Weird

So a long while ago, while I was traveling by train through rural Maharashtra, some people who looked like men dressed and highly decorated in (women's) saris briefly boarded the train.

One of them came over to me. I stopped reading and looked up at him (he was significantly taller than most Indians). He gave me a broad smile, and put his hand on my head. With an unusually deep voice, he chanted something for a few seconds. Then he took his hand off my head and left.

Weird, huh?

But what is really weird is that I just went back to reading, unfazed. Apparently I've become so numb to foreign culture that I didn't even stop to think 'Hey, that was sort of weird. I wonder what it was all about,' until about a week after the event.

It turns out they were eunuchs/transsexuals. In India they have been part of the religious establishment for millennial, and are still around in rural areas. They give blessings to people, and you're supposed to give them a little money.

Oh well, he/she didn't seem to mind.

As a principle, I never give money to India's numerous beggars/charlatans unless they volunteer to perform a service, and even then I usually just buy them food. It's my personal way to separate the beggars-for-profit from the ones who are truly in danger of starvation (and there are some).

But interestingly, everyone-- and I do mean everyone-- in India that I have asked about this has given me the same stern warning: never, ever, EVER get on the bad side of a eunuch.

And then they refuse to go into any more detail.

Now that is weird.