The Legend of Shikhandi, the Transgendered Warrior Who Paid the Price of Opposing Powerful Men

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Illustration of Mahabharata

The Legend of Shikhandi, the Transgendered Warrior Who Paid the Price of Opposing Powerful Men

Chauvinism existed even in the Hindu epic Mahabharata. The ancient text depicts the legendary eighteen-day bloodbath, dubbed the Kurukshetra War, where the hero/heroine’s greatest feat was not defeating the enemy, but overcoming stereotyped prejudice.

The Battle of Kurukshetra, fought between the Kauravas and the Pandavas, recorded in the Mahabharata. (Public domain)

The Battle of Kurukshetra, fought between the Kauravas and the Pandavas, recorded in the Mahabharata. (Public domain)

This war was a battle between the five Pandava brothers and their cousins, the Kauravas.  Bhisma, the leader of the Kauravas’ army, was a mighty war lord and it seemed as if both armies were deadlocked.  Lord Krishna – an avatar of the god Vishnu – tipped the scales when he recognized the warrior skills of Shikhandi, a young male soldier, who was born a woman.


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