Takeshi Ishikawa: HIJRAS – The Third Gender of India

Japanese photographer Takeshi Ishikawa indian works,third gender of india.

THIS STORY CONTAINS EXPLICIT CONTENT

In Indian society, it is said that when a hermaphrodite baby is born in an Indian family, Hijras come to the house to receive the child and the baby is brought up as a Hijra. Though it may be probable that such cases existed, it is now no more than a legend. Most become Hijras through castration. Whenever I asked a Hijra, “What is Hijra?” they answered, “We are neither female nor male, but Hijra is Hijra.” Yes, this answer explains everything about them.

This understanding means the transcending of genders, to recognize the special gender, which is not categorized as female nor male but as the third gender, and to exist as the third gender. They wear female costumes when they engage in traditional works, and they enjoy this transvestism cordially. They wear their hear long, various accessories and elaborated make-up. Their passion to become beautiful seems to be stronger than that of women.

 

Takeshi_Ishikawa_HIJRASPokaraji is standing on the front of the blue wall in a bathroom. The bulges on her breast are not made of silicon. If castrated before around 13 years old,  Hijra’s breast expands without any artificual work @ Takeshi Ishikawa

 

When I asked why some had become Hijras, I received the following answers: “Though I was born as a man, I felt a feeling of wrongness or of uneasiness in being a man”; “I could not cope with the masculine role which the society requires of me”; “I could not feel that I was a man because my masculine genital is too small and impotent”. Hijras express a facet of the world peculiar to India, which is very different from the West and Japan, where the dualism concept divides genders into male or female. Hindu tantric belief maintains that the hermaphrodite is the complete gender, comprising both male and female principles.
Photography

 

 

Related Posts

Marlous Van Der Sloot: Le Corps Vecu

Netherlands – In modern society we often forget that ‘the physical’ is also a source of information. Because of rationalization, ...

Colin Pantall on Melinda Gibson’s Miss Titus Becomes a Regular Army Mac

United Kingdom – Melinda Gibson’s new book, Miss Titus Becomes a Regular Army Mac is a book about a collection ...

Scoffing Pig : Nozomi Iijima

Japan –  I grew up as a farmer’s daughter. My home was sandwiched between a pigpen and a farmhouse and ...

Koji Takiguchi: “Sou” – Celebration of Death in the Family

Japan –  Published by Little Big Man Books, Japan, Photography feature – Koji Takiguchi‘s images document his wife and her ...

Matjaz Krivic: “Tribe – Somewhere under the Rainbow”

Slovenia –   The Rainbow gathering … is that where you live embraced by nature under the blue sky, surrounded ...

Jen Juul Gomma Books

Celebrating Black and White Photography with Gomma Books

MONO Trilogy is about celebrating that beautiful and timeless art medium that is black & white photography. It represents an ...

Robert Zhao Renhui: Singapore 1925-2025

Singapore –  The Land Archive chronicles the significant changes in Singapore’s natural and urban landscape that have occurred over a ...

Robin Hammond : Condemned

New Zealand – Condemned: Mental Health in African Countries in Crisis by Robin Hammond presents a profound body of work ...

Colin Pantall on Paul Gaffney’s We Make the Path by Walking

Ireland – Paul Gaffney sent me his lovely book, We Make the Path by Walking. It’s a gorgeous book that creates a ...