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Shut Out of Every Temple, 20 Transgender Women Built Their Own. Now It Feeds Hundreds Daily

On the dusty banks of Pedda Cheruvu in Vizianagaram, a quiet revolution was taking root — one photograph, one prayer, and 20 determined transgender women . It was 4 June 2012. They gathered in the Boggula Dibba neighbourhood with no temple, no congregation, no funding — only faith and a vision. Over 14 years, that simple act of devotion grew into a temple that feeds hundreds, educates dozens, and commands the devotion of thousands, rewriting what sacred space can look like in India. From a riverbank to a thriving community space After that first gathering by the river, the group planted neem and peepal saplings and began the long, painstaking work of constructing a proper community space. They raised the funds themselves, dedicating 90% of their daily earnings to the temple's construction, upkeep, and the social programmes that grew around it. No ticketing. No token system for entry. The doors are open to everyone. The space draws around 200 visitors on ordinary days, swelling to more than 2,000 on certain days and during major events. The Chandi Homam, the Dussehra Navratri celebrations, and the Ashadam Sare — offerings to Pydimamba, the presiding deity of Vizianagaram popularly known as Pydithallamma — are among the biggest occasions on the temple calendar, drawing pilgrims from across the region. Leading with skill Perhaps the most extraordinary aspect of what this community has built is not the temple structure itself, but who performs the rituals inside it. Three members of the group — Meena Naik, Sravanthi Naik, and Swathi — underwent formal training under Vedic scholars to learn the precise skills required to manage daily routines and special ceremonies at the centre. They uplift orphans and disabled citizens through care, weddings, and jute training. Photograph: ( The New Indian Express ) For 14 years, they have served as the principal priests of the shrine, performing every ceremony with what devotees describe as unwavering commitment and care. This achievement also sits within a bigger picture. Across India, transgender inclusion has started gaining visibility , but long before national attention, this group in Vizianagaram had quietly been leading their community with skill and dedication. Their work has earned respect from locals, showing that acceptance comes through action. For them, leadership and contribution are lived every day, through care, consistency, and commitment. Feeding the forgotten The service does not end at the sanctum. Through their Helping Hands Hijra Association, the group runs a community feeding programme in the district. Between 150 and 200 orphaned and destitute individuals eat at the temple premises every single day. On Tuesdays, Fridays, and festival days, that number rises to 300. The funding comes almost entirely from the community's own earnings — a fact that makes the scale of the giving all the more striking. Their outreach extends well beyond the temple town. The association provides free education to 70 transgender persons across Kurupam and Gummalaxmipuram mandals (sub-district areas) in Parvathipuram-Manyam district. They have adopted six orphaned children and performed their marriages. They also provide livelihoods to disabled citizens by training them in jute bag-making — a quiet, practical intervention that rarely makes headlines but changes daily lives. Meena Naik, the temple's chief priest and president of the association, puts the ethic plainly. Her community's elders taught that at least 25 percent of one's earnings must go towards those more destitute than oneself. Three trained members now manage daily rituals and ceremonies at the centre. Photograph: (TNIE) "This social service keeps us strictly away from any bad habits or vices," she said. "I hope this is a small effort on behalf of the transgender community to protect our shared values, and that it will help us in securing equal rights and social inclusion, besides removing social stigma in society." Overcoming the early years The road to where they stand today was not smooth. Kondababu, the association's honorary president, recalled that the early years of running the temple were marked by challenges and open hostility. Social stigma translated into practical obstacles — resistance from neighbours, scepticism from devotees, and the difficulty of being taken seriously in spaces traditionally closed to the community. "We overcame all challenges and stereotypes," he said. "Now, the temple has brought widespread recognition and respect in society for us." According to the 2011 Census of India, the country's transgender population stands at approximately 4.9 lakh. Despite a landmark Supreme Court ruling in 2014 that recognised transgender persons as a third gender, and the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act of 2019 that followed, the community continues to face widespread discrimination in housing, employment, and healthcare. The story of Vizianagaram's temple community does not erase that reality, but it offers something important alongside it: a model, built from nothing and sustained by devotion alone, of what dignity and self-determination can look like. What began with a photograph by a river has become a functioning institution of faith and care — one that feeds the hungry, educates the marginalised, and opens its doors without charge to anyone who comes seeking the divine. Sources: ' From stigma to sanctity: Transgender priests perform rituals in Vizianagaram temple ': by Sreenu Babu Pativada for The New Indian Express, Published on 31 May 2026 ' Transgender spiritual order finally finds acceptance at Kumbh Mela ': by Priti Salian for National Geographic, Published on 30 May 2019 ' Evolution of transgender rights in India: Better late than never ': by Bhargava et al. in Behavioral Sciences & the Law, Wiley Online Library, Published 7 July 2024 ' Transgender Community in India, Their Challenges and Government Initiatives ': by Sakshi Gupta for StudyIQ, Updated on 7 April 2025 ' Unraveling the mysteries of India's least-known transgender community, the Jogappas ': by Jovita Aranha for The Better India, Published on 28 July 2017

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