1. Cheryl Aupperle Karen Ayouch Christie Brower Teresa Gage Neither Man nor Woman The Hijras of India Serena Nanda

2. Ethnography of India’s 3rd gender • Indian culture accommodates gender variations • Neither man nor woman

3. How did the hijra tradition begin? • Eunichs blessed by Ram • Power flows from Bahuchara Mata

4. What is a hijra? • 3rd gender • Born hermaphrodite • Impotent male • Emasculated male • Barren female • Spiritual calling

5. What is their society like? • Naik • Council • Guru • Chela • Recruits

6. What spiritual functions do they do? • Bless babies • Bless weddings • Beg

8. What do they do for a living? • Prostituting • Begging • Performing rituals

9. What is their life like? • Stages of life follow traditional Indian culture • Student • Householder • Forrest Dweller • Ascetic (elder)

10. Photograph sources: • http://www.ars-rhetorica.net/Queen/Volume11/Hijras/ • http://www.columbia.edu/~blw2102/ • http://www.rosenblatt-sf.com/SelPhotos_17_North_India.htm • http://www.kamat.com/kalranga/weddings/2720.htm • http://www.thewe.cc/contents/more/archive/aruvani.html • http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eunuch-hijra 10

11. Break into groups: • Females – inside wall • Hijra – middle of the room • Males – windows