Appearance and Identity Crisis in Modern Indian History

Book excerpt: Chakarawarti explores the history of Indian eunuchs from the Mughal empire’s fall following the mutiny of 1857 A.D. to the Supreme Court of India’s historic ruling in 2014 A.D. This book examines the social, political, economic, and religious aspects of Indian eunuchs’ lives, providing a true narrative of this marginalized group that has been neglected for centuries. It contains detailed stories of Indian eunuchs from the 1857 uprising to the historic decision to grant them the title of third gender in the Supreme Court of India in 2014. This includes the actual account of the court proceedings and how this decision brought about an enormous transition to their lives by granting them fundamental rights under the Constitution of India and the right to self-identification of their gender as male, female, or third gender. This book serves as an important resource for scholars of Gender Studies, Transgender Studies, and Subaltern History, and especially for those who are interested in Transgender Studies in modern Indian history.