Gone are the days when the presence of eunuchs in marriage functions, and at the birth of a child, used to be considered auspicious. The accident of their birth and the ancient myths that bestow them with special powers to bring luck and fertility seem to have been forgotten.

Earlier, eunuchs were considered a ‘religious cult’ and were even invited to dance, sing, clown, do typical drumming and bless newlyweds and newborns. But now, a majority of them have joined the bisexual community either for money or under duress. They are now involved in the business of extorting people at public places, trains and buses in the garb of begging for alms.

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Only 1 percent of eunuchs are born so, while the rest either pretend to be hijras (eunuch) or have been forced to join the community by abduction and castration, reveals a study by the All-India Hijra Kalyan Sabha (AIHKS).

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According to the study, there are 30,000 eunuchs in the national capital alone. This “high number” is contrary to “reliable estimates” that say “only one in a lakh is a born eunuch”.

The study further reveals that at least 1,000 youths are converted into eunuchs in the city every year.

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Khairati Lai Bhola of All India Hijra Kalyan Sabha (AIHKS), formed in 1984 to protect the rights of the community, says most eunuchs in the country are not transvestites or hermaphrodites. They are actually castrated men. “Young and addicted boys are abducted and then introduced to homosexuality by the agents of eunuch’s gurus. Castrations are clandestinely forced on them and ironically, very few people gather the courage to retaliate,” Bhola said.

A victim of forced castration says how he was abducted, made an addict of brown sugar and hashish, and then pushed into homosexuality.

This way, he alleges, eunuch gurus have made huge sums.

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“The hijra mafia that controls the castrations operates secretly throughout the country. They have a network of hijra mandis where a newly castrated eunuch is auctioned to the highest bidder. The auction is conducted with claps - a single clap means Rs 1,000. Fair, clean-limbed boys who can earn more, attract highest bids. Victims are threatened with death if they break silence,” reveals Bhola.

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However, the entire operation remains a secret as the hijra community is built on a pyramid structure.

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Gurus hold the top of the pyramid. They are older than the other eunuchs in their ring and exercise control over a particular ilaqa or territory for the purpose of extracting badhai (tips on joyous occasions).

Not less than a thousand young men, says Bhola, are forcibly castrated every year. Many of them are married and have families.

According to him, doctors who do castrations are in partnership with the hijra mafia. He charges around Rs 2,500-3,000 per case. Castrations are strictly performed at the behest of the gurus.