Have you ever wondered why gay people are embarrassed to state the fact that they are gay? Why is it excruciating for them to mention that they are gay? The very conspicuous rationality behind this is the unacceptability of Gay culture in India. People will accept the fact in public, that being gay is not bizarre but when it comes to their family, it seems to be some kind of mere mental trauma.
Well, the best part is, after abrogation of Article 377 in 2018, India has been witnessing variations in mindsets of people and better acceptance rates have been observed. At IIT Delhi, a survey revealed that around 72% of the people present, accepted gayness as a normal thing.
Now, the question arises, is India safe for gay travellers? Yes, it is. You may be pondering, how does it matter to be gay to travel. Well, the most paramount factor involved here is, finding a gay-friendly hotel. All you need to do is research before you make a trip.
Now, let’s talk about some gay-friendly cities in India.
Delhi
The Capital of India is secure for gays. Delhi is a chaotic as well as a colorful city with lots of tourist destinations. Most popular ones include- The Red Fort, Humanyun’s Tomb, India Gate, Jama Masjid, Lotus Temple, Akshardham, Rashtrapati Bhawan, Jantar Mantar, Qutub Minar, Lodhi Garden etc. There are many more.
Only for you: Let's talk about something more specific to make your nightlife in Delhi, a better one. Bars like Depot 48, PDA Martini Bar, The Lalit are perfect for gay people. PDA Martini bar hosts a queer fiasco every Tuesday known as Rainbow Tuesday. Also, Thursday evenings at The Lalit are ultimate due to Kitty-Su.
You may also find some hotels on an hourly-basis if you are not staying at one place and travelling frequently. This saves money and time.
Mumbai
Mumbai, The City of Dreams is home to many Bollywood celebrities with lots of exemplary tourist destinations. Let’s go about some of them. The Gateway of India, Marine Drive, Elephanta Caves, Sanjay Gandhi National Park, Red Carpet Wax Museum, Juhu Beach, Siddhivinayak Temple, Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus (CST), EsselWorld, are some popular tourist destinations.
Only for you: The Gay Bombay Group organises various gay meetups and gatherings. Various gay parties are also arranged by Salvation Star. The Ghetto, Cafe Zoe and Cafe Mondegar are some gay-friendly places for night parties. Beeyond Neighbourhood Bar is also an awesome place to go.
Bangalore
Have you been to Bangalore? The place is just as colossal as its name. It has tremendous tourist destinations like Cubbon Park, Lal Bagh, Bangalore Palace, Bangalore Aquarium etc.
Only for you: Also, for a gay-friendly environment, you can visit the Pink Sky Bar and the Chin Lung resto-bar. The Pink Sky Bar is a perfect place to get an exquisite view of the Bangalore skyline. You can also go shopping and find safe, queer-friendly hotels in Bangalore.
Goa
Goa is a plenitude of many tourist attractions like Dudhsagar Falls, Palolem Beach, Anjuna Beach, Calangute Beach, Basilica of Bom Jesus, Aguada Fort, Colva Beach etc. Goa has beaches in abundance, so if you are a beach person, Goa is a place for you.
Only for you: It also has appreciable bars for hanging out like Love Passion Karma and SINQ. Love Passion Karma is a great bar for dancing and it's a waterfront club. If poolside deck and microbrewery interests you, go check out SINQ. Also, try some hourly hotels if you are travelling frequently.
Chennai
Chennai is super-abundant with pleasing tourist destinations like Marina Beach, Fort St. George, Government museum, Guindy National Park, Edward Elliot’s Beach, etc. Also, check out street-side food to get your hunger pangs satisfied. Food around Marina Beach is quite famous for its taste, other places include Bombay Lassi, A Cube etc.
Only for you: Chennai isn’t very specific in classifying bars as gay-friendly but you can connect with gay locals in Chennai on Instagram and Grindr to get the latest updates about trending bars with the more gay community around.
Pune
Pune is a cynosure for youth as there are a lot of universities and institutes here. It also attracts many tourists every year due to places in and around Pune. Some of them are Shaniwar Wada, Sinhagad Fort, Aga Khan Palace, etc. Visit vineyards like Sula Vineyards and Vallonne Vineyards for a flash of freshness and greenery.
Only for you: For some romantic time, visit German Bakery, Pimlico, Grandmama’s Cafe etc. Get yourself a relaxing spa at Celebrity Country Club. It is a fantastic spot that attracts many gay men. Experience casual LGBTQ nights called MIST at Farmaaish Lounge and Bar.
So, there are ample cities for the LGBTQ community to travel and revel around with your partner. Hover around freely because there are no restrictions now. The blog mentions some ‘only for you’ places. Do visit them to spend some quality time with your partner. Also, get hands on some hourly hotels in and around cities, so that you can travel more and stay at one place less.