Gender pluralism in India

Isn't It Time We Remove the archaic Article 377, which was brought in by the British Govt. in 1860... 

It does not go well with the Indian values. Homosexuality and transgender-ism was not looked down upon and was accepted in ancient Indian society.

We need to revive those values.

Ancient Indian culture, as depicted by our mythology was extremely plural and diverse. There was respect for everybody - because they believed in divinity being manifested in every form.

There are several examples of transgender, sex-conversion, third gender etc. in ancient Indian mythology:

1. Shikhandi: He was originally born as a girl child named 'Shikhandini' to Drupada - the king of Panchala. He plays a crucial role in Mahabharata.

2. Ardhanarishvara: S/he is made of both Shiva and his wife Parvati, - half man, half woman - usually depicted as split through the middle. 

3. Ila is an androgyne (a person who does not fit neatly into the typical masculine and feminine gender roles of their society) in Hindu mythology, known for his/her sex changes. As a man, he is known as Ila (Sanskrit: इल) or Sudyumna and as a woman, is called Ilā (Sanskrit: इला). 

4. Vishnu: Changes gender and becomes "Mohini" (the enchantress) to trick the demons into giving up "Amrita" the nectar of immortality. Vishnu as Mohini became pregnant from Shiva, and gave birth to Ayyappa. 

5. Sthunakarna: The yaksha who exchanged sex with Shikhandi.

6. Iravan/Aravan (he is the God of transgender community) married Vishnu. (who was that time in his Mohini avatar).

7. In Kama Sutra (written in the first millennium by Sage Vatsyayana), an entire is devoted to homosexual sex, it also categorizes men who desire other men as "third nature" and it does refer to long-term unions between men.

Intro to Vedas

I am currently reading - An Introduction to Vedas – by Dr. Raj Kumar Pruthi.

An amazing book. Must read if you are interested in Vedic Science and Mathematics.
Clears a lot of myths and misinformation about the Vedas.

I urge my friends to get good books on Vedas for themselves AND their children.

Here is the book review I found on the internet:
What do you think about a culture which says to its gifted scientists, scholars and architects, 'Nothing for self all for society; which calculated the distance between the sun and the earth and declared that gross atoms are not inert; all this 4000 years ago through transcendental research?

And how much developed and structured will the social ethos of such a culture be? 

As most of the modern psychologists and scientists are discovering, it will definitely be better than the present society we are living in. Should we then not consider the call of, 'Back to Vedas' more seriously?

Vedas hold the solution to the problems plaguing the world today, not only about science but about a good living, about balance, mental health and stress-free life, about total contentment. If only we peruse through the vast world of knowledge contained in the Vedas, we will surely bless our lives with much abundance, satisfaction and peace.

Every shloka in the Vedas is a pearl of wisdom, which we always had and yet have forgotten.
This book is an attempt to bring about a change in the psyche, and highlight the wisdom as promised by the Vedas - the eternal source of wisdom. 

What is needed in today's knowledge-based world is a change towards wisdom-based world.

ॐ