race of magical creatures that live on the planet Svarga Loka. It is believed that they maintain balance and harmony in the universe. Sometimes they are referred to as human beings with horse heads, and, in the Buddhist tradition, with the body of a bird and the head of a human or vice versa. In other places Kinnaras are described as charming musicians, dancers and singers. The main abode of the Kinnaras is Mount Kailash in the Himalayas, where they serve the god Shiva. In the early Vedic cosmogony, the World was divided into three parts: male, female and nonsexual - that is, androgynous. Many Vedic deities are androgynous (half-men, half-women), being two parts of one whole, one person. In the social sense, people of the “third sex” were called Kinnara because the combined meanings of “kim” - “who” and “nara” - “a human, a man”, together refer to ambiguities of origin and/or gender. In the ancient Indian epic Mahabharata, eunuchs are referred to as excellent dancers, musicians, and art teachers. For example, Prince Arjuna, due to a curse, for a while became a real eunuch with the name of Brihannala, and at the court of King Virata he served as a teacher of dance and singing.
“Hijras were well-respected and revered in ancient India. In fact, Hijras play important roles in many Hindu religious texts. One such text talks about the life of Lord Rama, one of the most virtuous Hindu heroes. At some point, Lord Rama was banished from his kingdom. After being banished, he told his followers that the men and women should wipe their tears and leave him. All of the men and women left. However, a group of people known as the Hijra remained standing before him. They were neither men nor women and refused to leave until Lord Rama returned fourteen years later. This community was praised for showing such loyalty”. (“India’s Relationship with the Third Gender” from © UAB Institute for Human Rights Blog)
“Hijras, who can be eunuchs, intersex or transgender, have been part of South Asia’s culture for thousands of years. Eunuchs are celebrated in sacred Hindu texts such as the Mahabharata and the Kama Sutra. They also enjoyed influential positions in the Mughal courts”. © Homa Khaleeli, the Guardian’s joint deputy features editor.
In modern times, eunuchs (हिजड़े) - Hijada (read as “Hijra”) are still called Kinnaras. For example, the supreme court of Madhya Pradesh concluded that “eunuchs are men and cannot be considered women ( “The eunuch is a castrated man, or a man incapable of reproduction”). It should be noted that Indian hijrаs obtained the right to vote in 1994, and from 1998 to 2003 in the state of Madhya Pradesh, a transgender woman, Shabnam Mausi, is the first transgender Indian to be elected to public office (MLA).[1] She was an elected member of the Madhya Pradesh State Legislative Assembly from 1998 to 2003, (Hijras were granted voting rights in 1994 in India.) Shabnam Mausi also intends to use her position in the Legislative Assembly to speak out against discrimination of transgender people, hijras, eunuchs, cross-dressers. I would note some difference between "western” concept of transgenders and eastern concept of hijras; the latter closely relate to intersex, gender-fluid and agender people.
“Eunuchs often dress up like women and describe themselves as being castrated or born that way. A disciple-based community, it has important roles in many cultures - from sexless people guarding harems to singing and dancing entertainers. In cultures in South Asia, they are thought to have the power to bless or curse fertility. They live with adopted children and male partners. Today, many consider eunuchs transgender, although the term also includes intersex people. In 2014, India’s Supreme Court officially recognised a third gender - and eunuchs (or hijras) are seen as falling into this category”. (“How Britain tried to ‘erase’ India’s third gender” by © Soutik Biswas, BBC News correspondent)
Governments of both India (1994) and Pakistan (2009) have recognized hijras as a “third sex”, thus granting them the basic civil rights of every citizen. In India, hijras now have the option to identify as a eunuch (“E”) on passports and on certain government documents. Despite the legal rights obtained, unfortunately, there is a lot of phobia and discrimination towards queer people in the society of India and its neighboring countries. The persecution of members of the LGBT+ community is increasing, and many hijras and gays are killed every year.
“Then the British arrived, foisting Victorian sexual mores on Indian culture. The colonists accused the “eunuchs” of sodomy, prostitution, and kidnapping and castrating young boys. They saw the third gender as a threat to morality and political authority. The British criminalized being a hijra under the Criminal Tribes Act of 1871, stripped hijras of their inheritance rights, and launched a campaign to erase them from public consciousness”. (“India’s Third Gender Rises Again” by Ina Goel in sapiens. org).
