These photographs were taken in Lahore’s Taxali Gate area during a photography workshop organised in 2012 by the Punjab Lok Rahs.

1. Madam Shama, a very powerful, even imposing character at the fore. She has ‘Queen of the Den’ written on her in the way she carries herself. She informs us that the hierarchies within the khwajasira community are based on placing the ‘hijra by birth’ above the ‘hijra by choice.’

2. Barkha Sundari, very much the star amongst the lot. She sings and sings wonderfully. She also records herself while singing.

1. Meera, now a guru, was born in the Walled City. Her family is from the Namakmandi side. She says that in school she would stand with the girls and felt the urge to dance and to dress up. She would watch khwajasiras frequent the area and felt as if she belonged with them. Around the age of 14, she decided to join them. When asked to pose, she gave this rather mellow smile. She said she’d give me a photograph of her fully ready to enlarge. She is still in touch with her family but faced a difficult period when she decided to join the khwajasira community. She has now made ‘peace’ with her family. She attended her brothers’ and sisters’ intimate events but wore a cap to them. “The community knows who I am but wearing a cap means I don’t embarass the family.” She also meets their children. She did say she reconsidered her decision (to become a transgender) but is clear that it was her calling.

2. Barkha brings a colourful hat to pose in.

The writer is a journalist based in Lahore.

Published in Dawn, EOS, March 5th, 2017