Ajmer:

The transgender community of Ajmer has made meticulous preparations for the All India Kinnar Mahasammelan at a private school in Vaishali Nagar of the city as community members from different states have started arriving in the city. The maiden 10-day conference, inaugurated on Monday with the Khichdi Tulai ritual, will discuss the issues faced by third genders.

After crossing the gallery, a guest will hit the temple of goodness Bahuchara, considered the deity of the community, where the Kalash Puja has been performed. Several stalls including medical, banking, perfume and tour operators have been set up in the venue.

The conference is being organised in memory of Anita Bai, the mentor of Gaddipati Saloni Nayak of Ajmer's transgender community. The Guru-Shishya tradition has been going on in the transgender society from time immemorial and no one is being allowed to the conference without explicit permission of Nayak. For this purpose, founders have been deployed at the entry gates to check every guest.

A bigger pandal, specifically for the rituals of the community, has been set up 20 metres away from the temple. A giant LED for live streaming of the ritual has been set up.

About 2,000 community members attended the Panch ritual performed in the Khichdi Tulai festival on Monday where rice was weighed in a weighing scale.

"On Monday, after the ritual of Kalash Pujan, the Kalash was taken in front of the guests on their arrival, in which the guests put the amount of shagun according to their faith. After this, the ritual of Khichdi Tulai was performed in the evening. There will also be a ritual of Chak Pujan on February 19 in the Maha Sammelan. There will also be a procession by Kinnar Samaj," Nayak said.

"For this, rice is weighed in the presence of the Panchs along with lentils, sugar, dry fruits, ghee are given to the confectioner for the preparation of khichdi. After offering, all eunuchs collectively eat it as prasad. This ritual not only shows the community's faith in the goddess but also increases harmony. The dream of organising a Mahasammelan on such a large scale is being fulfilled," she said.

Deepika Bai, a disciple of Nayak, said according to the tradition of saints, the community collectively performs the Khichdi Tulai ritual, the first ritual of the conference. The purpose of this ritual is to collectively express the faith of the community to the goddess Bahuchara by offering the traditional khichdi.

Another community member, Neeta Bai, said there is an atmosphere of happiness and enthusiasm in the Mahasammelan. About 2,000 eunuchs have come from different states. Here all guests are being welcomed according to Rajasthani traditions, she said.

Sapna Bai, a member of Kinnar Akhara Parishad from Jaipur, said a large number of transgender have come from all over the country to attend the conference.

"This is the Maha Kumbh of the Kinnar community. The Akhara Parishad of the Kinnar community has also rendered great services in the Maha Kumbh. None other than Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath can organise and make arrangements for the Maha Kumbh. They cannot be praised enough. The religious-tourist city of Ajmer is a pilgrimage site for Hindus and Muslims. People involved in politics create a wedge between Hindus and Muslims. The Kinnar community does not believe in all this. Some people believe in Islam and Hindus in society, but everyone lives in harmony. Similarly, people of all religions live in harmony in the country and we wish for the progress of the country," she said.

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