Delhi Queer Pride Parade: Rainbow hues add dose of love

To celebrate diversity and inclusivity, close to 12,000 persons participated in the 13th Delhi Queer Pride Parade. Walking and dancing from Barakhamba Road to Jantar Mantar, many exhibited their fashionable side and shared love for each. Some came just to show their support as allies.

Three years after the pandemic struck, finally the rainbow colours waded through the winter chills of the Capital, to spread warmth of love that’s inclusive and knows no boundaries. The Queer Pride Parade, which took place on Sunday saw 10,000 to 12,000 participants, as the event came back to Delhi with quadrupled hope and enthusiasm. To note, a number of people turned up for the first time, to immerse themselves in this sea of love!

The Delhi Queer Pride Parade 2023 took place on January 8, from Barakhamba to Jantar Mantar, and saw close to 12,000 attendees. (Photos: Manoj Verma/HT)

Attendees celebrated love, equality, and freedom in colourful attires.

“One doesn’t need any motivation because we have seen people of our community struggling to raise their voice in this society. We all support one another, and one doesn’t need any motivation to do good things,” says Ashish Kajla, an engineer, who attended the pride parade for the first time. “I came to know about the event through my friends, and what a lovely experience it was. I’ve been living in Delhi for a decade now, but couldn’t participate in this celebration of love and diversity due to reasons beyond my control. But now I feel each one of us, irrespective of who we are, should try and make efforts to build a more inclusive society with equal space for queer people and all other marginalised communities. Doing this is possible through showing support. Love has no gender, and just like everyone else, non-cisgender people should also be celebrating love and not struggling for their rights,” adds Kajla.

Several models brought their A-game in fashion.

“Attending the pride parade for the first time is quite exciting and overwhelming at the same time. I’m happy to see so many beautiful people come together,” says Aver, a first-year student of Miranda House, Delhi University. Her college friend Linda, hailing from Manipur, adds, “We were just so excited to attend the event as this was our first time here, and I got the opportunity to be around people like me.” Many other outstation college students, such as Lakhsmi Harikumar from Kerala, who attended for the first time, came because they felt it was important “to show alliance with the LGBTQIA+ community”.

Dhol beats welcomed one and all to this display of love that included some pets too.

And then there were some love birds who found the parade as a perfect occasion to date! Among these was Harshit Tripathi, a first-year student from Greater Noida, who came all the way to attend the parade. “This is my first time and I’m here with my partner,” he said when spotted having a cute conflict about spending a romantic evening. As his friends arrive, he leaves with a smile to join them: “I am from Uttar Pradesh, and my orientation is gay. But this is the first time I am here at the pride parade, and needless to say I’m super excited. Hope this huge participation will promote our community. I’ve also made so many new friends here.”

How about a keekli of love?

Taking the Covid situation into consideration, the volunteers distributed rainbow coloured masks at the event, alongwith batches as many came with posters that sought appeal for legalisation of same-sex marriages. “My mother is aware of my identity, but I could never tell my father, who passed away during Covid,” says Sukriti, who is preparing for government exams, adding, “The idea of marriage should change and a lot has to do with the Indian civil laws. Marriage rights to queer people is a big step. Moreover, reservation of trans in private and public jobs should also become a criterion or so.”

Participants painted their faces in rainbow colours to show their support.

The event’s success can only be measured in the number of smiles on faces, which felt safe exhibiting their love. “I was 18 years old at my first pride parade, and scared and uncertain. Fifteen years later, I see young people being able to participate with such freedom. It makes me feel like the work we have put in means something,” says AK Dave, a volunteer, adding, “The Delhi Queer Pride Parade is all about checks and balances. We had in mind how to make it safe and accessible for a maximum number of people while still honouring that pride is a protest and not just a party.”

Author tweets @tanmayadas7133

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