Third Gender in Ancient India Historical Inquiry

Abstract

Third gender/Transgender identities that express gender fluidity as a way of life newlinequestion our most basic assumptions of gender and sexuality. There are various transidentities newlinein India- Hijra, Aravani, Jogappa, Shivashakti, Kinnar, and Sakhi-Bekhi newlineamong others. Each of these identities is both temporally and spatially specific. It has newlinebeen claimed that, Third Gender have got a strong historical presence in the Hindu newlinemythology and concept of tritiya prakrti or napumsaka has been an integral part of newlineancient literatures. With the advent of modernity, the binarism of gender also newlinepervaded the Indian society. The derogatory law imposed by British rulers helped in newlinedeclining of third gender identity newline