A gay couple in Hyderabad said "I do" in a close-knit ceremony surrounded by family and friends on December 18.
In an all-smiles ceremony, 31-year-old Supriyo Chakraborty and 34-year-old Abhay Dang exchanged vows of togetherness and companionship.
The ceremony was a mix of Bengali and Punjabi wedding rituals.
Supriyo, a senior faculty member at a prominent hotel management institute, is from Kolkata, and Abhay, an MNC employee, hails from Delhi.
The couple has been into an eight-year-long relationship and has now officially become ¡®husband and husband¡¯.?
The ceremony was officiated by a transvestite person, Sophia David, from Hyderabad.
At a time when gay marriages are illegal in India, the couple held the ceremony and exchanged rings, and celebrated their marriage with close to 60 family members and friends.
¡°For the wedding, we walked down the aisle and exchanged vows and rings. Following the event, best man speeches were delivered,¡± Chakraborty told The Times of India.
¡°Mehendi is always a woman-centric ceremony. We wanted to break that stereotype by holding the same for men at the venue. During Haldi, we wore the Bengali topor (a headgear). Subsequently, a sangeet function was held where performances were given," Chakraborty said.
The couple calls themselves "soulmates".