The Hijras of Mumbai

The Hijras of Mumbai, originally uploaded by firoze shakir photographerno1.

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Most of the hijra community predominantly lives at Peela House and Kamathipura in South Bombay, and other pockets of Bombay Central Null Bazar.

I have been very close to the Peela House and the Kamathipura hijras as I have been documenting their lives struggle and showcasing them via images at Flickr and my Hijda Eunuch Blogs.

Why Hijras I dont know.

It all began at Haji Malang I met Hijra icon Laxmi Narayan Tripathi on my first visit to the Holy Shrine , and we were meeting after a gap of several years , she hugged me almost embarrassing the Bawas at Rafaee Chowk whose guest I was.

While we were talking about old times we were connected through Bollywood and were to act in a movie together, the project never saw the light of day, she suggested that I should chronicle the hijra angst and ethos.

And thus began my journey shooting Hijras at Haji Malang, year after year, Ajmer Sharif and the various Hijra conference and functions I was invited to by Heena Hijra or Ma Madhurima hijra Guru from Park Site Vikhroli.

Laxmi later met my wife my daughter my family, but one person she has yet not seen is my 3 year old grand daughter Marziya Shakir a full fledged street photographer who shoots hijras too..

Marziya knew the hijras of Lal Mitti as they visited my shop , when they needed money or help.

My hijra chronicles continue, the hijras and my own soul is perpendicularly aligned by karmic forces, I shoot a lot of hijras at Peela house and Kamatipura too during Durga and Ganesh Visarjan.

Than a few years back to make my inter action with hijras smooth accessible Laxmi initiated me as her disciple..at Haji Malang.

Strangely we never meet , but I shoot the Gay Pride for her and my gay friends and Maha Guru Ashok Row Kavi and Manvindra Singh Gohil the Queer Prince of Raj Pipla.

Thanks to Manvendra Singh Oprahs representatives called me for Manvendra Singhs pictures for their collection that I gave them willingly.

I have no other agenda in shooting Hijras I will never publish a Coffee Table book ,which I think humiliates the struggle of the Hijras .. who seek emancipation from society and homophobic structures of hate against their community.

Strangely I am much closer to the Hijra gharana of Najafgarh Delhi, I have been invited to their sammelans all expenses paid, but I never went, Heena Hijra wanted me to join her in a conference at Raipur but I could never make it.

I meet all of them at Haji Malang or Ajmer Sharif..

I could never make it to the Koovagam Eunuch festival it evades me till date.

I have also met the Mujra hijras of Foras road but could never make it to their functions..


I enjoy shooting the beggar hijras and the unique hijra network in Indian trains as and when I travel.

I have shot eunuch children , hijra devdasis and the Hijra Bawas of Ajmer.

I have shot the Hijra rafaees , hijra cheek piercing of Goddess Maryamma , and next year I shall pierce my cheek with an 18 feet road with a hijra devotee at Sion Koliwada.. to show my solidarity with Hope and Hindutva as a message of Peace and Humanity.