So, let us have a glance on 10 rare and interesting facts about Hijras:
1. Hijras are born with male functioning. Only few of them are born with intersex capabilities.
2. There are many ways in which HIjras are pronounced in Hindi and Urdu. This term along with Romanized names have been considered critical in Urdu. The term “Khawaja Sara”, is used in association with them.
3. Goddess Renuka and Bahuchara Mata have been believed to have great powers to change one’s gender. Hence, they are great devotees of them.
4. Male devotees in female attire are also called as Jogappa. They perform dance, songs on ceremonial occasions.
5. They live a marginal life. They have been given very low social status and major part of their income comes through performing at occasions. Hijras also, beg for their living. They are majorly sex workers.
6. On 15 April 2014, in National Legal Services Authority, Union of India, the Supreme Court of India said that transgender people would be treated as third category and they are accessible to jobs and education.
7. The native language of Hijras are known as Hijra Farsi, along with some Urdu and unintelligible words, which are understood only by them.
8. Hijras also worship the God Lord Shiva where one of the most popular forms of Shiva is Ardhanarishvara, or half-man/half-woman, which represents Shiva united with his Shakti (the women).
9. Hijras are bound to carry out emasculation operation. Through which all their male genitals are removed. This process is also known as re-birth of a Hijra.
10. On an average, large cities like Bombay or Delhi have 5,000 Hijras who are basically living in twenty or thirty and the national estimate of total number of Hijras in the country may be as high as 50,000 –1,00,000.
