From a rape victim to Padma Shri awardee, transgender folk dancer Manjamma Jogati's life is inspirational

Bengaluru: Before receiving the Padma Shri, she placed the lap of her sari on President Ram Nath Kovind's head and then touched the floor with both hands. The dignitaries present at the Rashtrapati Bhavan welcomed her with applause. Kovind reciprocated by greeting her with folded hands.

But, who was the President honouring? She is the one who had been raped many times and begged to make a living for several years, until she deciphered her latent talent of being a potential Jogati Dancer, when she almost had decided to end her traumatic life. She is Karnataka's transgender artist and Padmashri Mata B Manjamma Jogati.

Born as Manjunath Shetty in Ballari, Manjamma has been her father's target for wanting to be identified as a woman, which was none of her fault. While in school, she loved traveling and dancing with girls. His brother felt she was possessed with some 'Goddess' and was tied to a pillar and beaten up.

A priest later said that she was blessed by Goddess Shakti, but Manjamma's father spurned her and declared her dead for him.

In 1975, she was taken to the Huligemma Temple near Hospet, where she was renamed. And, on seeing his son clad in woman's clothes, her mother cried profusely, saying she lost his son forever.

The "ruthless" father threw Manjamma out of the house, from where her tough life began, as she wandered the streets begging bowl and getting raped many times.

She also stayed in the hospital for several days due to illness, and once six people together robbed her money and raped her.

Manjamma almost thought of ending her life, but then she saw a man and his son, dancing with utensils on their heads. This was the Jogati Dance.

Hooked to it, she started learning the art and became proficient. Soon she started getting offers of performing in theatres. Manjamma did not stop here. She also mastered, among other art forms, the Janapada songs, Kannada language sonnets in praise of various female deities.

For this accomplishment, Manjamma was bestowed with the Karnataka Rajyotsava Award in 2010. In 2006, she was awarded the Karnataka Janapada Academy Award and, in 2019, she was appointed President of the institution, becoming the first transgender to occupy the position. (UNI)