LGBTQ Events in India

On 6 September India’s Supreme Court struck down the colonial era that made gay sex punishable. India has been fighting for the rights of the LGBTQ people and there were a number of events, groups and organizations. Some of the important events of India are:

KOLKATA RAINBOW PRIDE FESTIVAL

Kolkata rainbow pride festival is a Kolkata based group of individuals, networks and organizations that support LGBT rights. It was formed on 1 May 2011. They took the initiative of organising Kolkata Rainbow Pride Walk and they also run a number of events, art exhibits, cultural events, community hang outs, etc. It is the longest running event in South Asia. In 2012, KRPF organised an exhibition which ran for six days. Fifteen artists from both India and aboard were part of it. It was titled ‘Broadening the Canvas – Celebrating Blemishes’. It also organises discussions panels on different social issues.

KOOVAGAM

Koovagam is a village in the Ulundurpettai taluk in Villapuram district, Tamil Nadu. It is famous the annual festival of transgender and transvestile individuals. The festival is dedicated to Aaravan and the festival takes place in Koothandavar Temple. The participants marry the Lord Koothandavar. It is done to re-enact an ancient myth of Lord Krishna who married Koothandavar after taking the name of a woman called Mohini. Later, the transgender people mourn the god Koothandavar’s death. They perform a ritualistic dance and break the bangles.

MR. GAY INDIA.

Mr. Gay is a national beauty pageant for the gay pageant. Sushant Divgikar, 2014 winner is the National Director and Producer of the organization. The inception of the pageant was in 2008. Zoltan Parag was crowned the first Mr. Gay India. The pageant was irregular earlier but now it is held annually in Mumbai. Suresh Ramdas won the 2019 Mr. Gay India title.