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What is Hijra? — My First Encounter with Hijras
I went to North India a few of years ago. It was my second visit to Rajasthan, which translates as “Land of the Kings,” and was a pleasant one. The region lived up to its moniker, as it was regarded as exotic both by the locals and by visitors from other countries.
When I was in Jodhpur, Rajasthan, I stayed with a local businessman and his wife, who were wonderful hosts. My host had a personal connection to one of my colleagues at the company I worked with. Despite the fact that I was a friend’s friend, I was welcomed with open arms and generous hospitality. My hosts considered me to be the cultural representative of Japan, which they considered to be a developed country. It wouldn’t be inaccurate to say that I received VIP treatment!
The entire time I spent in Jodhpur was one that I will never forget. It has a population of 1.5 million people, making it comparable to a large city, but it is more like a spacious rural town in the middle of the desert. The palatial houses in the city are constructed of sandstone (known as “Jodhpur Stone”) and have marble flooring. The temperatures fluctuate between extremes: they can reach temperatures of more than 50 degrees Celsius in the middle of summer and drop below 20 degrees Celsius in November, the month in which I traveled.
A cousin of my host’s took me on a sightseeing tour one day. Towards the front of one of the palaces, I came across an entourage of enormous, well-built women, dressed in sarees and ornaments that were far more elaborate than those worn by ordinary women. The women were giggling and chatting in raucous tones, all the while clapping and dancing around the dance floor. These ladies, in contrast to the shy and modest Indian women, were boisterous. A small group of people, mostly men, had gathered to take in the spectacle from a distance.
From my previous travels in South India, I was familiar with the women in question. They are Hijras, a clan unto themselves, shunned by society…. They weren’t even women, to be honest. The Hijras were males who…
