The Gay, The Lesbian culture in India- An Analysis (Attempt)

                           

                           The culture of India is the way of Indian people.  India’s language, religions,

dance, music, and food differ from place to place. People in India knowingly or unknowingly

follow their tradition and culture.  Homosexuality is mostly taboo subject in Indian civil society

and for the government.  Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code makes sex with persons of same

gender punishable by law.  Homophobia is prevalent in India.  Public discussion of  homosexuality in India is rarely discussed openly.  On 2^nd July 2009, in Naz Foundation V.GOVT of NCT of Delhi High Court hold that provision to be unconstitutional with respect to sex between  consenting adults, but the Supreme Court of India overturned that ruling on 11^th December 2013, stating that Court was instead deferring to Indian legislators to provide the sought after clarity.

                        Many important people have given their perception about Indian culture. According to industry consultant Eugene M. Makar, for example, traditional Indian culture is defined by a relatively strict social hierarchy. They believe gods and spirits have an integral and functional role in determining their life. According to an interview with C.K. Prahalad by Des Dearlove, author of many best selling business books, modern India is a country of very diverse cultures with many languages, religions and traditions. Children begin by coping and learning to accept and assimilate in this diversity. Prahalad – who was born and grew up in India – claimed, in the interview, that Indians, like everyone else in the world, went to be treated as unique, as individuals, want to express themselves and seek innovation.

                       

                        Baba Ramdeva is India’s  well-known yoga guru, stated he could cure homosexuality through  yoga and called it a “bad addiction” the vishwa Hindu parishad’s vice-president om prakash singhdi said, ‘This is right decision, they welcome it. Homosexuality is against Indian culture, against nature and against science.

                        There are more depictions and discussions of homosexuality in the Indian news media and in Bollywood.  Several organizations, including the Naz Foundation(Indian) Trust, the National AIDS Control Organization, Law Commission of India, Union Health Ministry, National Human Rights of India and the Planning Commission of India express support for homosexuality. In India and pushed for tolerance and social equality for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered people.

                       

                In India homosexual people cannot lead their life as other country people.  Indians

 are living for society and family.  These two aspects play vital role in India. “Mahesh Dattani” is the most significant Indian English playwright.  He wrote play “On a Muggy Night in Mumbai”. In this play he deals with problems faced by Indian homosexual community.  He deals with a variety of homosexual sensibilities, including men and women, showing how they react to societal pressures.  Usually Indian literature ignored the theme of homosexuality.  Being a gay/lesbian in India is still a huge taboo.  Writers show courage to suggest homosexuality indirectly only, but Dattani is not trend follower.  He is a trend setter and dealing with the issues of the marginalized in Indian urban society.

                        The play is the first in Indian theatre to openly handle gay themes of love, affiliation, trust and betrayal.  Dattani projects the crisis that gays face as they are torn between their true self and what the traditional Indian society thinks and expects of the gays.  Their hidden fears and feelings are carefully exposed by Dattani, within the framework of dramatic structure and he tries to investigate the identity crisis of the gays, who occupy no honorable space in social order.  The socio psychological identity crisis of the gays, who are torn between the social taboos and their personal desires, their conscience and social consciences are discussed in the play “On a Muggy Night in Mumbai’’.  Dattani examines the psychology of persons who are by nature or the choice gays or bi-sexual and the desire on the part of some of them to turn heterosexual, by hiding their identity.

                       

                 The play moves through the characters Kamlesh, Ed, Bunny, Prakash, Sharad and Deepali. The play concentrates on the secrets private spaces of the bedroom and the deeper space that belongs to the inner thoughts of the characters.  Prakash and Kamlesh were deeply in love with each other.  The separation between Prakash and Kamlesh causes immense pain and distress in the heart of Kamlesh. Thereafter he comes in contact with Sharad and develops gay relationship with him.  However, Kamlesh cannot adjust himself with Sharad as he is hunted by the memories of Prakash.  It is a great shock to him, that he changed his name as Ed and intends to marry Kiran, divorcee sister of Kamlesh.  Prakash is ashamed to be a gay.  The society approves of a heterosexual relationship but homosexual relationship is looked down upon by the majority.  It is not individual alone, who disapproves homosexuality, but the high institutions of society like church that do not approves and sanctity such relations, because relation between same sex cannot be procreative and so are seen as unnatural and carnal.

                        Prakash alias Ed wants to hide gay identity and therefore, he loves Kiran (Kamlesh’s sister).  The fact is that he wants to remain in touch with Kamlesh through Kiran so that nobody suspects his identity.  His says, “Nobody would know. Nobody would care....I’ll take care of Kiran. And you take care of me”. It shows he does not himself to be branded publically as a gay.  He justifies himself,

“Look around you. Look outside...There are real men and women out there.  You have to see them to know what I mean.  But you don’t want to.  You don’t want to look at the world outside this.  This den of yours.  All of you want live in your own little bubble’’.

                        This shows the identity crisis of Ed and for the sake of society, he pretends to be “heterosexual”.  Similarly all the gays in the play are facing the same crisis. This society, in which gay and lesbian have to necessarily live, does not accept them as what they are.  It tries to make them what they are not, with often disastrous results.  It brings about their self-alienation.  It shows that people give important to the society and culture than their desire.

                        Kamlesh is caught up into the frustration and anger resulting from the betrayal of Prakash. Though he lives with Sharad, he is not able to forget Prakash. When Kiran introduces Prakash/Ed to kamlesh, he was approved and encouraged. He has sacrificed his feelings for his sister. At the same time, he is not able love Sharad sincerely. It is understood in the following conversation between Sharad and Kamlesh.

                        Kamlesh:  I wanted to love you. I tried for a whole year.

                        Sharad :   But you couldn’t.

                        Kamlesh:  I do love you.

                        Sharad:    Oh! Spare me the lies!

                                        You could never love any one because still in love with prakash.

                    

                   It shows that the homosexual have strong bond of love and affection like heterosexual. At the same time it is difficult to find a life partner easily in India, because the established notions of love and marriage of our society only permit heterosexuals. Dattani tries to show how gay people behave and act under the pressure of traditional culture consciousness which forbids them indulging in it.

                        There are many obstacles to be a gay/lesbian in India. Those types of people have major problems from society. All the people in India living for their dignity among society. They have fear about society. This was major problem in India. India is not like foreign country. They

can live as their wish. They do not have family life. If they don’t have understanding, they leave each other. They will not worry about their children. It is totally different in India. When a man marries a woman, they live together till the end of their life. They tolerate the problems in the family. Indian women are mentally strong and good enough to face the problems. The parents will not accept the marriage between man and man also woman and woman. This is the customs and culture of India. Through this kind of things, the gay/lesbian come out from their desire and lives for the family and society. This is culture of India. People in India should proud to be in right path.

An attempt by UDAYA KUMAR
                        PG STUDENT, Bharathiar University