But her wife is suspicious. "I tell her that I dressed as a woman for my work, to entertain clients in the club". Despite not being castrated, Sanjana has been accepted and is part of 'hijras' circle and she is on her way to become a guru. At the moment, she maintains her family with the sex work of two young transvestites who has at his command. Kanak Harshita does everything Sanjana says. They want to become women and do not mind any means to achieve that goal, even if they have to prostitute. "I offer them protection and in return, they pay me part of what they earn. I think it is just". Sanajana doesn't consider herself as a pimp. "Our relationship goes far beyond that".

Sanjana dancing at the Deepshikha center. One of the few places where she can express herself.

Sanjana's apprentice, Harshita, dancing and proving her talent to her master.

A transvestite making up and getting ready for the night.

When Tamana was still called Danish, with only 10, her brother raped her. “He was 16 and had already lost his virginity. He was curious about anal sex, and forced me once. My parents gave him a terrible beating when they found out, but the damage was done. It was then that I began to behave like a girl and develop my attraction to men". At 15 Tamana had to leave her home. "My family didn’t understand what was happening to me, and did not accept my behaviour. The pressure was such that I decided to go away to Hyderabad ". "I felt disoriented and vulnerable, so I accepted the protection the 'hijras' offered me". Soon, Tamana realized that her life was no longer hers. "Somehow, the 'hijras' ran with my sexual uncertainty and forced my identity. I would have liked to be a bisexual man, but I had no choice". Thus began to prostitute in bathhouses.

And so ended going under the surgery. "I didn’t want to get castrated, but I was forced by the gurus, claiming that I would make more money with sex". Tamana is not afraid to reveal these practices. Gurus behave as pimps whom "make their profit from the discrimination that transgenders are facing." Tamana , for example , can earn between 200 and 1,000 rupees (between 3 and 16 USD) per service, but 50 % ends up in the pockets of the gurus. In return, the Community offers protection and a roof to sleep. "Whoever does not obey the orders of the gurus is expelled, and their lives can be even harder without the protection of the community."

Rakshita never had to leave her family. It is one of the few transsexuals in Bangalore who has a college degree, and has refused to join the community of 'hijra'. "I born a man, but I am a woman. I have no problem with my identity. I want to be a transsexual 100%". After gaining her parents approval, at 22, she is saving money to pay for her sex change operation. "It was not easy, but I make them understand that they had no choice." Rakshita began to question her gender when she was in elementary school. "I suffered because many colleagues considered me a doll whom could satisfy their sexual needs. My orientation became an open secret, so I decided to get carried away by my feelings and started to paint my nails and lips." For a brief period of time she even chose to make some extra money on the streets. Then she realised the danger she was facing. "On one side there was the community 'hijra', and on the other, the police. The agents appeared to extortion whoever was stationing in the street, and demanded payment of 500 rupees (7 USD) or free sexual services.

Portrait of Harshita, a young transvestite.

Veena S, the first transgender to contest an election in South India, was the only male of five siblings in the family. The father, who worked in the construction industry, died when she was 12, an age at which she began to feel different. "Children insulted me, called me a faggot, and soon I began to feel attracted to them”. "I did not understand why I was born a male if I felt as a woman". 'The neighbours rapidly realized her effeminate character and took a dangerous turn to the worst. "They began to physically abuse me, some even beat me". It was then when her mother throw out of the house. While she was living on the streets, she had her first contact with the transvestites and transsexuals collective. “I felt comfortable with them, so I also started dressing as a woman at night. During the day I worked in a factory with the intention of saving money and rent a room, but found out that it was much more profitable to prostitute.

"When I started to earn well, my family accepted me again, even when they knew where the money came from. So I helped my sisters to get marry (women in India pays the dowry to the man) and bought a house for my mother.” In 2005 Veena S. started the process of changing her name. As an official proof, she had to publish in various newspapers her decision to refuse her old name -Vittala- and the process was long and expensive. Now, in 2013, after two years and a half, she has won another battle by amending her legal sex (she was considered as a transsexuals woman). “I believe this is the first time it is issued in India and now I want to be an example and serve for many other people like me”.

"I met Arian when I was 18. From the beginning, I realized that I been born a man, and didn't have the attributes of women." Nevertheless, he accepted her. "I will not deny that at first it surprised me, but I decided to keep seeing her" says the husband. Then he fell in love. After being bullied repeatedly, Arian decided to get engage with her. “I cut my hand and put my blood between her eyebrows". Undoubtedly, it was a curious way of drawing the red dot 'bindi', a sign that only married women wear. Their families agreed to the marriage, and Naaz began gathering the money needed to become a woman. 15,000 rupees (USD 240) for castration, 100,000 more (USD 1,600) for the breasts, and almost another 200,000 rupees (USD 3,220) for a vaginal reconstruction. "It was a lot of money, but we managed to bring it together with the help of our family members and friends. Even some neighbours donated something". A year later, Naaz was officially recognized as a woman, and married. "We are now planning to adopt children," It is their goal "to have a normal family".

Kalawati is now a transsexual but changed her sex a decade ago. It helped her climb the ladder of 'hijras', and now runs a score of 'apprentices'. However, ensures that there is no prostitution. "I live a respectable life, and I think we should avoid link the 'third sex' by selling sex." However, she acknowledges that she requires her disciples to beg. "Given that society denies any possibility of access to decent work, I think there is nothing wrong with that."

Kalawati's apprentice.

Kalawati's apprentice.

Christy Raj (26) was born female in Mumbai. His parents could not take care of him, and he was abandoned at the door of a municipal institution. A transsexual adopted her. Raj does not know if that might have influenced him, but in his adolescence he began to feel as man. He travelled to Bangalore, with the firm intention of starting a new life. "I cut my hair, bought men's jeans, and put on a corset to hide my breasts. I found several groups of transvestites and transsexuals, and I began to be myself. Because I'm not a lesbian, as many insist on saying. I am a man." Currently, in a relationship with Maahi (21), Raj’s goal is to save 4.5 million rupees (USD 72.000 or more) to pay the costs of the surgery and complete his transformation. This is the requirement that Maahi’ parents have imposed in order to accept their relationship.

Rajul, a transvestite who prostitutes herself to raise her three children.

In this area of ​​a major highway access to the capital is frequented by transsexuals and hermaphrodites who offer their sexual services. Suddenly, a motorcycle pulls up behind Rajul. Without a word, the police officer slap her. The police man try to justify his reaction by ensuring that Rajul is stationing illegally at the road shoulder and damaging the image of the city. Fearful, Rajul disappears immediately as if nothing has ever happened. Shortly after, we had a phone conversation with her, she assures that the reprisal occurred because she hasn’t yet paid the police officer the “bite”, hence, the reason of the beating. On the other hand, the police man sharply refutes such statement, but also denies to show us his badge number.

Transvestites negotiating with clients.

A transvestite waiting for clients to approach her.

Transvestites negotiating with clients.