The rituals of Navmi, the last day of the nine-day Hindu festival of Navratri, have just gotten over at her home in Kanhwara village in Madhya Pradesh’s Katni district, and Durga Bai Majhwar — better known as Durga Mausi — is dressed up as the goddess she is named after, ready for a performance at the famous Maa Sharda Temple in neighbouring Maihar.
She has taken a day off from the month-long campaign, criss-crossing her constituency on her trusty Scooty.
Ms. Majhwar, 36, who claims to be India’s first sarpanch (village head) from the transgender or Kinnar community, is now in the fray as an Independent Lok Sabha candidate from M.P.’s Damoh constituency. She will face off against the BJP’s Rahul Lodhi and the Congress’ Sarwar Singh Lodhi, already having converted the fierce Lodhi vs Lodhi duel into a triangular contest.
