Pongala offering is political act, too

Thiruvananthapuram: Transwoman Sreemayi,  gender minorities’ rights activist,  offered her first Attukal Pongala on Friday. The offering, according to her, was also a political  statement. "Transgender persons being part of the Pongala is similar to being part of a large public gathering, especially a religious gathering. It shows that we are not hesitant to reclaim our spot in such public spaces. It underscores the fact that we are also part of this society. That’s its significance. Imagine transgender persons being part of Hajj or any other community activity. This is similar to that," she said.

Recently,  she had undergone sex reassignment surgery. But she asked, "why should media highlight sex reassignment surgeries (SRS)? A transgender person's identity is not defined by surgeries. It is their choice whether or not they want to go under the knife." Since transgender is a gender identity, in which either a person born with a male body identifies with a woman (transwoman), or one born with a female body identifies with a man (transman), their SRS status is immaterial. However, even government officials, including the police, demand to know their SRS status, even as the Supreme Court’s  NALSA judgment has  given them the right to self-identification.

Her friends and transgender persons—Renju Renjimar, Vijayaraja Mallika, Vineeth Seema, Surya, Karthika, Kavya, Sreekutty, Miga and Vaishnavi—had also gathered under the ‘seelanthi’ tree (portia) at Chattambi Swamy junction near Kaithamukku to offer Pongala. The spot has been a favourite of TG people for several years now, according to Madhu Nair who lives nearby. “This is a peaceful space for them,” he said. When the rice or ‘payasam’ would come to a boil, the group of friends would ululate. Renju refers to Sreemayi as her granddaughter.

“There was a time when many of us were ousted from our families, and we had no one but members of this community. Some we consider as our daughters. The ones they consider as daughters would be our granddaughters. Sreemayi is Surya’s daughter while Surya calls me ‘amma’,” she said. After preparing the ‘payasam,’  Sreemayi rested looking radiant like people do on their birthdays. “I feel content,” she said.