9 transgenders release music album ‘Songs of the Caravan’

New Delhi: Nine transgenders hailing from different backgrounds have got together to release a music album they have put together as part of their continuing journey to empower fellow transgenders.

The album, "Songs of the Caravan" was launched here on Saturday by CPI-M Politburo member Brinda Karat and Swami Agnivesh.

Karat talked about a lack of public sensitivity towards transgenders during the event.

"With the help of so many people these transwomen have come up with such an album and released it delivers a strong message for the Indian community that this community has rights and will help them to fight for their rights," Karat said.

The album contains 13 songs representing nine states representing 9 states -- Manipur, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Delhi, Rajasthan, Kolkatta, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu.

It has been sponsored by Planet Romeo Foundation, an organization that works on promoting the rights of sexual minorities the world over in association with Jeevan Trust a nonprofit and Abhivyakti foundation, India working on issues of HIV and sexual health.

The album was launched with the support of United Nations Development Program.

"The idea was conceived to break the stereotypical portrayal of transgenders in the mainstream. Transgenders are known to sing in a particular fashion and at special occasions in India and our perception is limited to that," Anubhav Gupta, Director, Jeevan Trust said.

"This is an attempt to give transwomen and transgender people a chance to showcase their talent, their creativity and express themselves in front of the world," he said.

The songs include folk songs, love songs, devotional and badhai songs, self written and composed songs are also part of the album.

Carnatic vocal, Hindustani vocal, Rabindra Sangeet and even jazz, blues genres have been incorporated. The artists were given a free hand by the makers to select and sing what they believe in.

"Feels nice that after much struggle we have been finally been able to release the album as there were issues of funding. In a country even though we are considered as third gender it is yet to be implemented on pen and paper.

"We cannot even admit ourselves into a hospital because our gender is not recognized on pen and paper. This album is an achievement for us to make our mark in the world," said Amitava Sarkar from West Bengal, an artist who has sung in the album.

The transgenders hail from diverse socio-cultural backgrounds and have established themselves in business or professional fields. Many of them are activists having travelled widely all over the world to promote the rights of transgenders.

The participants in the album are Akkai Padmashaili from Karnataka, Amitava Sarkar from West Bengal, Ankur Patil from Gujarat, Kalki Subramaniam from Auroville, Kanta Leisinghatham from Manipur, N Madhurima from Andhra Pradesh, Kalyani from Mumbai and Hansa from Rajasthan.

"One the key pointers of the project is that five out of 9 participants hold a degree or diploma in music either in Hindustani vocal, carnatic vocal or Rabindra Sangeet which was an eye opener for all of us," Gupta said.

Historically as well as traditionally, the community has been known for singing and dance at the weddings and other functions of the mainstream populous. They have been used extensively as comic characters in the films with very little identity of their own in the society.

"The primary challenges that remain is to dispel the widespread notions about the community and create more acceptances at social and political level," said Kalki

Subramaniam from Pondicherry who has composed and sung one of the English songs in the album. She is a double MA in media and international relations as runs a non profit Sahodri.