Because of homophobia, hijras are forced into a miserable existence, earning money from begging and prostitution. If only they were considered equal members of society, they could have work in more respected professions, just as now, with a little progress, hijras in Pakistan work under the government and on the television, and many go into the cinema industry and modeling. The improvements are so small that they are not very obvious, so finding the positive information on this topic can be difficult. Thus, it will take a long time for us to fight for equal rights.
Adding on my own behalf, as not only a creator, but also a supporter of human rights, I believe that despite the intentions of Western humanitarians, who call for humanity and equality, we still cannot impose the “Western” concept of transsexuality on Eastern traditions and culture, erasing them and imposing a binary gender standard of only “male or female,” excluding all diversity. I often observe how people will consider every hijra to be a woman in the literal sense of the word, thinking that this shows respect, while blaming anyone who traditionally calls them “eunuchs” or refers to them in masculine terms. The problem is that such misunderstanding will cause many inconsistencies in a society where traditions are strong even nowadays, and where the roles of women and eunuchs are very different and unlikely to be interchangeable. So my point is why not respect a person, despite the gender, orientation, looks and identity. Respect – this is what needs to be achieved, not more confinement to the standard limits of the gender and identity.
Finally a few words about my artistic tribute to kinnars. For me, the ancient image of beautiful kinnar dancers appears in bright and lively colors, associated with the cult of androgynous deities depicted on the rooftops of temples, with broad hips, thin waists, large eyes, all decorated with gold from head to toe. The beautiful kinnar represented in my picture drawn right from my imagination: a mysterious priest, a charming master of theatrical arts; free from offspring and family ties, but blessing successful marriage and family; loving pleasure and giving pleasure with his graceful dance and melodious singing. Kinnars’ role is an integral part of every holiday and great event, whether it is a wedding, a birth or a victory. There is something unearthly in their presence… They say that in heaven, every step is like dance, and every word is song, which is why the kinnaras live up to their name of celestial beings.

Text by Elv, art by Deva.

Description

Full HQ 3k artwork + sketch/final: www.patreon.com/posts/62154017
Kinnar - in Hindi “किन्नर” - is one of several terms defining “third gender.” Kinnaras are called “hijrаs” in India, Pakistan and Afghanistan. In Indian Wikipedia, the term “kinnar” is given two designations: androgyne or eunuch (hermaphrodite, or in slang “shemale”).
And the third definition: Kinnaras in Vedic mythology are described as a race of magical creatures that live on the planet Svarga Loka. It is believed that they maintain balance and harmony in the universe. Sometimes they are referred to as human beings with horse heads, and, in the Buddhist tradition, with the body of a bird and the head of a human or vice versa. In other places Kinnaras are described as charming musicians, dancers and singers. The main abode of the Kinnaras is Mount Kailash in the Himalayas, where they serve the god Shiva. In the early Vedic cosmogony, the World was divided into three parts: male, female and nonsexual - that is, androgynous. Many Vedic deities are androgynous (half-men, half-women), being two parts of one whole, one person. In the social sense, people of the “third sex” were called Kinnara because the combined meanings of “kim” - “who” and “nara” - “a human, a man”, together refer to ambiguities of origin and/or gender. In the ancient Indian epic Mahabharata, eunuchs are referred to as excellent dancers, musicians, and art teachers. For example, Prince Arjuna, due to a curse, for a while became a real eunuch with the name of Brihannala, and at the court of King Virata he served as a teacher of dance and singing.
“Hijras were well-respected and revered in ancient India. In fact, Hijras play important roles in many Hindu religious texts. One such text talks about the life of Lord Rama, one of the most virtuous Hindu heroes. At some point, Lord Rama was banished from his kingdom. After being banished, he told his followers that the men and women should wipe their tears and leave him. All of the men and women left. However, a group of people known as the Hijra remained standing before him. They were neither men nor women and refused to leave until Lord Rama returned fourteen years later. This community was praised for showing such loyalty”. (“India’s Relationship with the Third Gender” from © UAB Institute for Human Rights Blog)
“Hijras, who can be eunuchs, intersex or transgender, have been part of South Asia’s culture for thousands of years. Eunuchs are celebrated in sacred Hindu texts such as the Mahabharata and the Kama Sutra. They also enjoyed influential positions in the Mughal courts”. © Homa Khaleeli, the Guardian’s joint deputy features editor.
