combat or India my connection to this story and this place is unique my grandfather was born here and now I'm visiting for the first time nearly eight decades later like many places in the subcontinent it's a city exploring the boundaries of old and new but one community in particular is pushing through a complex past and looking towards a transforming future they are he drew India's ancient transgender community we've only just arrived but my team and I have been invited to a unique celebration this is a ceremony of rebirth a moment of transformation it's a welcome into womanhood and a community of like-minded Souls for one this party marks the very first time to dress in sari a badge of honour and symbol of femininity for nearly all Indian women another LeFleur donned alone rhombus are the child they are winning any Khurana either worth a thousand that of another word out of me Pandu chauffeur drove remember Amma solution mark a model for a part of a catabolic plane now one are they he drew are now a politically recognized third gender a category of people whose identity is neither male nor female they began their lives as one gender but a physically transitioned to another Donna is one of the estimated two million Hedra in India [Music] heesu means something difference I was born a man now I'm a woman I did a sex change so I'm a transsexual woman I feel proud to be a transgender I don't think there's something abnormal in me in India Hedra have a recorded history of more than 4,000 years Royal Courts held them in high regard and sacred Hindu texts describe them in bright sari and delicate jewelry for stowing them with special powers to bring luck and fertility the hydras are considered to be an incarnation another form of Lord Krishna Lord Shiva and dog Shakti so every new thing that happens a transgender is there these revered hit your traditions do continue and some of Donna's friends have invited us to see the heater offer a blessing newly married couple goes first to a transgender get their blessings and start their life a newborn baby is first given to a transgender and the baby is being blessed the community of women greet our arrival and have put on the nicest sarees for the occasion I can't wait to see them [Music] they do some this with simplicity at first the baby isn't as welcoming to his new guests soon he's mesmerized by the magical dance and song of the huge a good fortune has arrived may God bless the child and let the child live for hundred years healthy they despite their special place in Indian culture in history Hedra have been pushed to the fringes and have not received the same civil rights as men and women the minute the family realizes that this person is not a fat regular gender they probably beg that human being please leave because it's bringing shame on the family and when you don't have education you can't work that's the reason they're involving heavy sex trade heavy prostitution rejected by their families in society many turn to prostitution and begging as their only means to survive they refuse jobs ostracized criminalized and even sexually assaulted on the street now by in Livorno principle none of the capital your Army in the past more popular and a family government and society arm England yet the care of the left I never used to behave like a guy I used to help my mom with the kitchen helper and cooking did you feel comfortable talking to your family about the way that you felt well they didn't accept me they want me as a son not as a doctor it's been now six years I'm out of my family altogether I was really scared but I had no choice how did you find your courage the passion to become a female made my mind strong Donner is now trying to put the past behind her and embracing her new identity she invited me to stop by her local garment shop where the choice of fabric allows women to create their look from a variety of colors and textures was well on the way to yeah yeah the history of the sari is traced back thousands of years to the western part of India the word sari is Sanskrit for strip of cloth it seems to be a lot of material who taught you how to do this I learned when I saw when I'm on this oh so she didn't actually show you you just paid it ten years we're tucking and draping everything around the undercut the garment measures an impressive 15 to 18 feet long though there are many recorded ways to drape it it's a simple foundation but for Donna a sari was essential to realizing her true self when did you finally put your first diary on after the sex change how did you feel when you saw yourself I felt I've done what I was aspiring really our birthdays yeah our would be laughter now that you get to wear a sari you have your own sense of style who Donna really well never know not as even that's it and I'll say a prayer Chennai enecon already love it longer family are there you got a family laying a family is it that fashion is almost ready means available to us to express in a visual statement our identity and something as simple as a sari has been denied to them these women are so courageous it might just be a piece of clothing to some but to a special group of people it's an identity of victory a new beginning I feel very happy because I've undergone so many pain in my life to become like this when we are with our community I feel at home thanks for watching style out there subscribe now for more stylish adventure