The case of the Jogappas

Ten years ago, the Supreme Court recognized transgender as a third gender beyond the binary gender divide between man and woman. National Legal Services Authority vs. Union of India in April 2014, the court upheld the fundamental rights of transgender people.

Nevertheless, the term “transgender” remains a labyrinth of definitions in the Indian context.

Due to its Eurocentric nature – shaped by a Western concept of gender – the word “transgender” does not fully capture the nonbinary gender identities and subcultures in the Indian context. There is no clear consensus on who is considered “transgender” or “third gender” in India.

The term is often mistakenly understood as an English translation of gender-incongruent identities such as “hijras,” “kinnars,” and others, without questioning its conceptual baggage. The universalization of transgender as an “umbrella term” tends to subsume non-Western and previously colonized discourses.

Western-dominated research and practices have often been criticized as reductionist, particularly when it comes to Indian gender identities. This can lead to the imposition of a sense of transnormativity, whereby certain transgender identities are recognized and included in the transnational gender discourses and others are left out.

Here, exploring the sexual and gender identity of the Jogappas challenges notions shaped by prevailing Western ideas. The Jogappas of northern Karnataka – and parts of Andhra Pradesh – claim a higher status than any male, female or gender-diverse community because of their mythical connection with the divine.

The uniqueness of the Jogappas lies at the intersection of gender nonconformity and religious sanctity and contradicts Western analyses of transsexual identities based on psychological and medical characteristics.

Identity and Religion

The Jogappas are biologically born males but identify as females and claim to have been chosen by the goddess Yellamma in her dreams as her daughters. A Jogappa named Chandappa told us: “Mata [goddess Yellamma] took my body when I was a child. She caught me. I am a woman now because Mata lives in me. She is the greatest woman of all. She is a goddess and now she has made me a part of her.”

The expression being “captured” by the Goddess is derived from the Jogappas' description of being bound by the Goddess and having no choice and control against her will. They also believe that once the Goddess has “captured” a person, that person has no choice but to overcome their biologically assigned gender.

The Jogappas' state of powerlessness before the Divine thus sanctifies their gender transition. This sanctification of gender transition is unique to the Jogappa identity, something that is otherwise unavailable to other gender nonconforming identities in the Western context.

We learnt that young boys who showed physical signs of being possessed by Yellamaa and especially saw the goddess in their dreams were dedicated to the goddess by their families. The dedication of the child to Yellamma is believed to ensure the well-being of the child and his family. It is also believed to solve their domestic and financial problems and in some cases, raise the social status of the family.

The Jogappas are proud of their identity and claim descent from the emasculated sons of Renuka/Yellamma who bravely chose to face their father's wrath rather than commit matricide. One of the many versions of folklore says that sage Jamadagni ordered four of Yellamma's sons to behead her, but they refused and were cursed to lose their manhood.

The Jogappas claim auspiciousness due to their unique right to serve the Goddess and perform priestly rituals – which brings them sanctity and respect.

Locals around the Yellamma Temple near Saundatti in Karnataka often seek the blessings of the Jogappas to cure illness, misfortune and fertility. Being “auspicious” brings respect to traditional transgender communities in India that is not otherwise enjoyed by transgender communities in the West. Being “possessed” by the goddess provides the opportunity for a socially accepted sex change procedure.

The religious connection with Yellamma is constant in all aspects of the Jogappas' lives – sanctification is crucial to their gender identity. While the Jogappas consider their identity fusion with the Goddess to be “sacred,” they reject all sexual practices as “profane.” The Jogappas describe themselves as renouncing grihastha or natal families and adopting sannyasa – albeit a non-Brahminical one – forbidding sexual practices and physical desires.

The study of Jogappa identity offers an opportunity to revisit the binary category of “sacred” and “profane” proposed by sociologist Emile Durkheim to understand the influence of religion on identity formation. The concepts of “sacredness” or “profanity” imply a form of meaning-making that is embedded in socio-cultural symbolism and associated rites.

The asceticism of the Jogappas is not determined by physiology alone, but also by their pride, which arises from the triad of spiritual attachment, innate detachment, and abstinence from physical desire. It is therefore the tension between pride in the sacred and prejudice against sexual impurity, which arises from their attachment to the divine, that creates a peculiar identity that cannot be fully understood with a Western understanding of transgenderism.

Gender nonconformity in the Indian context lies at the intersection of sexuality, religion, spirituality, class, caste, regional identities and other aspects that cannot be compressed into a single umbrella term.

Transgender identities and practices challenge the socially accepted concept of gender binary.

But the case of the Jogappas shows that caution and cultural sensitivity are needed when examining non-Western societies and deciphering the meaning and importance of the term “transgender.”

The Jogappas provide a particular context in which religious sanction underscores their connection to identity formation and also contextualizes their uniqueness within gender nonconforming identities.

A meaningful understanding of reality (a worldview) and behavior (an ethos) is embedded in religious symbolism among the Joggapas. The belief system, rituals and practices of the Joggapas not only shape their self-understanding, but also give the observer an insight into Joggapas as a special transgender identity.

On the tenth anniversary of the Supreme Court's ruling, the value of particularistic experiences, expressions and identifications should be emphasized more strongly as an alternative to the universalization of nonbinary gender expressions.

Swarupa Deb teaches contemporary transgender and non-binary discourses at NLSIU, Bengaluru. Aniket Nandan is a sociologist and assistant professor at NLSIU, Bengaluru. They can be contacted via email at [email protected] And [email protected]