Comment on Allegations swirl as 24 transgender residents of Indore attempt mass suicide
Lovstuhagen@hilariouschaos.com 4 days ago
Extortion, Hindutva, Faction Wars: Behind Suicide Attempt by MP’s Trans Persons
Amid ongoing initiatives to bring transgender persons into India’s social and economic mainstream, a recent incident in Madhya Pradesh’s Indore has yet again exposed the complex realities of life inside the city’s kinnar deras and the fierce power struggles within them.
It began with panic and disbelief. On 15 October, 24 members of a transgender faction led by Guru Sapna Haji in Indore’s Nandlalpura area consumed phenyl in an attempt to end their lives. While initial reports dubbed the incident as “bizarre”, claiming it to be the result of two feuding factions, the reality on ground was different.
The mass suicide attempt came in the wake of alleged harassment by Sapna, the nayak (head) of the Nandlalpura kinnar dera, and her supporters. Soon after news of the incident spread, Sapna was arrested, while her alleged associate, Raja Hashmi, went missing. Hashmi, a dholak (percussion instrument) accompanist, was accused by local members of being the “mastermind” harassing kinnars of the dera and extorting money from them.
This is the most recent article I can find. The initial one was from two week ago, and the above from four days ago.
Lovstuhagen@hilariouschaos.com 4 days ago
Chat GPT on some of the terms used here for all of us non-Hindus:
[>](Kinnar
Meaning: A term used in India (and South Asia) to refer to transgender or intersex people, especially those who are part of the traditional Hijra community.
Context: Kinnars often live in close-knit communities (called deras) and have distinct social and cultural roles, including performing at weddings and births for blessings.
Note: The word kinnar is sometimes used respectfully, though context and tone matter — it can also carry stigma depending on who’s using it.)
🏠 Dera
Meaning: Literally means camp or community settlement.
Context: In this case, it refers to a communal household or spiritual organization where kinnars live together under a leader.
Example: Nandlalpura kinnar dera = the kinnar community house or group located in Nandlalpura.
👩💼 Nayak
Meaning: Literally “leader” or “chief.”
Context: In kinnar communities, the nayak is the head or senior guru who leads the dera, manages its affairs, and oversees the welfare of its members.
Comparable term: Similar to a matriarch or head elder in a communal or religious group.
Dholak
Meaning: A two-headed hand drum, a traditional percussion instrument used widely in Indian folk and devotional music.
Context: The dholak accompanist (like Raja Hashmi) would typically play music at ceremonies or performances, including those by kinnar groups.
So, in plain English, the passage is saying:
sj_zero@lotide.fbxl.net 4 days ago
I'm so glad you dejargonified.