"When world rejected, religion took us": Odisha transgenders perform Durga Aarti in Bhubaneswar

Bhubaneswar (Odisha) [India], October 20 (ANI): Members of the transgender community in Bhubaneswar on Friday performed Durga Aarti following traditional rituals to celebrate Navratri.

Earlier on the first day of Navratri, the community took out a 'kalash yatra', led by All Odisha Kinnar Mahasangh president Meera Parida, to celebrate the nine-day festival.

Extending her wishes on the occasion of Navratri, Parida said that the transgender community pray for peace in the country.
"This puja is very special for us. When the world and our families rejected us, religion took us in...We tried to follow all the rituals. We have been offering prayers here for 15 years now," Meera Parida said.
"I wish everyone on the occasion of Navratri and pray for peace and harmony in the country," Parida added.
Meanwhile, in Kolkata, members of the transgender community were seen decorating a Durga Puja pandal in the heritage tram 'Chaitali' in the Dharmatala Tram Depot.
"For the first time, it is happening. We are doing it in the Kolkata Esplanade Tram Depot," one of the organizers from the Puja committee said.
One of the members of the transgender community who was decorating the pandal said that their struggle is for acceptance and they need empathy and not sympathy.
"We want acceptance. Our struggle is for acceptance...We need empathy, not sympathy...Durga Maa stays amongst everyone. Durga Maa is very much symbolic," Sayantani Ghosh said speaking to ANI.
Incidentally, on Tuesday, the Supreme Court refused to recognise the right of same-sex couples to enter into marriages or have civil unions and left it to the Parliament to decide the issue.
With excitement in the air, the nine-day Sharad Navratri celebrations started on October 15 and numerous customs are observed around the country during this period.
The 9-day-long festival of Shardiya Navratri is intended for worshipping Maa Durga and her nine avatars, known as Navdurga. Navratri means 'nine nights' in Sanskrit. Hindus observe a total of four Navratris throughout the year.
From Ashwin Shukla Paksha's Navami until the Pratipada, Shardiya Navratri is observed. While it is celebrated with great fanfare across the nation, distinct traditions are more commonly practised in different states.
In India, Navratri is celebrated in a wide range of ways. Ram Leela, a celebration in which scenes from the Ramayana are performed, is organised in various parts of the country. The burning of King Ravana's effigies marks the story's conclusion on Vijayadashami. (ANI)