Hyderabad gay couple ties knot in front of family and friends

Hyderabad : A Hyderabad gay couple has tied knot in the presence of their friends and family; this could be the first same-sex marriage in the state of Telangana. Abhay Dange,34, and Supriyo Chakraborty, 31 have been dating each other for the last 8 years.

In India, same-sex couples cannot register their marriage under the law, although homosexuality was decriminalised by the Supreme Court in 2018.

According to Times of India, Supriyo Chakraborty and Abhay Dange exchanged vows and rings in a "promising ceremony" on December 18. The ceremony, held on the outskirts of Hyderabad, consisted of a mix of both Punjabi and Bengali traditions. Prior to the wedding, they also had a mehendi and haldi ceremony and a sangeet function.

The couple had met eight years ago on a dating app. "Our parents were pleased that we included them from the beginning, and they have been very supportive of our relationship," Supriyo Chakraborty told Humans of Hyderabad - a popular page that documents the stories of the city's residents.

"Our journey to being accepted as gay men has not been too difficult. Once you come out to a critical mass of people and they accept you, your self-confidence rises and each new coming out becomes easier," he said.