RELG 356 Lecture Notes - Sexual Abstinence, Punjabi Dhaba, Pained
8 Jul 2014
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1. 3 mill eunuchs in india (some born/castrated) Considered to be divine - neither male/female somewhere in between. Deepa - with family for 11 years. Flat nothingness in place of sexual organs. Seen totally different human being paradigms discarded. Many undergo ritualized castration - testicular/penile castration - voluntary around 18 years. Religious role - sing/dance birth and weddings and offer blessings. Nina very difficult life - prostitution, ostracized. Its okay to drink a little alcohol every day if it will help me to forget this kind of life im living . Eunuch family relies on each other (love, support) Will always have support of daughters when i"m an old lady there will be a daughter by my side . Chain of mother-daughter relations (taking care, feeding, massaging, inheritance) Eunuch community set up like pyramid: small group of elders governing at top (dictate community rules, if eunuch breaks rule they can be punished/excommunicated) Meena and family fall at bottom of eunuch hierarchy.
