'Shikahndi' name is quite unpopular

Page

Deepti

@Sweet_Krishna

Navigator

Posted: 12 years ago

If we see literary works then we often find "Shikhandi" being used to address eunuchs, cowards, devoid of manhood etc. But on the contrary, Shikhandi does not mean any of these.

Shikhandi is one of the names of Lord Vishnu as per Vishnu Sahastranaam which means one who wears peacock feather.

However , the name is widely being used in derogatory sense.One would never name one's child as Shikhandi today.

By the way, as per Mahabharat, the girl Shikhandini exchanged her gender with a Yaksh and got transformed into a male and was known Shikhandi afterwards.So there is no question of calling her an eunuch contrary to popular belief. I have read that once she became male, Shikhandi married a princess and even had kids with her.

Where is the question of being an eunuch?

If Shikhandini transforms to Shikhandi, would Shikha still portray the male role? And I do want to see her playing Shikhandi too.

Quote

Frequent Posters

Shivpriya

@shivpriya

Explorer

Posted: 12 years ago

even I don't understand why shikhandi is believed to be a eunuch? he was born as a girl to Drupad, and after sex-change became a man. he even had a wife and son !

Quote

Looks like you are new here. Register for free, learn and contribute.

halfbloodprince

@WindsOfHeaven

Achiever

+ 8

Posted: 12 years ago

I don't think Shikha will play Shikhandi too. Let's wait and watch!

Quote

anuramesh26

@anuramesh26

Voyager

+ 2

Posted: 12 years ago

Originally posted by: shivpriya
even I don't understand why shikhandi is believed to be a eunuch? he was born as a girl to Drupad, and after sex-change became a man. he even had a wife and son !

The sex change is true, hence Shikandi was considered an outcast - this was not acceptable in those days. Its called the "gender reassignment surgery" these days. And due to this reason he lived in the forest no family, lived only for the vengeance.

Edited by anuramesh26 - 12 years ago

Quote

Vrish

@Vr15h

Stunner

+ 6

Posted: 12 years ago

Shikhandi was a transexual, not a eunuch. The 2 ain't even remotely close. She was fully a woman, then changed into a complete man. That complete man was one of the 7 Pandava commanders.

When she was born, Mahadev himself told Drupada that what he had was a son. Since Mahadev told him that, Drupada raised 'her' accordingly: she was dressed as a prince, taught fighting skills & when it was time for her marriage, they had her married to the daughter of King Hiranyavarma. That marriage almost led to war, as her bride discovered that Shikhandini was a woman herself. She left the kingdom depressed, wanting to end her life for bringing such ignomy to the family, and exchanged genders w/ an yaksha. That yaksha got cursed into remaining a woman, but the curse was softened saying that he'd get back his male gender after Shikhandi's death.

Shikhandi then returned to Panchala and convinced his wife, and the war was called off. They later had a son, who took part in the war as well, and was killed either by Drona, or by Duryodhan's son Laxmana (there are 2 different accounts in different places).

One thing I wonder - is the name 'Shikha' - like in the actress' name - a derivative of Shikhandi?

Quote

Shivpriya

@shivpriya

Explorer

Posted: 12 years ago

well explained @vrish dats wat I meant dat shikhandi was never a eunuch but a complete woman transformed into a complete man. btw it is indeed an interesting coincidence between names of the actress and her character 😆 but I think both names have different meanings. 'shikha' means peak, and shikhandi means whoz gender is broken (khand- broken in parts) so the name refers to shikhandi being a girl but raised as a boy, so her gender was dividedat into 2 and was not specific. the name may also be used to refer to eunuchs but in this case it only meant dat shikhandi was a transgender.

Quote

Deepti

@Sweet_Krishna

Navigator

Posted: 12 years ago

Originally posted by: shivpriya
well explained @vrish dats wat I meant dat shikhandi was never a eunuch but a complete woman transformed into a complete man. btw it is indeed an interesting coincidence between names of the actress and her character 😆 but I think both names have different meanings. 'shikha' means peak, and shikhandi means whoz gender is broken (khand- broken in parts) so the name refers to shikhandi being a girl but raised as a boy, so her gender was dividedat into 2 and was not specific. the name may also be used to refer to eunuchs but in this case it only meant dat shikhandi was a transgender.

Where from u got that meaning of Shikhandi?