The Jogati are a trans-gender community found in North Karnataka, mainly in the regions of Hubli,
Dharwad and Belgaum, as well as parts of Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra. Depending on
their gender they are called Jogatis, Jogappas or Jogammas. The Jogatis
are street performers who sing in the name of the Goddess Yellamma,
also known as Renuka, of whom they are devotees.

Historically, the Jogati community provided a refuge for transgender people. When young
boys realised that they wanted to live and be accepted as women, they would be formally
initiated into the community by accepting a Guru or Mother from the Community, and would
then belong to a matriarchal family. Their initiation into the community is through a ritual to
mark their marriage with the female Deity. They speak and sing in Kannada, the language
spoken by most people in Karnataka. Here they would learn to sing and dance and act in
dramas, and earn a living through their performances.

Ramakka comes from Bellary and belongs to a varied family background. Different
members of her family live in villages in and around Hospet, a town in the district of Bellary.
The kind of music that they sing and the Instruments that they play depend on the region to
which they belong. The song you hear, “Aadi Baa Magane,” is a story that surrounds a
woman who has become a new mother and narrates how motherhood has given her a new
lease of life. Renuka wants to witness her son Parashuram, an avatar of Vishnu, playing and
doing the things which other children do. The title literally translates to ‘Go play, my son’.
Ramavva sings and plays Chowdike, the key instrument of the Jogati community, with
unique flair and dexterity.