One year on, hundreds of gay Indian's celebrated the first anniversary on friday of the landmark court ruling decriminalizing homosexuality and marking their gradual acceptance in the deeply conservative country.
Members of Mumbai's gay community and their supporters danced, sang, laughed and had a good time in the Azad Maidan park in the city center.
It was on July 2 last year when the Delhi High Court struck down Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code, which made gay sex a crime and punishable by up to 10 years in prison. Yes, actual criminal prosecutions were rare under section 377 in recent years, the law was frequently used to harass and harm people.
"I'm very excited. It's honestly independence day for us," Arun Mirchandani, 28, who recently published his first book titled "You Are Not Alone" which deals with being homosexual in India, said.
The rally in Mumbai was part of an number of celebrations titled "365 Without 377" with celebrations in five cities across India, including New Delhi, Calcutta and Bangalore.
Rally participants said they still have a long way to go to ensure that the Supreme Court upholds last year's verdict. Many religious leaders have opposed the high court's verdict, arguing that gay sex should remain illegal.
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