Eunuchs up in arms against alleged police excesses

Once upon a time, eunuchs ranked high in the pecking order of mighty empires by virtue of the trust they enjoyed as guardians of the ruler’s harem. Their close proximity to the shah, sultan, pharaoh, king or noble ensured their influence, which at times could exceed that of the highest dignitaries in court. But as absolute monarchs and their harems became scarce with the advent of the modern age, so the ancient order of harem keepers dwindled in numbers and importance.

The eunuchs in South Asia who are known as hijras never enjoyed the prestige and power of the great eunuchs of history, but they remain a noticeable presence in India and Pakistan. They eke a precarious existence from begging, singing and dancing. A few of them in India have ventured into politics in order to protect their rights.

The hijras of Pakistan hit the headlines a couple of days back, when the Punjab police raided a wedding party in Taxila on January 27 and arrested three hijras who were performing dances. The hijras claimed that the police robbed them of their mobile phones and jewellery, subjected them to torture and saddled them with false gambling charges.

More than 200 incensed eunuchs gathered outside the operations office of the Senior Superintendent of the Police in Rawalpindi to demonstrate against the police excesses. The eunuchs were led by President Bobby of the She-Male human rights organization. At first the eunuchs danced and clapped, much to the merriment of the bystanders and the police present on duty. Upon the arrival of the three cops who had arrested them, the demonstrators became violent and thrashed them, apart from throwing flowerpots at the windows of the police office. The eunuchs ended their demonstration only upon assurances by the provincial government that they grievances would be looked into. The three policemen accused of torturing and robbing the eunuchs have been suspended from duty pending an investigation.

This incident draws attention to a sub-culture that one would not ordinarily expect in Pakistan, which is reputed to be a fundamentalist country with no tolerance for deviant behavior. Yet the order of the hijras is an ancient one going back to the dawn of Indian history. Many people hire hijras on festive occasions, like the circumcision ceremony of a son, a birthday celebration or a wedding party. Hijras can be counted upon to bring mirth and merriment to these festivities, and their rhythmic dances and bawdy songs appeal to people of both sexes.

The apparent violation of Islamic traditions may be because hijras are reputed to bring good luck. Their prayers are reputed to command efficacy, so even the most intolerant person will hesitate to abuse or mock them. As a result, many people want to have them around at weddings, circumcisions and birthdays.

For those who are interested in seeing the hijras perform, one recommends the movie Bride and Prejudice, the Indian version of Jane Austen's novel Pride and Prejudice. One of its best and most hilarious dance and song sequences is enlivened by a brief though memorable performance by hijras.