Transgender activists often shunned by society say they have found rare acceptance at India's Hindu Kumbh Mela festival by giving blessings to pilgrims attending the world's largest religious gathering. Among the many millions who have attended the six-week-long Hindu celebration of prayer and bathing held every 12 years is a unique "akhada" -- or religious order -- a camp of transgender individuals.
Surveying crowds from her lion throne, Vaishnavi Jagadamba Nand Giri showers blessings on pilgrims standing in long queues to her colourful tent. South Asia has a long history of people designated as male at birth but who identify as female -- known as kinnar or hijra. In India's last census in , more than , people were members of the third gender. India recognised a third gender in , but members still face severe discrimination. The festival in the northern Indian city of Prayagraj, which ends Wednesday, is a sea of humanity.
Enthusiastic officials say that more than million Hindu devotees have attended -- numbers impossible to verify independently. That includes naked naga sadhus, wandering monks who walked for weeks from the remote mountains and forests where they are usually devoted to meditation. Traditionally, Hinduism had only 13 religious akhada groups which only included men.
The transgender Kinnar Akhada changed that when they were accepted as the 14th member in Hindus believe that those who immerse themselves in the river waters at the Kumbh Mela cleanse themselves of sin, breaking free from the cycle of rebirth and ultimately attaining salvation.
After bathing, pilgrims come to the camps of religious orders seeking blessings. Jeff looks like a "fully sentient Furby. Henry Jurek, III, 47, attempted to cause injuries to a victim by slamming their head into a cement ground at […]. India's Kumbh Mela festival wraps up Wednesday, with final ritual river bathing ceremonies ending six weeks of celebration that organisers say have been attended by hundreds of millions of devotees.
