Inside the trans world, where glitz hides grime

The secretive world of transsexuals, where naiks rule jammats with money and muscle power, was on full display a few days ago when reel after reel was posted on social media. Many of the naiks were strutting around wearing more than two kg of gold jewellery.

Some were showered with currency notes, others got crowns and garlands made of currency notes. Chennai city alone has at least 21 naiks who rule over jamaats or groups of 50 to 300 transsexuals.
So how does this community that operates on the fringes work?

The close-knit jamaats are always scouting for new members, even engaging agents. Besides new recruits, they also accept transfers from other jamaats. But the protection of a jammat comes at a price. A new member has to pay 25,000, a transfer from one group to another costs 1.26 lakh. But the jammats’s main revenue comes from what their members earn.

Members are given monthly or weekly financial target depending on their abilities. It is a multi-hundred crore industry with the collections coming not entirely from legally sanctioned avenues.

Details of the panchayat of transsexuals, the military-style living conditions, inducements and intimidation spilled into the open last week when transsexual Manthra lodged a police complaint along with several video clippings. Naiks are usually assisted by criminal gangs said a transsexual who did not want to divulge her identity. “These agents bring new members to trans-community for a commission, and also arrange sex and hormonal change procedures,” the transsexual said.

In most instances, the naik or a jamaat senior provides young members with accommodation, food and clothes until their complete transformation. “The young transperson is offered toe rings, rings, anklets, mangalsutra and silk sarees,” she said.

Manthra, who filed a complaint with the city police commissioner Sandeep Rai Rathore, said: “I am getting calls from many naiks to settle the issue amicably. But I don’t want to be in the clutches of anyone.”

Another 18-year-old transsexual said once she becomes a member of a jamaat, she has to give
5,000 to the naik and 1,000 to other elderly transsexuals who are aged or bed-ridden every month. Each transsexual needs at least 10,000 to 12,000 to renew the annual membership. “We cannot live alone without this support system, she said.

A senior community member, Anu Shree, said, “After family members disown transsexuals, it is the community elders who support us. We are giving back to them as a token of love.”

“If there are no naiks, there will be chaos and unlawful activities. They guide us and step in when we get entangled in legal issues,” Anu Shree said.

A naik, who doesn’t want to be named, said: “Many naiks dedicate their day to spiritual activities and give religious discourses. Aged above 60, many of them have a fetish for gold jewellery.”
Naiks are also the police’s first port of call whenever they need information about a community member.