Kobi Wolf Photojournalist

Recent stories: Hijra Guru, The transgender community in Mumbai

Hijra girls adopt a feminine appearance, but unlike transsexual women in the western world, they do not try to make people around them see them as women, and do not conceal male physiological characteristics. In the western culture, they are usually perceived as third gender (men and women), however, Hijra girls perceive themselves as women. There are additional hijra communities, led by gurus, all over India. They have existed for many generations by adopting young boys rejected by or fled from their families due to their homosexuality. Many Hijra girls work as prostitutes to survive. 

For the full text press Here 

  • Laxmi Narayan Tripathi is perhaps the most famous and admired Hijra in all of India because she is well educated (holds a university degree) and mostly because she became one of the stars of the latest season of the Indian version of the Big Brother television show. Since Laxmi became so famous, many transponders in India sought to be under her auspices and made her their guru.
  • Muskan, Laxmi's cheala ( student) outside her apt Muskaan is one of the Hijra girls living in Lakshmi's building. She is 27 years old. At age 14, when she was still a boy named Pramod, she realized that something was wrong with her body. She was attracted to boys and wore the clothes of her little sister. She was teased on the street and at school, and at the age of 15 she left home.
  • along with Lakshmi's four students ({quote}cheala{quote}) .In order to become a part of her community, Chealas must cook for Lakshmi and manage her household chores. In the evenings, the Chealas work as prostitutes like all other trans-genders in Lakshmi’s community
  • HIJRA-31
  • Priyanka, 35 years old, works 8 years as a prostitute in Kamhatipura, Mumbai
  • HIJRA-3
  • 36 years old Hijra, waiting for customers near An abandoned building, in Kamahtipura, Mumbai she works as a prostitute 20 years
  • 36 years old Hijra, waiting for customers near An abandoned building, in Kamahtipura, Mumbai she works as a prostitute 20 years
  • Condoms in an abandoned building in Kamhatipura.
  • HIJRA-6
  • HIJRA-11
  • HIJRA-12
  • In the early years when Muskaan left home, her family cut off all contact with her, but when the years have passed, they began to take some money from her and even a percentage of her work income.
  • Muskaan taking shower in her apartment. If she is interested in breast surgery and removal of penis, as all transgenders in India, Laxmi helps her in finding a doctor to perform the surgery, but no financial help. Not all of them perform the complete surgery and some only perform breast augmentation because of complications related to the penis surgery. Most of the Hijra performed full sex reassignment surgery in order to increase the amount of customers on the street.
  • Pooja is another hijra from Laxmi's community. She is 27 years old and works as a prostitute in a tiny room on the main road. Occasionally, she rents a bed for other prostitutes for about 150 rupees. About 10 years ago, she was infected with HIV as a result of unprotected sex and she doesn't even know who gave her the disease. She continues to work as a prostitute while she makes sure to use protection but she does not reveal her condition to her customers. She is being treated and lives like a normal healthy woman.
  • HIJRA-23
  • HIJRA-24
  • HIJRA-22
  • Muskaan is one of the Hijra girls living in Lakshmi's building. She is 27 years old. At age 14, when she was still a boy named Pramod, she realized that something was wrong with her body. She was attracted to boys and wore the clothes of her little sister. She was teased on the street and at school, and at the age of 15 she left home.
  • Muskaan is an experienced Cheala, she turned the old train station into her office and works there at nights. She functions as a sub-guru in the station for 12 trans-gendersand lesbian prostitutes who seek her help in resolving internal conflicts. Occasionally she helps them find a solution to conflicts with the local police because prostitution is illegal in India. The policemen will occasionally ask for bribes and in other cases for sex services in turn for turning a blind eye.
  • HIJRA-16
  • Talking with customer in trian station of Thane
  • Today Muskaan is an experienced Cheala and turned the old train station into her office, she works there at nights. She functions as a sub-guru in the station, for 12 transgeders and lesbian prostitution that every now and then, ask for her help in internal conflicts. She occasionally helps them find a solution with the police because prostitution is illegal in India. Sometimes the policemen ask for bribes and in other cases for sex services, in order not arrest them.
  • Selected
  • Recent stories
    • The Holyland of the settlers (2011-2022)
    • May 2021 events in Israel and West Bank
    • Yellow vest of Paris
    • The refugees crisis in europe
      • Rescue in the Mediterranean sea
      • Struggling the bitter winter in Belegrade, February 2017
      • Idomeni, Greece - Macadonia, April 2016
      • Serbia-Macadonia-croatia border, Dec-2015
    • The Temple Mount and Eretz israel Faithful Movement
    • Fighting in the mud (Uncompleted story) March 2017
    • Jordan Valley - A Firing Zone - Panoramic 2015-16
    • Hijra Guru, The transgender community in Mumbai
  • Stories / Gallery
    • Abarbanel, mental Institution
    • Chad, the refugee camps.
    • Haiti, post earthquake
    • Quake rape epidemic in Haiti
    • Africans asylum seekers protest 2014-2018
    • Wadi al Naam
    • The disappeared Pepole in Kashmir
  • Portraits series
    • Young Jewish settlers, Portraits (2011-2014)
    • African Refugees - polaroid portraits
  • Publications
  • Bio
  • Contact

Copyrights belong to Kobi Wolf 2022 info@kobiwolf.com, +972.52.48.55.361. Site design © 2010-2023 Neon Sky Creative Media