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Concept
Hijron Ka Khanqah
Summary
Hijron Ka Khanqah is an Islamic monument located in Mehrauli, South Delhi, India. The literal meaning of Hijron ka Khanqah is a "Sufi spiritual retreat for eunuchs", with the word hijron (plural of hijra) more widely referring to a specific community of transgender women throughout the Indian subcontinent. It is one of the many monuments located in the Mehrauli village within the Archeological Park. It is maintained well by the Hijras of Turkman Gate, in Shahjahanabad (present day Old Delhi) who are in possession of this 15th-century monument since the 20th century.
Hijron Ka Khanqah is a pre-Mughal, Lodi period, monument dated to the 15th century known for the serene atmosphere that exists at the monument where some eunuchs of Delhi were buried during the Lodi dynasty's reign. It is also said that Hijras of Turkman Gate who own this monument now visit the place on religious days to distribute food to the poor.
Khanqah is Persian word. It connotes a religious edifice where Muslims of Sufi religious order assemble to achieve spiritual peace and character building.
Hijra (South Asia)
Hijra generally describes the self-organised spiritual and social community (from either the Hindu or Muslim religious traditions) of transgender women in North India, while in a historical sense it can also denote eunuchs in the Western sense of the word (as males who have been castrated and who serve as members of a royal or noble court). Both eunuchs and hijra are described in South Asian history and literature. The ancient Hindu epic Mahabharata literature features a eunuch (castrated servant) named as Shikhandi, while the treasurer during the reign of Allauddin Khalji in the early 14th century CE is said to have been a eunuch, and the Mughal Emperor Aurengzeb is said to have engaged a eunuch to harass his father, Shahjahan, while the latter was being held in captivity. Meanwhile, the Hijra (transgender) community is associated with the imperial court of the Mughal Empire.
Official source
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