10 hours ago
A monumental anthology on Indian transgenders
Dr. Dipak Giri, author and editor from West Bengal, is an acclaimed name in the field of academic writing. He has edited many scholarly books which have earned him global fame and recognition. 'Transgender in Indian Context: Rights and Activism' is one such invaluable book that has flowed from his pen. Published by AABS Publishing House, Kolkata, the book is curated with twenty well-explored articles. Prof. Goutam Ghosai, Dept. of English, Visva-Bharati, Santiniketan, has rightly opined in the foreword:
'There was a time when the transsexuals were regarded as abominable beings in most feminist and gay or lesbian discourses. Today, there is arising a growing need in the transsexual people, as they have acquired the more sophisticated name transgender, to articulate new subjectivisation of the self that truly expresses the reality of transgender crises. In this context, Giri's book, which is a collection of essays by expert hands, will be quite useful both as a humanitarian statement demanding serious attention in society and also as a reference text in the humanities departments' (8).
The articles in the book are introduced beautifully by Dr. Giri in his 'Introduction.' He defines the term 'Transgender' thoroughly, explaining how they are differently named across countries and cultures. Dr. Giri portrays the grim reality of transgender lives in India:
'In present India, transgenders are subject to daily abuse and humiliation. The lot of most transgenders in India is begging. Along with begging, many are also forced to involve into the practice of prostitution… HIV and other diseases are an ordeal among them. Abandoned by sickness and oldness, they are forced to addiction of liquor and drugs and even sometimes to commit suicide' (15).
Some of the articles in this anthology explore the difficult lives and experiences of transpersons in India through their autobiographies and biographies, such as A. Revathi's 'Truth about Me: A Hijra Life Story', Laxmi Narayan Tripathi's 'Red Lipstick: The Men in My Life', Manobi Bandyopadhyay's 'A Gift of Goddess Lakshmi', and Living Smile Vidya's 'I am Vidya: A Transgender's Journey', to name a few.
Other articles analyze the depiction of transgender issues in mainstream Indian literature, including novels and plays like Devdutt Pattanaik's 'The Pregnant King', Kavita Sinha's 'Pourush', Arundhati Roy's 'The Ministry of Utmost Happiness', and Mahesh Dattani's renowned play 'Seven Steps around the Fire'.
The book also discusses Indian trans cinema such as Ranjith Sankar's 'Njan Marykutty', Rituparno Ghosh's 'Chitrangada', and Santhosh Sowparnika's 'Ardhanari'. In addition, it brings to light the transgender community's role and identity in ancient Hindu mythology, their educational and socio-economic challenges, and their current constitutional rights.
In a word, this anthology is a gem in the field of transgender studies in the Indian context and is highly recommended as a reference book for libraries of colleges and universities in India and abroad.
(Prof. Dr. K. V. Dominic is an eminent Indian poet, short story writer, editor, and critic, writing in English.)
