Hyderabad
Love is blind, they say, but love in their case happens to be a matter of choice. It's not easy for a gay couple to flaunt their relationship owing to societal norms and social stigma. But 31-yr-old Supriyo Chakraborty and 34-yr-old Abhay Dange have been a blessed couple as their relationship did not have to go through the ups and downs due to societal pressure. In fact, they are in a safe social bubble, full of loving friends and family.
Their well-publicized wedding has already made them famous in the city of pearls, and they say they are eternally thankful to Hyderabad as this is the place they became a couple and grew as people. In fact, they have set an example among the LGBTQ+ community, and their rainbow wedding will be remembered for a long time.
While they got married in a gala ceremony two months back, the newlyweds had an official wedding reception with extended family in Supriyo's hometown Kolkata. They say it was a special valentine's day as their family decided to celebrate their togetherness by throwing a reception in Kolkata.
Supriyo came to Hyderabad 11 years back and presently teaches at an international hotel management school, while Abhay shifted here 13 years ago and is working as a software development manager in an MNC. They say they swiped right on a dating app meant for the LGBTQIA+ community. They share that they spent the entire day together and realized they had something between them.
Their idea of a perfect date would mean going to Hussain Sagar and having a butta after the rush and driving up to Gandipet and watching the sunset. They say many don't realize they are a couple when they go out on dates, and many feel they are either best friends or brothers. But then there are some who feel the vibes, and the couple says that does not intimidate them as they have a huge support system of friends and family who accept their relationship.
Of course, they are not married in court as Indian law does not recognize gay marriages; the duo is happy that they have been accepted by their family and friends, and that matters most to them.
They confess that more than societal pressure, they had to deal with the dilemmas of disagreement and possessiveness to gauge how serious the other person was. But all that is in the past, and both Supriyo and Abhay say they are ecstatic about celebrating their first Valentine's Day together as a couple.