Is the Hindu Marriage Act, 1955 (HMA) amenable to a queer interpretation, that allows us to bring within its scope, marriage between two Hindus of the same sex? In the last issue of Maya, Sahil Bansal has argued that such a thing is possible, by showing how Hindu religious and cultural traditions have always accommodated…
Tag: Hindu
Hindu Mythology and the Forgotten Queer Characters
The queer movement in India has sparked nationwide debates all over the country. The battle against Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code has been won, however the war against the heteronormative structure of the society still continues. The Hindu mythology is a proof that alternative sexual orientation did find a place in the society….
Hindu Marriage Act, 1955: A Queer Interpretation
Not just the narratives from the scriptures but also various priests hold a view in support of same-sex marriages. Like Shakuntala Devi in her work, “The world of Homosexuals” interviewed a priest from a Vaishnava temple, Srinivasa Raghavachariar, who married two same-sex individuals. The priest justified the wedding by arguing that under the Hindu belief…