It was 7am today morning and I was on the train towards Chennai Central. The train had just crossed Perambur and already people were taking their bags out and rushing towards the door. I found a place next to the window and was looking at barracks outside. Suddenly, I hear a hoarse voice. 2 women (ahh, no men, ahh neither), actually eunuchs dressed in a silk saree with a layer of talcum powder over their faces came up to me and said “Thambi, nee nalla irukkanum, aadi masam koilukku porom, konjam kasu tha (Brother, you must live happily, we are going to the temple on account of the auspicious month “Aadi”, please give us some money)”.

I hesitated, actually just tried to ignore them. They had atlest Rs. 1000 in their hands and a bank cashier should learn from them as to how neatly they had sorted the notes. They kept on pestering me and this went for 2 minutes. I decided to give them Rs. 10, and reached up to my wallet only to find that I had a twenty ruppee note, so pulled back. They stopped, took my wallet, asked me the Rs. 20 and returned Rs. 10 and wished me all the luck and went away. Now, what do you call that? All I could was sympathize.

The Eunuchs that you find all over India speak Tamil and it is quite sad that they aren’t even considered an entity. If I’m right, they can’t claim any benefits, no jobs, no reservations, nothing at all. In Chennai I think their population is restricted to the Northern parts of the city. In the month of Aadi, I think they all get together in a village temple in Tamilnadu and celebrate.