Ravi Bharti
Ravi Bharti

Journey of the Jogappas

A  transformative experience was in store for the gathering on the second day of events at Raga Sudha Hall as a part of Urur Olcott Kuppam Vizha.

CHENNAI: A  transformative experience was in store for the gathering on the second day of events at Raga Sudha Hall as a part of Urur Olcott Kuppam Vizha. The evening saw the unravelling of a musical performance by the Jogappas, a group of transwomen from rural Karnataka devoted to the Goddess Yelamma, and a Paraiattam performance by Friends Kalai Kuzhu that drove the audience to the edge of their seats.


The Jogappas, a marginalised community from rural Belgavi district, first came into the limelight in 2016 after they performed along with TM Krishna at an event in Bengaluru. Since then, the community who spend their days singing paeans and bhajans in praise of Yelamma has become famous.

(Top) Jogappas and (above) Friends Kalai Kuzhu perform
(Top) Jogappas and (above) Friends Kalai Kuzhu perform

They identify themselves as transwomen (transgender people who are men at birth but whose identity is of women). The devotional songs they sang weren’t a far cry from the popular bhajans, which is surprising as they haven’t been given their due in society. 


Performing for an urban audience is relatively new to them, since they only did so at the Yelamma Devi temple in Saundatti. However, their devotional songs were catchy, as they had the audience singing along with them. Later, elaborating on the legend of Yelamma, they detailed the long history of the goddess who is also known by the names Renuka and Mathangi among the community.

In fact, they even traced the origin of their instruments — the choudki, a stringed instrument with an open wooden drum, the sutti, similar to an ektara, and taal, which are small cymbals — back to the creation of Yelamma’s legend. 


The evening also saw a percussion-fueled ‘aatam’ courtesy the rustic beats of the parai, by Friends Kalai Kuzhu. Parai was a popular part of dance, weddings, funerals, village sports and temple events. The dancers said that now they use parai attam as a way to spread social messages. Most of the performers were salaried employees and students pursuing this passionately.

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The New Indian Express
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