THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: In a first for the state’s transgender (TG) community, one of the TGs, who underwent the Sex Reassignment Surgery (SRS), will be formally initiated into womanhood. Sreekutty from Poojappura here will become the first transgender to be initiated into womanhood through ‘Jalsa’ on Monday. As per the belief among transgenders, a person transforms into a different gender only after ‘Jalsa’, the traditional pooja, which they consider a ritual for a new birth.
Though upto 50 transgenders in the state underwent the SRS, all of them had gone through the initiation ritual held in the other states. Jalsa holds a huge significance for the TGs since according to them if the ritual which initiates them into a new being is not performed, they will still be considered as transgenders.
Sreekutty, who is also Sexual and Gender Minority Federation state president, told Express it is the first time such a ritual will be held in the state. ‘’We want to show the other members who undergo SRS such a ritual can indeed be held here also and there is absolutely no need to go to the other states for performing it,’’ she said.
According to Sreekutty, she wants to live as a woman and hopes to get a good job or set up her own business. Noting the society was yet to accept transgenders, she said, ‘’I gave up college soon after enrolling for the BCom course in MG College. It was due to sexual harassment I was forced to drop out. Later, I pursued Hotel Management and worked in Dubai for about five years. But there too, I encountered the same situation.’’
Guru Lakshmi Selin, who is considered an influential leader of transgenders in Delhi, will perform the rituals on October 30 night. On the initiation tradition, Selin said, “This ritual is mandatory for transgenders. Through the ritual, the person is being transformed into another being. In the case of transformation into womanhood, it is a ritual which is performed on the lines of girls coming-of-age rites.’’
The ritual is held on the 40th day after SRS. During the entire period, the person remains indoors and is not allowed to venture outside. They are provided special food and taken good care of. On the 40th day, they are clad in a silk saree, applied mehendi and decked with ornaments. The pooja is performed before the deity of Bahuchraj Mata. All the functions start at 8 pm . The main initiation pooja is held at 4 am the following morning (Tuesday). After the pooja, a pot of milk is placed on the head of the person and taken to the beach. At the beach, the milk pot is dropped into the ocean, which completes the ritual. All these have to be performed before daybreak and following this the initiation into womanhood becomes complete, said Selin.
