HUBBALLI: Manjamma Jogati, a transgender of Jogamma heritage and first transwoman president of Karnataka Janapada Academy, has authored ‘Naduve Suliva Hennu’, her autobiography. Manjamma is the first transgender to write an autobiography in Kannada. The book is expected to be released by Diwali.
Speaking to TOI, Jogati said she is eagerly awaiting the release of her autobiography. “Seeing the responses on social media I am happy that my life is an open book. However, I am also curious and apprehensive on how readers will react to my book,” she added.
Karnataka Folklore University had released her autobiography in 2014. “However, it was not comprehensive. The varsity’s students had interacted with me for 4 hours and had brought it in the form of books. But this autobiography is different. It is narrated by Arun Joladkudligi, a post-doctoral fellow at Kannada University Hampi, who has been interacting with me for the pst 15-odd years,” she explains.
Unknown circles of life
Baraguru Ramachandrappa, veteran Kannada writer and film director, who has written the preface says the book is an effort at unveiling unknown circles of life. “Manjamma represents a social and cultural circle, which is still unknown to commoners. This book can also be seen from linguistic and folklore aspects as it’s narrated in the local dialect of Jogati,” he commented.
Narrator Joladkudligi says there are two translated autobiographies of transgenders in Kannada; and lives of transgenders are recorded in the form of project reports and these have showcased Hijra tradition of trans community. “However, Mangamma’s autobiography is a narration of life of Jogatis of North Karnataka and Yellamma cult of Shakta tradition,” he explained.