By Mahesh Pandey BBC reporter in Bhopal

Eunuchs from across India have gathered in Bhopal, the capital of the central state of Madhya Pradesh to celebrate a unique festival.

More than 2,500 eunuchs will sing, dance and make merry for several days in memory of their spiritual teacher, Haji Rahamatullah.

Eunuchs have long lived on the fringes of society

India has several hundred thousand of the so-called "third sex" who are traditionally regarded as auspicious.

The venue of the meeting is significant as several eunuchs in Madhya Pradesh have had a high profile over recent months.

Changing times

Shabnam Mausi has become India's first eunuch to occupy a seat in a state assembly.

And another eunuch Kamla Jaan has been fighting a court battle to retain the mayorship of the city of Katni in Madhya Pradesh.

Known as "hijras" in Hindi, eunuchs are mainly either castrated men or transvestites.

They mostly earn a living by collecting cash gifts from people on occasions like marriages and births.

But this is not what has brought them to Bhopal.

They are here as representatives of their society.

Social occasion

For eunuchs, this conference is a festival where they get to meet "their-own-kind" from all over India.

If we get into politics, who will sing and dance on marriages?

Jyoti, senior eunuch

Asha, who has come all the way from Baroda in Gujarat, said: "We don't have a son or a daughter at whose marriage we can expect a get-together. It is this festival which fulfils our wishes."

The sentiment is echoed by Rammobai, who says, "we are having a good time here and while enjoying ourselves we have also developed close relations".

Organisers of the festival said discussions were also held on certain "internal issues" but the media was not allowed to cover the debate.

There have been some suggestions recently that eunuchs are considering forming their own political party.

Participants, however, rejected suggestions that politics was discussed.

"If we get into politics, who will sing and dance on marriages?", a senior eunuch Jyoti said.