Being the National Capital, Delhi is the heart of all political assertions in this country. Each year, last week of November in Delhi is marked by the pride march. This year was marked by the ninth pride march. It was a march against the discrimination and oppression of trans, lesbian, gay, bisexual, intersex and gender and sexual non-conforming people.

However, the list of demands put forward by the Delhi Queer Pride were wide ranging and were not just centered around queer movement. For instance, while it demanded an end to discrimination on the basis of age, sex, class, caste, religion, tribe, ability, ethnicity, gender identity and sexual orientation it also demanded an end to the increasing national jingoism. These list of demands were beautifully summed up in the statement by the Delhi Queer Pride, “If some of us aren’t free, no one is.” The broader demand was freedom and dignity for all.

A friend once told me, “When I came to Delhi, I finally found that sense of community which I had always wanted”. This was my first Delhi queer pride march and what I experienced was this particular feeling. A sense of community. What I saw were communities within communities. Communities with porous boundaries. Communities at intersections. Communities in resistance.

Here are a few pictures which I clicked at the #DelhiPrideMarch.

The banner and the balloons that made up the rainbow pride symbol lead the way.

Acceptance and Equality – the markers of a safe space.

Thousands of people marching with joy and pride.

Anybody who chooses to not conform, pushes boundaries. When you push boundaries, you re-imagine the norm. And, the pride march was a space where this re-imagining came together, in beautiful ways.

Resistance in arms.

The march towards Jantar Mantar.

There are two flags in this one frame. Both flags symbolic of the lives of people who raise these flags. But while one stands tall, taller than everyone else, the other unfurls on the heads of people who walk and dance with joy and pride underneath it.