Uttar Pradesh: A lesbian couple weds in a Deoria temple

A lesbian couple from West Bengal wed in a customary ceremony at a temple in the Deoria area of Uttar Pradesh, demonstrating a shift in Indian customs.

As members of the Deoria orchestra team, Jayashree Rahul (28) and Rakhi Das (23), fell in love and made the decision to be married. They work in Deoria and are residents of the South 24 Parganas area.

The pair was married on Monday at the Bhagada Bhavani temple in Bhatpar Rani, Deoria, after first getting a notarized document for their union.

The two women’s employer, Munna Pal, stated that when the couple’s request for permission to marry was turned down a few days before at the Dirgeshwarnath temple, they decided to take legal action.

Pal said that Mahant Jagannath Maharaj sent them away due to a lack of authorization from local officials.

Unfazed, the couple and their well-wishers looked for a different route and got a notarized marriage affidavit before traveling to the Bhagada Bhawani temple in Majhauliraj, where they exchanged garlands in front of the temple priest, he added.

The pair discussed their love journey and the obstacles they overcame to deepen their devotion to one another in a post-wedding statement.