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Gay couple hold Hindu wedding
By Jyotsna Singh
May 29, 2001
A lesbian couple in India have married in a Hindu ceremony in what is believed
to
be one of the first gay weddings in the country.
Jaya Verma and Tanuja Chauhan held the ceremony at home in the small township
of Ambikapur in the central state of Chattisgarh.
The marriage, for which the women used a Hindu priest, still needs the approval
of the local registrar to be legalised.
So far the registry office has refused to grant approval because Indian law
does not recognise gay marriages.
But both women insist they will fight on until legislation is changed to allow
gay couples the same rights in marriage as heterosexual couples.
Shock
Many local residents have expressed their concern at the marriage, including a
leading lawyer, who said he was in a state of shock.
The couple's landlord has now asked them to leave their home.
Homosexual relationships are not unheard of in India - but they generally exist
in the country's larger cities where people can be more open about their
sexuality.
Both Jaya and Tanuja say they won't let criticism, and possibly even abuse,
from other local residents prevent them from leading their life together.
Gay rights campaigners have welcomed the news.
The Naz Foundation in Delhi, which runs a helpline for gay women, says every
couple has the right to have their relationship solemnised, regardless of
sexual orientation, and that Indian law must change to recognise this.
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