Reflections on the Life of Hizras in Mahesh Dattani’s Seven Steps around the Fire and on a Muggy Night in Mumbai

Exploring the Fluidity of Gender Identity in Mahesh Dattani's Works

Abstract

The word “hijra” connotes a castrated male, lessens the hijra community to a pathetic community. In fact, the term “hijra” speaks more of a paradigm than of an institution. The term has been used widely encompassing eunuchs or men who have been reprieved of their male role or identity, men and women with genital dysfunction, hermaphrodites, and persons with indeterminate sex organs, cross-dressed impotent men, gays and even effeminate men. The term has been developed to include any man who cannot be assimilated into the main stream heteronormative masculinity.