eunuch

Aniko

Has anyone met a eunuch?

Bigzero

I am sure most train travellers have ( sleeper class ). Part of the entertainment. They come, ask for money, talk loudly, and generally tests the limit of your private space. Dressed in garish sarees, heavily made up, and gives you a feeling of physical strength.

The Passengers typically react in many ways:
- Some talk to them, and joke to them, even passing some lewd comments back and forth. Those are the ones who are very clearly in the comfort zone when it comes to Eunuchs.
- Some are visibly shaken and part with money real quick. The eunuchs sense this and sometimes push them a little further for more..
- Some pretend that they dont exist at all. Very difficult to do, but they just stare into infinity and somehow manage to avoid any response whatsoever. The Eunuchs try touching them, pleading with them etc.
- Some get angry and shout back. occasionally ets a little nasty. These are the ones not really used to having Eunuchs around and are clearly uncomfortable.

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Aniko

I have never been to India, but planning soon, so just wanted to know a bit more about them. Is it true, that they go to ceremonies, like weddings and that means bad luck? I've heard that they get money so they leave.

ladyvetphd

Hi, no infact they are many times invited to song and dance at weddings (North Indian ones), they also come to bless new borns.
I think, the tradition of eunuchs (Not natural born, but castrated at birth, probably started during the moghul era, when men folks went to fight wars, eunuchs were left behind to take care of the women in the harems. But since then since they are not educated, they take the easy way out and either scare people or embarrass them into parting with money. Some of them probably have good dancing talents etc-

batistuta

They usually live in a group and every week they will give a visit to the business establishments and ask for money .
I read somewhere that some eunuch gang wars also takes
place because of which eunuch gang controls which turf.
Generally shunned by society and to make thier presence felt
some of them contest for elections with some success too.
A variant of the kayoteys or lady boys who are present in Thailand,but not as integrated as kayoteys in society.

AngelEyes

They do go to weddings and child birth ceremonies. But it's not bad luck. The elders usually give the eunuchs money since the blessing of eunuchs is considered very lucky.

Also a person who gets to watch a eunuch's funeral is considered to be very very lucky. But very rarely does anyone get to see them, since they take place at about 3 am. Supposedly,One of the most famous Indian actors, Shahrukh Khan, has seen such kind of a funeral in his younger days in New Delhi. Such funerals are sometimes held in an inhuman way where the friends of the deceased kick the body so that the dead will not be born as a eunuch in his next birth. (This is what I have heard of, I cannot confirm the facts. Also not every Tom, Dick and Harry believes them n neither do I.)

AngelEyes

Eunuchs often place themselves on traffic signals to extract money from the travellers. (Atleast in Mumbai, they are a common sight) It is said that they usually come out open only on Fridays , but I've seen them on other days as well. The eunuchs ask people in cars, autos (three-wheeler public vehicles), cabs and bikes for money. Usually people give them a few coins. The eunuchs then bless the people who give money by saying a few kind words. Occasionally, the eunuchs might curse you if you refuse. Also I've come across eunuchs who keep saying 'Dekho hume mana mat karo.Thoda de do.Accha hoga.' (See.. don't refuse us, please.Give me some money. It will be good) until you give them some money. I don't think the eunuchs will ever harm you, or even harass you for money if you're walking. They only ask money, cuz they have no other source.
Also these eunuchs try avoiding interacting with people (for anything other than business) since they feel the 'normal' people have abandoned them cuz they are diffrent.

Rothrock

Just to add a bit of interest here. The mayor of Gorakhpur in UP is a hijra. My professor videotaped an interview with her. If you have the Flash player installed you can see it here.

http://www.saffronthread.com/HindiVideo/HindiVideo.html

She is the middle picture on the first (people) page.

Nick-H

A sexy walk and a sari tied to reveal and emphasise, rather than to hide, always catches the eye...

As I was running my eye appreciatingly over her back, my brain suddenly froze. Wait! It is too straight! Her arms are too thick! She is a He! ...or an Inbetween.

I saw that [s]he was going from shop to shop, asking money, I guess. Tough life...

freenote

We have found that they usually steer clear of westerners .They will make an initial demand for cash and then withdraw .The Hijra
appear to find a foreigner embarrassing for some reason .This is a Shame ,they appear to be interesting people and i would like to talk with them , but they run away

tonylittle

I have seen them on my travels in India but found them two short for me to say hi

Tony

Grantaustralia

We (myself and my students) were approached by them on the train to NJP from Kolkata. We were in Sleeper class and they were very restrained. That said, our school is in Darlinghurst Sydney and the major transexual street prostitution area is just outside our door/windows.

capt_mahajan

i have no discomfort with eunuchs asking for money... i stopped feeling public discomfort after walking into a hard core skinhead bar in former east germany, and having two drinks there... but i get irritated that the eunuchs often try their best to try to make me uncomfortable with constant nagging to get some money... fat chance of that happening, then.

Sama

who decides what baby boy is castrated at birth? and what would determine which baby boy is castrated?

is this still being done or are the "eunuchs" nowadays transvestites?

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Jean-Philipe

It isn't done at birth. It's the individual's decision later in life.

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