Indian mythology always fascinates readers with its extraordinary themes and spellbound stories. When questioned the identities of gender; besides male and female; the queer, agender, gender fluid, cisgender, bi-gender, transgender, non-binary, so many and so forth crowd around the gender identities. Removal of the transgender or gender nonconformity identity from the mental illness category by WHO1 from the Global Manual of Diagnoses and the application of section 377 in India are the symbols of merging ‘the complex’ identities into ‘the normal’. The basic struggles, fights for the rights as humans, pride walks in the pride months, most of the times unacceptable existence of these genders are heating the talks, conversations, debates and discussions from the threshold to the parliament. The very fact cannot be ignored that while I am writing these lines, there are many red lines under these terms as they are non-existing terms in the dictionary, which indicates the long way to go for the struggles to normalize these identities. Thus, in such heated times, when looked back, the mythology, especially Indian mythology portrays a drastically different and quite interesting picture.
The quest of the narratives on third-gender identity can begin with the Ardhnarinateshwar Avatar of Lord Shiva and Maa Parvati. The understanding behind the formation of this half male and half female embodiment is that both the genders complement and complete each other. Thus, there resides a man in a woman and a woman in a man. Similar to this is Vaikuntha-Kamalaja, a composite androgynous form of the Lord Vishnu and Goddess Lakshmi. Vaikuntha-Kamalaja is a rare form, mostly restricted to Nepal and the Kashmir region of India.
Mahabharta, one of the greatest Indian epics, consists of interesting stories of third genders. After completion of 12 years of exile in the forest, they had to lead the last year in the incognito exile serving at King Virata's Matsya Kingdom. To hide the original identity, Arjuna disguises as a eunuch named Brihannala, who taught song and dance to the princess Uttarā. According to the story, Apsara, the most gorgeous Indra’s Angel curses Arjuna to become a eunuch as he rejects her love.
Another character from Mahabharta that symbolizes third-gender is Shikhandi. Princess Amba, to avenge her humiliation, had to take birth as a transgender to kill Bhishma who was undefeatable by any male or female on the earth.
The most fascinating story of the god sheltering in the form of third-gender is that of Mohini. Bhasmasura wins a blessing from Lord Shiva that he may turn anyone into ashes just by placing his hand on the head of the next person. Lord Shiva puts a condition of not misusing the blessing, yet, being able to kill anyone, Bhasmasura goes blind with power and starts pursuing even gods to place his hand on their heads and kill. All gods under the fear of turning into ash by Bhasmasura goes to seek shelter at Lord Vishnu. As Bhasmasura would not be killed by any god or goddess or human, Lord Vishnu disguises as woman, Mohini, who actually is Lord Vishnu in disguise. Bhasmasura mesmerized by her charm, while mimicking her dance steps, places his hand on his own head and turns it into ash. There is a dance form famous in India named Mohini Attam, inspired by the same story.
There are more such citations those can be traced back even in history. All these fascinating stories from Indian mythology manifest interesting roles of gender-queer.
Major References:
1: https://www.who.int/classifications/classification-of-diseases
2. https://www.hrw.org/news/2019/05/27/new-health-guidelines-propel-transgender-rights#
Dr. Vidya Nagre
vidya.nagre@adypu.edu.in
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