There are just under two million eunuchs and transgenders in India, many of whom live in groups controlled by a eunuch guru and survive by aggressive begging. Although marginalised, they are widely feared. They often turn up at weddings and after the birth of boys to demand large donations for their blessings. Many pay in fear of their curse or embarrassment – they often hitch up their saris and reveal their mutilated genitalia outside the homes of those who refuse.