Bengaluru to host International Transgender Arts Festival soon

As members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender (LGBT) community in India commemorate the July 2009 Delhi High Court judgement that decriminalised homosexuality and appeal to the Chief Justice of India to revoke Section 377, Bengaluru uses art to take steps towards inclusion. In a first, the city is organising an International Transgender Arts Festival from July 29 to 31 at the National Gallery of Modern Art. “Arts and

Transgender artists from India and abroad will render classical dance forms like Bharatanatyam, Kuchipudi, Mohiniyattam and Kathak. Participants include the Jogappa community from north Karnataka, led by Karnataka Rajyotsava awardee Manjamma Jogithi; Narthaki Nataraj, the first transgender to receive the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award; Singaporebased Bharatanatyam dancer Maalika Girish Panicker, Malaysia-based Kuchipudi dancer Varsha Vardhanaa and dual-voice light music singer Vasuki Welknow.

The festival will also include music concerts, poetry recitals, drama and art exhibitions. The aim will be to celebrate gender and not talk about the problems associated with it, explained Shandilya. “ After watching them perform, I hope these artists will be presented with more opportunities and parents will no longer be reluctant to send their children to them for training.“

Lakshya, a Bharatanatyam and Kuchipudi dancer trained at Kalakshetra in Chennai, says that although there have been small-scale cultural events for transgenders, nothing has been conducted in the mainstream and at this level.

“It is being organised very professionally and a lot has gone into selecting the artists,“ she said, explaining that even though this might do little in terms of removing discrimination against transgenders and helping more people come out, it is definitely a start. “Inclusivity will come only with family , friends, colleagues and society accepting us for who we are. That will take a long time. This festival will provide entertainment and hopefully rubbish false, preconceived notions associated with us.“

Chief guests at the inauguration will be Shalini Rajneesh, principal secretary , department of health; and N Venkata Rao, vice-chancellor, National Law School of India University .