In Hijraporti

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Text and photographs by : G M B Akash

Amidst the hustle, bustle and throngs of 1.3 million people in the Bangladeshi port city of Narayangonj, a visitor can spot a fairly uncommon sight: a noticeably manly figure, shrouded in a sari. He is one of the roughly 150 hijras who live in a slum area known locally as Hijraporti (hijra place). There are four groups of hijras who live in this area, each of which is made up of around 30 individuals.

Hijras, or the ‘third gender’, can be hermaphrodites, castrated or cross-dressing males. They are generally not born into hijra communities. Rather, it is the deeply entrenched social stigma attached to being a hijra that eventually forces them to leave their family homes, and to join a group of fellow hijras. Each of these groups has a leader, often called ‘mother’ or ‘guru’, and members do not undertake any activity, however small – such as trimming hair – without the permission of this individual. Failure to attain such consent results in a fine of up to BDT 5000 (USD 74).

In their homes, hijras live in a notably colourful manner. Their houses are almost always well organised and elaborately decorated, and the same holds true for their garments and ornaments. Since hijras believe themselves to be women, they wear saris, earrings and nose rings, and padded bras, and generally keep their hair very long. But their voices and facial features are distinctly masculine – characteristics they continually attempt to eliminate.

The main source of income for a hijra is dancing and singing at public ceremonies, particularly weddings and the celebration of newborns. (Paradoxically, while they occupy an ostracized position in society, hijras have traditionally been sought out to pray for the well-being of a newborn or a newlywed couple.) Other than from families too poor to do so, the payments for these services allow a hijra to survive on attendance of around three ceremonies a week. When in dire need of money, though, they are often forced to solicit shops, promising blessings upon those who make a donation. Some members of the hijra community also go into sex work.

Due to their socially prescribed roles as performers and spiritual healers, many assume that hijra communities live relatively happy-go-lucky lives. The reality, however, is starkly different. Societies throughout Southasia, including in Bangladesh, generally continue to see a hijra as an abomination. As such, hijras are shunned and often made the butt of jokes and public insults.

At one point during my time with the hijras of Narayangonj, they sang me a song about their painful lives. One particularly arresting line went, “The creator has strangled me with his own hands.” Many of them talk of a common dream, of an independent community – one free from constraint, ridicule and the everyday ‘strangling’ that hijras continually feel. You know, if we had a great deal of money, was a regular refrain, we would buy a four-story building. Then, all hijras like us would live there. Still better would be if Southasia’s hijras could live wherever they pleased – an integrated community, rather than one forced apart.