Adnan Hossain, Claire Pamment, and Jeff Roy. Badhai: Hijra-Kwaja Sira-Trans Performance across Borders in South Asia

How can a ritual performance be interpreted beyond the prism of religion? In Badhai: Hijra-Kwaja Sira-Trans Performance across Borders in South Asia, Adnan Hossain, Claire Pamment, and Jeff Roy take a sensitive approach to badhai (literally translated as “congratulations”), placing the emphasis on affects and aesthetics. This ritual—performed by hijra-kwaja sira-trans from Bangladesh, Pakistan, and India—usually takes place on specific occasions, such as the birth of a baby or a couple’s wed...