Jayati Godhawat
JWB Blogger
Story Of This Monk Is Better Than The One Who Sold His Ferrari
- JWB Post
- July 2, 2016
‘It’s not about being a new person, but becoming the person you were already meant to be.’
Tenzin Mariko’s story of realizing her true identity as a woman and giving up on her practice of becoming a monk to be a dancer, a model, and a make-up artist is glorifying.
Born a boy, in Suja village, Mandi, Tibet, for five years, Tenzin studied Buddhist philosophy in Darjeeling because of her father’s insistence. For higher studies, she also went to a monastery in Nepal, which she left after a while. For the next three years, Mariko tried to hide her feelings and her true identity behind a monk’s robe. Gradually, she became friends with other girls, and together they watched makeup and fashion tutorials on YouTube.
Gradually, she became friends with other girls, and together they watched makeup and fashion tutorials on YouTube.
Mariko realized, “I became more and more aware of the fact that I was endowed with strong feminine characteristics. As a child, too, I would steal my mother’s lipstick and mascara and danced wearing girl’s clothes at school functions.”
Mariko soon accepted that inside the body of a man, was a heart and soul of a woman. She would dress up like a female and would wear make-up. However, people teased, taunted and called her “hijra.”
“It was hurtful,“ recalled Mariko.
But, she was determined and knew this was a fight she had to win.
She revealed her reality at the Miss Tibet beauty pageant last year and since then, Mariko has performed in various shows across India.
Now, that she has proved her worth, her community has also accepted her.
“For every 100 people who dislike me, there are 1,000 who like me,“ said Mariko
The 19-year-old aspiring make-up artist, recently, posted a photo of herself in a bikini along with the other contestants of Miss Tibet 2016, with the caption:
“Whether you like it or not, but we Tibetan ladies in bikinis (know) our body is our right.”
“Always look at yourself in the mirror, not in other people’s eyes,” added Mariko.
Wow, isn’t it a beautiful lesson we all must learn to lead a content life?
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