Morari Bapu’s Ram katha makes space for transgenders

Renowned guru Morari Bapu’s popular week-long Manas Ram Katha was special this week. The katha that started last Saturday in Thane, is dedicated to the transgender community.

Called Manas Kinnar Ram Katha, this is the first time this community has been included in a spiritual milieu.

Laxmi Narayan Tripathi, the popular Thane-based transgender activist, present at the Katha says, “No spiritual or religious leader in the world has ever done this kind of a community event for us and for that, I’m grateful to him.” The community lauds the non-judgemental attitude that Morari Bapu has; relating everything strictly from the religious texts, pulling out references from the books and texts of the past.

One such reference was Tulsi Das’ mention of ‘kinnar’ in the Ramayana. The dedication of this Rama Katha has been widely appreciated by the members of the transgender community. Bapu says, “We all need to make efforts to involve them (the transgender community) in every aspect of our society. There’s one member here who has come from Lucknow who aspires to contest the elections in UP. And why not? It’s time we all support them.”

Considering that this has been the first time ever in the history of India, that such an initiative has been adopted, people from the transgender community from across the country have ensured their presence here. A delighted Shamabai from Akola says, “It is unbelievable that Bapu has done this for my community, and made provisions for food and stay. I’m overwhelmed. Listening to him is like listening to Lord Ram.”

“We all are enjoying this, and I feel that this the golden moment for the transgender community. We are hoping that after this, more and more people, especially the Chief Minister of Maharashtra looks into grassroot problems of the community,” says Lachitai, a transgender activist from Pune.

Bapu has suggested that Laxmi Narayan Tripathi, noted transgender activist, should get the community to conduct a Ram Katha. “The day a person from the transgender community conducts a Ram Katha, I will light the diya and offer my team of musicians to the katha.”