Pavaiya - Sexless devoutees of Goddess Bahuchara Mata

Pavaiya's are Hindu transgender community residing in Western Indian state of Gujarat. This films explores the connections between the Pavaiya and their unduanting belief in the worship of thier Mother Goddess Bhauchara in a small town located about 120 Kms from Ahemadabad. This film captures the significance of their beliefs on the Mother Goddess and its impact on the members of Pavaiya community members in their everyday day. This film was made in 1993 as NID student project.

[@rajarangila848]

Excellent documentary

[@lauraserra5048]

Good report, congratulations. I would like it to last two, three hours at least. There's a lot more to be known and, unfortunately, rather scarce information available in English. I couldn't find a single movie about Bahuchara Mata with English subtitles.
There's an astonishing resemblance of the core of this worship with the essence and practice of several transvestite priests since thousands of years ago, in ancient Sumer (the gala priests for Goddess Inanna), in Babylon (the kugarru priests for Goddess Ishtar), among the western semites (for Goddess Astarte), in ancient Syria (for Goddess Atargatis), in ancient Phrygia, Lydia and, from there, to all the Roman Empire, from the mentioned Phrygia to Iberia (the galli priests for Goddess Cybele), in ancient Ephesus, at the temple of Goddess Artemis (one of the so-called Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, with transvestite priests), in Lagina's temple of Goddess Hecate (the semnotatoi priests), in ancient Scythia (the Enaree, probably for Goddess Argimpasa), even perhaps in Scandinavia, for Goddess Freya (the northern Venus, to Whom Friday is dedicated, hence the name, Fri day).
What's said in 4:34 in particular, that a Pavaiya 'has offered to wear the sari in the name of the Goddess Bahuchara' is amazingly similar to what ancient priests in the Middle East and in even in the West were doing towards their own Goddesses - and it is also amazingly similar to what today's western sissies do toward their own 'mistresses', usually paid professionals to 'force' or 'persuade' those sissies to dress like women (yes, some males pay to some women so these women act as if they were taking the initiative of feminizing those males, and then those males feel like doing it as an act of service to these women).
Now, do all the Pavaiyas feel like this towards Bahuchara Mata?
Are there any permanent priestesses at the temple?

[@Sukhibaba]

Thank you for your appreciation & insightful information about universal practices among the transgender communities.
Yes, ritual of initiation of novice into the community after they adorn a scarf ( duppatta vidhi) among Isamic devoutees or a skirt ( gagra vidhi) for Hindu devoutees refered to as Pavaiyas/Fatadas.

[@Sukhibaba]

Mostly the Hindu transgender members from all over India visit and pray to Goddess Bahuchara Mata. Th cult of worshipping Bahuchara Mata is integral to their beliefs and can be seen in their daily lives too.
In South India te Hindu transgender community members worship Aravanan ( the artist son of Arjuna, a less known character from the epic Mahabarath).

[@Sukhibaba]

About the priestess I have not studied that aspect. But have seen elderly transgender gurus in Kovagam near Villupuram in Tamil Nadu, South India & in Udaipur Rajasthan Western India.

[@sissyprincessmaryamaryllis1344]

It would be interesting to see the meet with transgender women from other cultures an see what they thought of them.

[@Sukhibaba]

Absolutely agree, they are treasure of knowledge and wisdom!

[@sissyprincessmaryamaryllis1344]

I am a transgender woman from the United States. It weird because my ancestors from Europe are the ones that caused so much grief for transgender people and 3rd gender people around the world. Yet I am transgender woman. I am glad that there is at least one Goddess in any belief that looks out for people like me.

[@lauraserra5048]

Today, it is the people of Europe and North America that protects the rights of transgender people the most. In the ancient past of Europe, there were Goddesses and cults like this being practiced, such as those of Cybele, Artemis and Hecate, possibly Argimpasa (Scythian) and Freya (Scandinavia).

[@andymini13]

The term "cult" used doesn't suit this context

[@Sukhibaba]

Yes, I agree. They should be referred as Community.

[@Sukhibaba]

Yes, agreed. Community would more appropriate I think.

[@bobbyrice2205]

How Ironic it is that they are Devotee of a Goddess of Chastity and fertility, because typically Pavaya are neither Chaste nor fertile. They are known to be sex- worker, and they are unable to become pregnant.

[@nishikokazuko]

She is not only goddess of chastity and fertility but also eunuchs...read properly