The Untouchable Eunuchs, shunned as members of the “third sex” by the Indian society
Ahmedabad and Hyderabad, India.
In India eunuchs are known as hijras, or a "third gender," neither a he nor a she. While they were once worshiped in the Hindu world and also worked for Islamic rulers, they are now widely feared.
Eunuchs have ambiguous backgrounds. Contrary to popular belief, most are not castrated, some of them are intersexual; others are born male and fail to develop. Gay men and transsexuals also are included in their ranks. >> more >>
The White-Clad Widows, the forbidden “out-caste” by the Indian society.
Vrindaban & Varanasi, India.
Widows in India still undergo ritual humiliations and extreme ostracism.
Now 85, a widow hobbles down the streets of Vrindavan, a city in the north of India, her gnarled fingers cupping a broken bowl, begging for her living while she waits for death to claim her.
Its estimated 33 million widows in India, the country with the largest widow population in the world. Among them, at least 20,000 sit on the banks of the river Ganges and beg for alms. Vrindavan and Varanasi, holy cities in the north of India and two of the country's most sought-after pilgrim centers, have become home to the husbandless. >> more >>
