As the President of India conferred Padma Shri on Tuesday, he was greeted uniquely by Karnataka’s transgender folk artist Manjamma Jogathi in Rashtrapati Bhawan. Manjamma took the fringe of the saree towards President Ram Nath Kovind to wish him good luck, as per the popular belief regarding transgender, before receiving the award. Her gesture followed a loud applaud from other Padma Shri awardees and dignitaries at the event.
But what it took her to attain Padma Shri is a story that will stir your soul.
Manjamma had a challenging journey, beating all odds with her broad smiles.
From Manjunath Shetty to Manjamma Jogathi
Manjamma was born as Manjunath Shetty on 18 April 1964 in the village of Kallukamba in the Bellary district of Karnataka. But it was noticed that her body language and likes were girlish as a child while in school. He loved spending time with girls, playing and dancing with them. Her family was worried, so they took her to the doctor and priest, who confirmed that Manjunath is transgender.
#WATCH | Transgender folk dancer of Jogamma heritage and the first transwoman President of Karnataka Janapada Academy, Matha B Manjamma Jogati receives the Padma Shri award from President Ram Nath Kovind. pic.twitter.com/SNzp9aFkre
— ANI (@ANI) November 9, 2021
Following this, his parents took him to the Huligeyamma temple near Hospat in 1975, where she was transformed to Jogappa. A Jogappa, or Jogathi, is a trans person who considers herself married to Goddess Yellamma. Then she wore a mangalsutra, a skirt-blouse, and bracelets, becoming Manjamma Jogathi.
A suicide attempt
Manjunath’s transformation upset his family very much. His mother was grieving for losing her son. She kept crying and saying that her son was now dead to her. The newly converted Manjamma could not bear these words from her mother and consumed poison. Thankfully her family took her to the hospital, and her life was saved.
Also, read: Meet India’s First Transgender OT Technician – A Sanskrit Graduate Who Begged At Railway Stations
Once became a beggar and victim of gang rape
After recovering, Manjamma decided to leave home. But she had nowhere to live and nothing to eat, and so she was forced to resort to begging. It was during this time when six people raped her and also took her money away.
She hit rock bottom and wanted to end her life all over again. Suddenly she saw a father and son dancing in the street and stopped from committing the deed.
Opting dancing as a career
The duo that stopped her from dying was dancing to folk songs near the Davangere bus stop in Karnataka. In the performance, the father sang and the son danced by performing the art of holding a steel jug to his head, without dropping it. Not just this, he was also picking up the coins that had fallen to the ground with his mouth, in this state.
Manjamma was awestruck. She watched them with great attention and decided to learn this dance from this man and took refuge under him. She used to visit the man’s hut every day to learn to dance.
Her keen interest in the art led her Jogappa partner to introduce her to a folk artist named Kalva. On their first meeting, Kalva asked her to dance. She was nervous for Kalva was an expert but she gave her best. Afterward, Kalva began to call her for small roles in plays.
Her talent gradually placed her in the leading role and the programs began to run under his name. She soon became the hallmark of Jogathi dance. It is because of her that the dance gained recognition among the common people.
Laurels
She went on to win many awards and accolades for her work. In the year 2006, Manjamma Jogti received the Karnataka Janapada Akademi award. Four years later, in 2010, she received Karnataka Rajyotsava Samman. She also became the first transgender president of ‘Karnataka Janpad Akademi.’