Transgenders revive tradition of Pind Daan for eunuch ancestors in Kashi

VARANASI: Pishachmochan, also known as Vimal Tirth in this city of salvation, marked the revival of the tradition of offering Pind-Daan and Shradh to the Gurus and Mai (eunuch) by the transgenders of Kinnar Akhada on the occasion of Matri Navami during the ongoing Pitripaksha on Saturday.
Founder patron of Kinnar Akhada Rishi Ajay Das and Acharya Mahamandaleshwar Laxmi Narayan Tripathi say this tradition of Pind-Daan has been restarted by transgenders after a gap of almost a millennium.Following the establishment of Kinnar Akhada at the recent Ujjain Kumbh, it was the second major step by transgenders who embraced Sanatan/Hinduism.
Giving acceptance to this move of transgenders, the pandits of Kashi enabled them, led by Laxmi, to perform ‘Tripindi Shradh’ for the peace of the souls of those eunuchs for whom no rituals could be performed after their demise during the past 1000 years.

“In my heart, I am feeling relieved after performing Pind-Daan for our Gurus and Mai. But I will be satisfied only after society gives us our rights to live a dignified life,” felt a relaxed Laxmi after completing the rituals of Pind-Daan with seven of her companions.
Pishachmocahn’s senior Panda (priest) Munnulal Pandey, along with Swami Jitendranand of Ganga Mahasabha, assisted Kinnar Akhada to hold this event by engaging a team of 21 brahmans under Acharya Anup Sharma. With the beginning of the rituals of Pind-Daan on a covered platform, heavy showers started. But that didn’t deter anyone as the event was witnessed by hundreds of people from across the country.
Pandey said, “We have read in the holy books and also heard from the elders that Kinnars had a respectful position in our religion and also in society during the reign of Lord Ram and Lord Krishna. Despite them being treated like demigods, they lost their respectable position in society in the medieval period. When we learnt that Kinnars wanted to perform the rituals of Pind-Daan, we decided to welcome the move.”