Cruising the Night - The Hijra Ethos

Cruising the Night - The Hijra Ethos, originally uploaded by firoze shakir photographerno1.

Hijras love to spiritually cruise in the night, shocking people with their overt gestures , glamor and cosmetic beauty.

Hijra are night stalkers, night denizens, sleep is a misnomer for hijras, hijras sleep in the day time ..night is for full body massage under the hands of young raw masseur boys..the boys do it clinically but are highly paid for added nocturnal escapades.


The hijras of the high end , groom themselves well, are totally clean, and over bursting with seductive sexual charm.They put on designer labels, alluring fragrance , more musky to go with their persona.

Facial hair is the bane and curse of the hijra, some have got rid of it completely, some tweeze and others use facial hair removing creams.

Most of the hijras have invested wisely, into gold, real estate, most of the brothels at the red light area cages where women solicit are owned by the hijras.

The hijras on the top level are very rich and affluent community.. they donate generously too and religious functions they dont miss specially the Urus at some Dargah and Ganesh and Laxmi visarjans.


The hijras lavish lakhs of rupees on visiting hijra friends from their biradri..hijras are the finest host, some are ball breaking money lenders too..

As age old being a very scary and insecure proposition,the hijra adopts a eunuch or a normal child, taking good care , and trying to emulate a sense of security for his old age.

I know hijra s who have extended families, adopted daughters married in good homes and the hijra takes care of them without any strings attached.

The only secrecy lies in the Hijra death ceremony or burial..and they dont reveal this to anyone- this is their code of silence , their code of Hijra Omerta.

I used to meet hijras once upon a time at opium dens at Shuklaji..

Hijras are born dancers and large amount of income came from ladies dance bar that were banned in Mumbai.. for harboring terrorists.. a thought that shows political ignorance towards reality, and political shortsightedness ..
Prostitution is also the major source of the hijras.
The hijra does not have many legitimate options because of our pseudo sanctimonious society..they all want to fuck the hijra.. with and without his clothes on.

The lower end hijra is fully vulnerable and prone to all kinds of sexual disease , these are the beggars and the hijra street walkers in Mumbais red light areas.

I have met young jobless boys who wear ladies clothes and offer sex as low as Rs 50/
these are mostly migrants from Bihar , Karnataka and Tamil Nadu.

Some find Gurus and channelize their profession accordingly.

Most of the new hijras are found at Hijra Guly No1 Kamatipura..I have not been there since almost an year, last I had taken my American friend Dr Losack MD ..to shoot pictures.

I have a lot of Hijra stories locked up in my head , one day perhaps I shall tell it all..

The hijras are good friends and dangerous enemies..a hijra spurned is a thousand time more lethal than a woman..bobbit is a very tame understatement ...

Badhai is more common in Delhi a great money spinner in other cities too, in Mumbai Badhai collection is minuscule..