A 57-year-old woman from Tamil Nadu's Thoothukudi disguised as a man for 36 years because of her daughter's safety.
Petchiammal, who hails from Kattunayakanpatti village, said she took this unusual step to raise her lone daughter safely in a patriarchal society.
Petchiammal had a tough few months after her marriage.
According to media report, her husband Siva died just 15 days after the marriage. Petchiammal was 20-years-old then and soon gave birth to Shanmugasundari.
Petchiammal found it difficult to raise a child alone and she worked in construction sites, hotels and tea shops to provide for her daughter. Also, she had decided not to marry again.
She suffered harassment in all these workplaces dominated by men. One day, after months of facing sexual taunts and hardship, Petchiammal decided to turn into a 'man'. She changed her attire to a shirt and lungi and rechristened herself as Muthu.
From thereon she lived disguised as a man for 36 years. “We resettled at Kattunayakkanpatti over 20 years ago. Only my close relatives back home and my daughter knew that I am a woman,” she was quoted.
Shanmugasundari is now married and the family is doing well financially. But Petchiammal is not yet ready to change her attire or identity. She claimed the change in identity ensured a safe life for her daughter and she would remain 'Muthu' forever.
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