India made history by becoming the next country to decriminalize gay sex. The seventh largest state’s supreme court overturned Section 337 today (6 September 2018) after hearing petitions from lawyers representing LGBTI activists. The ban dates back to colonial times and outlawed sexual activities ‘outside the order of nature’. This included homosexual sex.
But its repeal is a landmark in civil rights for the LGBTI community in India. 1.35 billion people live in the country, making it the largest decriminalization in history. So to celebrate, let’s look at just how beautiful India is.
1 Yumthang Valley, Sikkim
Also known as the Valley of Flowers, this beautiful spot is filled with hot springs, yaks, and meadows, centered on a river and surrounded by the Himalayas.
2 Tea Gardens, Munnar
If you can’t think about starting your day without a cup of tea, then you need to visit these Tea Gardens. Rolling hills of green make it one of the most beautiful places to visit in India.
By Tom Capon – Full Story at Gay Star News
In Sarnath, Buddha preached his first sermon to his followers. Right after he attained Nirvana under a Bodhi Tree in Bodh Gaya, he traveled to Sarnath to preach. That sermon he gave became the central belief of Buddhism: The Four Noble Truths and the Eight-fold Path.
Today, Sarnath is synonymous to Siddhartha Gautama Buddha. There’s a humongous stupa in the place where he used to sit and preach. This stupa is the most preserved in the area and it towers over the land where temples once stood.
The surrounding area still carries the ruins of the Buddhist Temples of ancient yore.
The Ganges River in Varanasi is everything to the Hindus who live in the city. They consider it holy but they don’t treat it like one. It’s murky and polluted. For a visitor like me, I see the flowing river crying for help. Strolling along the banks, I saw a lot of things that’s not normal in many ways. I guess, it’s just the foreign eyes in me, eh?
There were things that crept me out. But,one particular incident was when I saw a dead body wrapped in a cloth floating in the river. The boat man pointed this to me and I was mortified! Why? Because few meters from us were people bathing and swimming like it’s the most natural thing to do in the world.
Ok, well, it’s a very natural thing to do for them, at least, right? I talked to my fellow travellers at the hostel – and they, too, have seen a floating body or two. One guy told us that he saw a dog devouring a human hand. “I could never unsee that in my lifetime,” he said.
Jaipur City Palace is your window to royal extravagance of ancient India. The complex is a maze of courtyards, palaces and architectural beauty, ready to blow your mind away. And oh, it’s super pink, too, like the rest of the city. This Palace was used as a royal residence of the Singh family who ruled the city for a long time. This isn’t just huge but it’s also a marvellous place to learn history and admire its architectural designs.
It’s right in the heart of the old city surrounded by pink buildings. Thus, it got its monicker, “The Pink City.”
The City Palace in Jaipur is a mix of Mughal, Rajput and European architectural influences.
As soon as you enter the courtyard, Mubarak Mahal greets you in all its splendour. In Urdu, Mubarak can be translated into auspicious. Today, it’s a textile museum with great collections of royal clothes.
At Jantar Mantar in Jaipur, you’ll find the world’s largest sundial stone. This place a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It has an ancient collection of 19 astronomical structures built in the open field. Including in these 19 objects are the zodiac signs – better find yours.
At first, you might not be impressed as they look like boring concrete in different shapes. But it makes a difference when you have a handy guidebook and the descriptions in each structure are well-written. So, read every written descriptions to appreciate each objects in front of you.
The World’s Largest Stone Sundial
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