KINNARS
Who are the Kinnaras?
Who are the Kinnaras mentioned in ancient Indian scriptures and traditions?
• How are Kinnaras said to have come into existence?
• What is their nature, appearance, and purpose?
• What role do they play in the celestial world?
• What are their abilities, qualities, and duties?
• Where are they believed to live?
And most importantly—are the celestial Kinnaras of ancient texts the same as the “Kinnars” or Hijra communities we see in society today?
These are questions that are often overlooked or mixed together, even though the terms may refer to very different concepts.
Prestige, Social Status, and Scriptural Understanding of Kinnaras
In modern discussions about gender and social identity, references are sometimes made to ancient Hindu texts, including the Vedas, Smritis, epics, and later literature, to argue that communities described by terms such as Kinnara or Kinnar have always represented the same social identity that we understand today.
But is that interpretation historically and scripturally accurate?
Are the Kinnaras of ancient literature actually the same as the modern-day Kinnar/Hijra community? Or have different concepts, words, and traditions gradually become mixed together over time?
Popular stories and commonly repeated narratives are also frequently presented as ancient truth—for example, stories attributed to Prabhu Shri Rama ji's exile and the Kinnars. But how much of these stories can actually be traced to the earliest available scriptures, and how much belongs to later folklore, regional traditions, or popular retellings?
Rather than accepting either side blindly, let us go back to the scriptures, ancient literature, traditional descriptions, and historical evidence and examine the subject carefully.
Let us begin with the real questions:
• What exactly is a Kinnara?
• How are Kinnaras described as being born or created?
• What is their physical or celestial form?
• Are Kinnaras male, female, or something different altogether?
• What is their role and karma?
• What powers, talents, or abilities are attributed to them?
• What is their social and celestial status?
• Do Kinnaras have families, partners, or children?
• Where are they believed to reside?
• What is their relationship with other celestial beings such as Gandharvas, Yakshas, and Devas?
• And finally, how—if at all—are these ancient Kinnaras connected with the Kinnar/Hijra communities of the modern world?
To understand the answer, we must first separate Dharmic concepts from folklore, ancient terminology from modern terminology, and scriptural evidence from later popular stories.
So, who were the Kinnaras really?
Let us explore their origin, appearance, nature, abilities, relationships, social position, and purpose—not through assumptions, but through the ancient sources themselves.
20
