Hyderabad – orinam

Queer and Women’s representation in mainstream cinema: videocast of HQFF panel discussion

Orinam — Fri, 17 Mar 2017 16:03:05 +0000

In conjunction with the Hyderabad Queer Film Festival 2017, a panel discussion was held on February 19, 2017, at Annapurna Studios Preview Theatre in Hyderabad.

Orinam is pleased to bring you the videocast of the panel discussion, in conjuction with filmmaker and festival curator Moses Tulasi, who facilitated the panel. Panelists included Mahesh Kathi (Film Activist), Rachana Mudraboyina (Transgender Activist), Gautami Challagulla (Writer), Neha Vyas (Psychotherapist), Manoj Sunanda (Filmmaker), and Rohan Kanawade (filmmaker).

The panel covered a wide range of issues pertaining to representation of women and LGBTQ characters in mainstream cinema, including representation, the sacrosanctity of sexuality and monogamy, the future of independent film distribution, indifference towards bisexuality, psychology as perceived by the community and society, victim shaming, assertion vs. victimhood narratives.

Hijraalante yevaru

Orinam — Mon, 01 Dec 2014 20:40:59 +0000

On October 10, 2014, the Telangana Hijra Intersex Transgender Samiti staged a historic all-day rally (Swabhimana Sabha/ Self-Respect Forum) at Indira Park, Hyderabad. The event was organised to protest the spate of violence against transwomen in the city and to press for immediate implementation of transgender welfare and protection measures in the state based on the Supreme Court’s NALSA verdict.

On the occasion, Sarath Naliganti, President of the Dalit Bahujan Culture Association of Osmania University, sang ‘Hijraalante yevaru’, a song he had composed and set to tune. He subsequently rendered the song on November 3, at the release of the Telugu translation of Revathi’s autobiography in OU.

The song is a powerful and moving articulation of solidarity with the Hijra community and movement.

Do you know who hijras are, my friend?
– By Sarath Naliganti (Translated by Srivatsan. Scroll below for Telugu text)

Do you know who hijras are, my friend?
We are humanity’s diamonds!

With pearls of our tears
We string tales for your ears
With the burn of humiliation
We feed our starvation
As we follow with dignity and self respect
Our chosen way

Do you know who hijras are, my friend?
We are humanity’s diamonds!

As citizens and denizens scorn us each day
They pass us
As family and friends bid us to not to stay
With them

Though our hearts hang heavy with sorrow
We have never raised our voice in protest
Banished from the loveless womb
We swear by sisterhood’s redemption

Do you know who hijras are, my friend?
We are filled with love without end!

Vedas and Shastras revered as the foundations
Ramayana and Bharata as great epics of yore
Sing
Of Arjuna as Brihannala
The goddess fair
Of Sikhandi’s womanly courage
A synonym of war
Today

Ayyappa, of Hari Hara (Vishnu and Siva)
With no womb to bear him
Garland and chant hymns to his grace
As Ardhanareshwara (the man-woman god) is Siva
Do tell the Purana’s generous tales

If the gods above you
Are Hari Hara and Ayyappa
Why then among you,
untouchable,
is the Hijra?

Do you know who hijras are?
We are in your midst as friends!

Thanks to Sarath for permission to reproduce the original text (with translation by Srivatsan) above, Ravi of DalitCamera for consent to post the video, and Greeshma and Karthik Bittu of THITS for their support.

Hyderabad (re)makes history with pride

Orinam — Sun, 03 Feb 2013 20:52:02 +0000

February 3, 2013:

Fourteen years ago, on Valentine’s day 1999, Hyderabad hosted ‘Yaarian’, one of India’s first gay conferences. This conference led to formation of the LGBT-India national collective, which remains the country’s oldest online forum for networking, information-sharing and collective action.

Today, the city’s LGBT groups, individuals and supporters, made history again by organizing Hyderabad’s first Queer Pride, becoming the twelfth* city/town in the country to host such an event.

Beginning 2 pm, participants marched on Necklace Road alongside Hussain Sagar Lake, from the Sanjeevaiah Park to People’s Plaza, and concluded with performances (music, dance and a skit) by the city’s queers and allies.

Orinam thanks Smruthi Narayan for consent to publish the photographs below. Media coverage is also included and links will be added to this page as and when they become available.

*In India, LGBT Pride has also been organized in Bangalore, Bhawanipatna, Bhubaneswar, Chennai, Coimbatore, Delhi, Kolkata, Madurai, Mumbai, Pune, and Trissur.

Media links:
1. Coverage from the TV9 channel is at
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uraDOhWqLLA

2. Deccan Chronicle, Feb 4, 2013: Closets are for clothes by Barkha Kumari

3. Indian Express, Feb 4, 2013: Freedom at mid-day

4. The Hindu, Feb 4, 2013: Out in the open, they long for acceptance