Mahamandaleshwar Acharya Lakshmi Narayan Tripathi is the head of the Kinnar (transgender) Akhada, the most recent Akhada to join the Juna Akhada for the shahi snan. She created history by leading hundreds of transgenders to take a dip in the holy Ganges on Makar Sankranti for the first time. This happened despite Akhil Bharatiya Akhara Parishad’s opposition.

According to Tripathi, it was a question of the acceptability of their existence, their rights, privileges and religious role in society accorded to them in Sanathan drama.

In this interview with Newslaundry, Tripathi speaks about the formation of Kinnar Akhada, the transgender rights bill and more.

It’s a historic moment for the Kinnar community in India. Your thoughts?

As per the Sanatan Dharma, Kinnars have a special place—the ancient sacred texts describe us as demigods. It was none other than Lord Ram who blessed the Kinnars on his return to Ayodhya for their devotion towards him. The situation was such that we were never part of the Akhara culture as Kinnars were considered sub-humans. We are the true followers of Sanatan Dharma. We are not beggars. We seek our right to religious freedom just like any other human being.

The recent Supreme Court judgment scrapping Section 377 has helped the Kinnar community. Your thoughts?

No one has the right and the power to intrude upon our religious freedom when the Constitution does not discriminate against us. The recent ruling of the Supreme Court gives us protection and more rights in society. Many members of the transgender community were living in fear or were shy. Now we feel empowered to speak up.

This has been a fight for existence…

I’m not fighting anyone. I’m asking for my rights, my place in the Hindu religion. We weren’t even considered humans. Bhrantiya (delusions) never ends. Things changed when we took a bath in the holy Ganges here at the Kumbh Mela. Please come to the Kumbh Mela, don’t just watch it on your television.

When did you first think of forming the Kinnar Akhara?

The idea was conceptualised in 2015. We asked for land from Mela authorities in 2016. We wanted to be a part of this great event. There was opposition. Many like Pankaj Dubey, Ashwani and several others came forward to help us. They call me mother and help our cause. There was opposition, there was politics, but we had the support of Juna Akhada and Hari Giri Maharaj-ji, who said Kinnar Akhara tha, hai, rahega (Hari Giri Maharaj-ji said Kinnar Akhada was, is and shall remain).

How did it feel when you took the holy dip in the Ganges?

In the Braham Murat, when I took the dip, maine atma se shingaar kiya (At pre-dawn, when I took a dip, my soul was ornate). It felt like a homecoming. Aisa laga jaise beti apne maike aaya hai pachaas saal bad. (I felt as if I’m a married daughter returning to her mother’s home after fifty years). The Supreme Court gave us the right. I’m the Acharya Mahamandaleshwar. Only five akharas were given 40 minutes to take a dip in the Ganges during the shahi snan, we were the fifth akhara. Mandir ke eet mandir me lag gayi (The brick that belonged to the temple has reached the temple). Kinnar were re-established in Sanathan drama.

It’s like a dream come true?

I grew up in Mumbai. I thought the people in northern India, particularly in Uttar Pradesh, are conservative. I was wrong. People wait for 5-6 hours to meet me, they come in large numbers to seek my blessings. How much more can you expect? We don’t force people to convert on a gunpoint, Hinduism is a very inclusive religion.

Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Bill has been tabled in Parliament. It’s a focused approach to provide and protect rights of the transgender community, also talks about the creation of institutions like the national and state commissions for transgenders and special courts. Your comments?

There are problems in the bill. There is no word about traditions and social set-up of Kinnars, like the guru-chela parampara (teacher-follower practice). We are not beggars, Sanathan dharma gives us certain rights. This bill has to approach the whole issue in the right cultural and traditional contexts. Then there’s the provision of a screening committee which is problematic.

Will more people come out and support for the cause of the third gender?

Our strength has been increasing but it’s not a number’s game. There’s no bar—money, status, class or caste—for a transgender person to join the Kinnar Akhada. To stay away from any controversy, we carry out background verification of the person joining the Akhada.