Simhastha Kumbh: Kinnars, the pariah of society get solace here

Ujjain: Despite all rhetoric about the gender equality, the transgenders are still treated as pariah in the so-called modern society. If it is a fact, the contrary to this is being witnessed at Ujjain, the venue of Simhastha Kumbh, arguably one of the largest religious congregations.

Apart from various Akharas, camps of weird sadhus, saints, nagas and hatyogis, thousands of devotees are seen queued up to take blessings of these trasngenders at 'Kinnar Akhara' which has become the Centre of attraction at the ongoing Hindu congregation at the banks of Kshipra river, one of the most revered rivers in Hindu mythology.

The Kinnars, also called as the third gender or eunuchs,are known to be the incarnation of Lord Shiva’s Ardhnareeshwar form across the nation, have made their own Akhara. According to hindu faith,there are 13 akharas have been given religious sanction but the Kinnars have set up their own Akhara though without recognition. Nonetheless, their presence in Simhastha Kumbh has lent new stream of faith and devotees used to make it a point to visit 'Kinnar Akhara' in order to wash away their sins as the legends go.

In fact, the 'Kinnar Akhara' was formed six months ago and they chose the occasion to coronate Lakshami Narayan Tripathi as its Mahamandleshwar. People drawn from different parts of the country and abroad can be seen standing in queue at this Akhara to get blessings from the transgenders.

“We are not here to fight with anyone or to show that we can also walk parallel to them. This is just a way to call Kinnars to return to their home i.e Hinduism,” Rishi Ajay Das,the patron of the Akhara, told newztrack.com. Adding,''we wish to exhort Kinnars to come back to Hinduism irrespective of the fact that they had embraced other religion due to different reasons.''

Another Kinnar Nupoor said it was nice to see that how the community was accepted and recognised at this religious gathering. '' We have always been isolated in the society but the Simhastha has strengthened our faith in humanity and religion,'' Nupoor adds.