Ishwari by Rama Shimlai [Hardcover]

Mukut, a successful person of the third gender, has reached the heights of success with his ability and determination. He has established himself as a complete woman, having transitioned from a male body. In disdain for his relatives, he turned away and lived abroad. However, when the human side of Mukut learns that one of the key support systems during his struggle period, his brother-in-law, is ill, he sets aside his pride and returns to the country, and the story takes a different turn. Jasmine is another key pillar of this story. This self-aware girl, though known individually as a governess, shines throughout the story with her character’s brilliance. Upon returning to the country, Mukut, through Jasmine, learns of a thirteen- or fourteen-year-old boy named Shyam, who is also a third-gender person, just like Mukut. Mukut takes it upon himself to shape Shyam into a Shyamangi (a fully realized third-gender person). The story navigates the breaking waves of the sea, the convex and concave, and the societal jaws and claws. But surprisingly, unlike in other novels, there are no truly negative characters in this narrative created by Roma. None at all. Instead, the story ultimately creates a positive feeling, and this too is no exception.