It has been as present in the veins of history, temple stones, folklore and spiritual traditions as ever. While colonial laws like Section 377, modelled on the uptight Victorian morality, suppressed the longstanding fluidity of gender and sexuality that has otherwise dominated the subcontinent, pre-colonial India featured a scene of great gender diversity, same-sex love and trans identities woven deeply into daily life. Far from being a modern anomaly, queer existence in India has been systemic, spiritual and socially integrated. Let us delve into the history and heritage of the country and find out things that may shed light over the queer quarters which are not novel to its masses.
At Khajuraho in Madhya Pradesh, famed temple carvings depict a wide spectrum of intimate expressions—same-sex affection, bisexuality and fluid erotic acts—all publicly inscribed in stone, illustrating pre-colonial acceptance of diverse sexuality. Odisha’s Konark Sun Temple, on the other hand, similarly retains homoerotic sculptures among its stone reliefs. If you travel further in Madhya Pradesh, the Chausath Yogini temples, scattered across central India, honour feminine power and non-linear gender expression by venerating goddesses that defy conventional gender norms. In southern India, the annual Koovagam Festival in Tamil Nadu venerates the Hijra community through the mythical marriage of deity Aravan, affirming trans identities through ritual celebration.
Indian mythology is a rich ground replete with evidence of divine gender fluidity. For instance, Ardhanarishvara—Lord Shiva combined with Goddess Parvati—represents a balanced duality of masculine and feminine energies. Krishna’s transformations, including the Mohini avatar, underscore a mutable gender that transcends rigid definitions. Even Mahabharata’s Shikhandi, born female but raised male to fulfil destiny, emerges as an iconic trans warrior who shifts gender and plays a pivotal role in Bhishma’s defeat. Looking at the Bhakti saints such as Andal and Akka Mahadevi, one realises that through devotional verse steeped in their love for the divine, they operated outside gendered norms.
During the Mughal era, same-sex themes appeared in court poetry—Urdu and Persian verses contained expressions of male-male affection. Eunuchs, in the Mughal regime, held high posts and played crucial roles in shaping power dynamics, from behind the restraint of the harem and otherwise. Towards the latter half, Nawabs like Wajid Ali Shah, himself quite a queer figure, sometimes penned homoerotic verses. Moreover, imperial harems and zanana spaces featured complex gendered interactions. Courtesan culture, especially among the tawaifs of Lucknow, managed fluid performances of gender and sexuality—defying binary categorisation.
Since the longest time, Hijra communities in India have navigated a fluctuating, often tormented, status. Once respected in Hindu and Mughal courts for spiritual role in fertility rites, they were later criminalised under the Victorian law. Today, they continue performing ceremonies at births and weddings, blessing—or cursing—with cultural legitimacy recognised by the courts as a third gender. In Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh, Jogappa (male trans or transgender devotees of Yellamma) and Devadasi traditions similarly integrate gender diversity with spiritual service. Meanwhile, Baul singers of Bengal transcend binary categories through devotional songs that celebrate divine love beyond gender confines.
Today, India’s queer activists and communities have been reclaiming the history and spaces that have long been maligned and appropriated. Queer scholars, artists, and tour guides are mapping “queer heritage trails”—visiting temples, landscapes, and festivals suggestive of gender fluidity and same-sex love in India’s past. Artists and performers in theatre, literature, music, and dance have begun spotlighting LGBTQ+ voices and histories voraciously. Existing cultural spaces around Chennai, Kolkata, Delhi, and Bangalore host heritage walks, led by queer heritage walkers, exploring ancient sculptures, folk stories, and courtly literature. These reclaim physical spaces that were once part of a pluralistic, gender-diverse ethos.
Khajuraho Temples (Madhya Pradesh): Examine sculptures showcasing same-sex intimacy and inclusive erogenous forms.
Konark Sun Temple (Odisha): View public-facing homoerotic stone reliefs.
Koovagam Festival (Tamil Nadu): Attend the symbolic marriage of Aravan, central to Hijra identity.
Mughal-era Lucknow: Explore Urdu poetry salons and courtesan culture that featured queer expression.
Mehboob Khan’s Baul villages (West Bengal): Discover spiritual music that interrogates binary gender through wandering minstrel songs.
A larger cultural reclamation includes this rediscovery. Academic institutions are collaborating with queer historians to rework text and iconography. Elders who have practiced these customs, such as the Hijra, Jogappa, and Devadasi, have their oral histories archived and conferences hosted by LGBTQ+ activist groups. Queer-focused tourism experiences, such as guided temple tours, folk gatherings, and archives that emphasise intersectional identities, are becoming more prevalent.
