Mega Special Camp for Persons Of Third Gender Community in Jamshedpur

DC Vijaya Jadhav and Third Gender representatives perform Annaprashan of infants, DC promises separate toilets, community halls, benefit of govt schemes to all 3rd gender community members

Jamshedpur: It was a special day for the persons of third gender community in Jamshedpur. They were happy and their happiness was rubbing off on everyone present at Dhatkidih Community. Even the DC Vijaya Jadhav was unable to hide her joy and was seen smiling and participating in the official programme and rituals with the members of third gender.

The occasion was a Special Mega Camp organized specifically for the members of the third gender community by the district administration at Dhatkidih Community Center in Jamshedpur Monday. The DC announced 14 different types of welfare schemes for the people of the third gender community.

This camp was inaugurated by the Deputy Commissioner of the district, Vijaya Jadhav, herself. People from third gender from all over East Singhbhum district were present in the programme.

The administration announced that all members of the third gender would be issued with identity cards, Aadhar cards, ration cards, health check-up cards as well as voter cards.

While, all these cards were disbursed to the participants, the Deputy Commissioner also apprised them with different government facilities and projects that they can easily avail and assured them that the administration would construct separate toilets for them in different areas of the city.

She said that the persons from the third gender community can neither visit a male’s toilet nor a female’s and therefore it is important that separate toilets are constructed for them and she would ensure that this is done as soon as possible.

During the programme Annaprashan, or first food ritual, for several infants was also held. The DC said that since eunuchs are accorded the rare honor of being auspicious for babies, they performed the annaprashan, the Hindu rite of passage, in which babies are offered first food for a number of infants who were brought there for the purpose by their parents.

The Deputy Commissioner and the persons from third gender together completed this rite of passage ritual.

Amarjeet, the leader of the third gender community in Jamshedpur, said that for years there was a demand for such a camp and this demand was addressed by the DC on Monday and the entire third gender community is grateful to her for this.

It may be mentioned here that Hindu traditions accord special honor to persons from third gender and their presence is presumed to be very auspicious. There are many rituals that cannot be completed without their blessings, especially after the birth of an infant.

Jamshedpur is counted among the most third-gender friendly townships of the country.

Several factories in the city have been employing third gender for years without any discrimination. Tata Steel has taken in persons from the third gender community as a special initiative and a number of them are now working in different departments of the company in Jamshedpur as well as other locations of the company.