In modern times, eunuchs (हिजड़े) - Hijada (read as “Hijra”) are still called Kinnaras. For example, the supreme court of Madhya Pradesh concluded that “eunuchs are men and cannot be considered women ( “The eunuch is a castrated man, or a man incapable of reproduction”). It should be noted that Indian hijrаs obtained the right to vote in 1994, and from 1998 to 2003 in the state of Madhya Pradesh, a transgender woman, Shabnam Mausi, is the first transgender Indian to be elected to public office (MLA).[1] She was an elected member of the Madhya Pradesh State Legislative Assembly from 1998 to 2003, (Hijras were granted voting rights in 1994 in India.) Shabnam Mausi also intends to use her position in the Legislative Assembly to speak out against discrimination of transgender people, hijras, eunuchs, cross-dressers. I would note some difference between "western” concept of transgenders and eastern concept of hijras; the latter closely relate to intersex, gender-fluid and agender people.
“Eunuchs often dress up like women and describe themselves as being castrated or born that way. A disciple-based community, it has important roles in many cultures - from sexless people guarding harems to singing and dancing entertainers. In cultures in South Asia, they are thought to have the power to bless or curse fertility. They live with adopted children and male partners. Today, many consider eunuchs transgender, although the term also includes intersex people. In 2014, India’s Supreme Court officially recognised a third gender - and eunuchs (or hijras) are seen as falling into this category”. (“How Britain tried to ‘erase’ India’s third gender” by © Soutik Biswas, BBC News correspondent)
Governments of both India (1994) and Pakistan (2009) have recognized hijras as a “third sex”, thus granting them the basic civil rights of every citizen. In India, hijras now have the option to identify as a eunuch (“E”) on passports and on certain government documents. Despite the legal rights obtained, unfortunately, there is a lot of phobia and discrimination towards queer people in the society of India and its neighboring countries. The persecution of members of the LGBT+ community is increasing, and many hijras and gays are killed every year.
“Then the British arrived, foisting Victorian sexual mores on Indian culture. The colonists accused the “eunuchs” of sodomy, prostitution, and kidnapping and castrating young boys. They saw the third gender as a threat to morality and political authority. The British criminalized being a hijra under the Criminal Tribes Act of 1871, stripped hijras of their inheritance rights, and launched a campaign to erase them from public consciousness”. (“India’s Third Gender Rises Again” by Ina Goel in sapiens. org).
Because of homophobia, hijras are forced into a miserable existence, earning money from begging and prostitution. If only they were considered equal members of society, they could have work in more respected professions, just as now, with a little progress, hijras in Pakistan work under the government and on the television, and many go into the cinema industry and modeling. The improvements are so small that they are not very obvious, so finding the positive information on this topic can be difficult. Thus, it will take a long time for us to fight for equal rights.
Adding on my own behalf, as not only a creator, but also a supporter of human rights, I believe that despite the intentions of Western humanitarians, who call for humanity and equality, we still cannot impose the “Western” concept of transsexuality on Eastern traditions and culture, erasing them and imposing a binary gender standard of only “male or female,” excluding all diversity. I often observe how people will consider every hijra to be a woman in the literal sense of the word, thinking that this shows respect, while blaming anyone who traditionally calls them “eunuchs” or refers to them in masculine terms. The problem is that such misunderstanding will cause many inconsistencies in a society where traditions are strong even nowadays, and where the roles of women and eunuchs are very different and unlikely to be interchangeable. So my point is why not respect a person, despite the gender, orientation, looks and identity. Respect – this is what needs to be achieved, not more confinement to the standard limits of the gender and identity.
Finally a few words about my artistic tribute to kinnars. For me, the ancient image of beautiful kinnar dancers appears in bright and lively colors, associated with the cult of androgynous deities depicted on the rooftops of temples, with broad hips, thin waists, large eyes, all decorated with gold from head to toe. The beautiful kinnar represented in my picture drawn right from my imagination: a mysterious priest, a charming master of theatrical arts; free from offspring and family ties, but blessing successful marriage and family; loving pleasure and giving pleasure with his graceful dance and melodious singing. Kinnars’ role is an integral part of every holiday and great event, whether it is a wedding, a birth or a victory. There is something unearthly in their presence… They say that in heaven, every step is like dance, and every word is song, which is why the kinnaras live up to their name of celestial beings.

Text by Elv, art by Deva.