Wednesday, June 20, 2007

The Hijdas of Chennai..

This is a picture I shot of the Hijdas I met at Abdul Rehman Street
I introduced myself to them and they were from Chennai and I told them I was coming to Koovagam in April for the greatest event of Hijdas..
Where they get married to the Lord Iravan and the next morning they mourn the death of their lord , break bangles and become widows till the next time they return to Koovagam..

The Hijdas of Chennai..
They called me Firoze Bhai
They promised to meet
Me at Koovagam
Where they will become
Brides for just one night
Lord Iravan they will marry
In the Morning he will die
They will become widows
Break bangles tear their clothes
Smear ash on their bodies and cry
Yes in April I will party with
the Hijdas
also known as Aravanis
from Chennai.
And if you want to accompany me
Call me before April and not
In June or July….

poem no 959
It was unfortunate I did not go to the Eunuch Festival this year, I was nursing an injury on my right hand I had slashed the tendon on my right hand with a sword, was totally out of action, even today after several months I am handicapped, I cannot lift anything,, the pain has become a part of my daily regimen.
I was asking my Hijda Guru Laxmi to connect me to the Hijdas of Kamatipura so I can shoot them without being hassled by the Gurus and the ToyBoys of the Hijdas.

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