The Man Who Was a Woman and Other Queer Tales of Hindu Lore
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CONTENTS Preface xi Acknowledgments xiii Introduction: Placing Stories in Context 1 Universality of Queer Narratives 1 Differences in Queer Narratives 2 Hindu versus Biblical Paradigm 4 Structured Society Within Fluid Philosophy 5 The Hindu Way of Life 6 Hindu Response to Queer Sexuality 8 Adoption of the Colonial Discourse 10 The Third Sex and Gender in India 10 An Ancient Legacy 12 What About the Women? 13 Representation in Narratives 15 Interpretation of Narratives 16 Structure and Aim of the Book 17 Chapter 1. Women Who Become Men 19 Bhisma: The Son Who Swore Celibacy 21 Avikshita: The Prince Who Believed He Was a Woman 22 Amba's Quest for Manhood 23 Children of the Man with Queer Virility 25 Shikhandini Gets a Male Body 26 The Raja's Daughter Who Became His Son 28 The Girls Who Got Married 29 The Inseparable Girls 31 Man Who Was a Woman 33 The Woman Who Became a Man and Then a Woman 35 Sariputra's Sex Change 38 Malli Who Became Malli-Natha 39 Chapter 2. Pregnant Kings 41 Bhangashvana: The Man Who Was Father and Mother 41 Somavat: The Male Wife 43 Son of a Eunuch 44 The Forest Where Men Became Women 45 The Dawn-God Becomes a Woman 49 Riksharaja's Dip into Womanhood 49 Narada Becomes a Woman 51 Yuvanashva: The Pregnant King 54 Ravana's Pregnancy 56 Shiva Gives Birth to Shukra 57 Kavya Gives Birth to Kacha 58 Birth of Kartikeya 61 Kartikeya Turns Away from Women 63 Chapter 3. Cross-Dressing Tricksters 65 Mohini Tricks Bhasma 66 Mohini Fools the Asuras 68 Mohini Kills Virochana 71 Mohini Enchants the Sages 71 Vishnu Arouses Shiva 72 Death of Adi 73 The Son of Shiva and Vishnu 75 Kali Becomes Krishna 77 Shiva, the Milkmaid 78 Krishna Wears Radha's Clothes 81 Krishna Kills Araka 83 Krishna and Arjuna As Mother and Daughter 84 Ghatotkacha in Women's Clothes 84 Bhima in Women's Clothes 85 Santoshi and Her Brother 86 Krishna Becomes Aravan's Wife 87 Samba's Pregnancy 88 Ravana's Harem 91 Past Lives of the Milkmaids 92 Chapter 4. Castrated Men and Women 95 Brihanalla: The Eunuch Dancer 95 Urvashi Castrates Arjuna 98 Bahuchara Emasculates Her Husband 99 Bahuchara Cuts Her Breasts 101 Kannagi Plucks Out Her Breast 102 Shiva Castrates Himself 103 Sages Castrate Shiva 104 Indra Loses His Manhood 105 Laxmana Mutilates Surpanakha 106 Emasculation of Jamadagni's Sons 107 Chelliamman's Female Companion 109 The Man Who Had Never Seen a Woman 111 Chapter 5. Neither This nor That 113 Narasimha 113 Creation of Ganesha 115 Two Queens Conceive a Child 116 Ganesha Remains Single 118 The Separation of the Three Worlds 120 Rama's Return 121 Purusha Splits into Two 122 Brahma Sees the Half-Woman God 123 Shiva Makes Parvati His Left Half 125 Shiva Fuses with Parvati 125 Shiva Cursed to Become an Androgyne 128 Bhrungi Tries to Separate the Androgyne 128 Shiva-Linga 129 The Prince Who Married His Left Half 130 Afterword 133 Notes 135 Glossary 141 Bibliography 153 Index 157.