Wild orgies involving sages and courtesans, elephants mating with tigers, warriors comparing their genitals, half-naked women in passionate embrace… if you spend time taking in the artwork and sculptures in some of India’s temples you could be forgiven for believing anything went in ancient Hindu society.
But the reality is a little more complicated. Despite references to same-sex love in classic Hindu sagas such as the Ramayana and the Mahabharata and a sanctioned place for transgenders (hijras) in Hindu culture, religious conservatism ensured homosexual expression remained mostly silenced throughout Indian history. Lesbians in particular could expect serious punishment. According to the ancient Hindu law book, the Manu Smriti: ‘…a woman who pollutes a damsel shall instantly have her head shaved or two fingers cut off and be made to ride (through the town) on a donkey.’1
