It has been less than a year the Indian Government decriminalized homosexuality in a country that is rife with homophobia. However a Hindu gay couple living in New Jersey gave the world a glimpse of how wonderful weddings there will become the day that same-sex marriage is legalised in their place of birth.
Aditya Madiraju and Amit Shah, first got married in a small ceremony at New York City Hall in 2018, but later decided they wanted to throw a proper Indian celebration that could include more of their family and friends. They chose this summer because it coincided with a visit to the U.S. that Madiraju’s parents, who live in India, had already planned.
So last month keeping strictly to Indian tradition , the couple hosted a mehndi party in their backyard (this is the pre-wedding celebration in Hindu culture when usually the bride has the red-orange mehndi”stain” applied to her palms, back of hands, and feet.)
On the 3rd day, they capped off the weekend with a sangeet-style reception at Pondicheri cafe in New York City.
Whilst homosexuality isn’t explicitly condemned in the Hindu religion it is still not universally accepted. But the whole of India has to still shake the last vestiges of once being part of the British Empire where the ridiculous morality of the Victorian era was forced upon.
The fact that the news of images of this wedding went viral is not just due to the majesty of the celebrations, but also the very loud confirmation #LoveWins.
