Final Research Project

Rajveer Parekh

This project is on the expression and perception of gender and sexuality in ancient India and how that is a big contrast to what we see in the India of today, and highlights their differences. But, not in the way you’d expect. Throughout India’s ancient history we can find that the concept of gender and sexuality was very fluid! There was no “NORM” minor things changed as different empires ruled over India but, after the British colonized India they were deeply “confused” and “disturbed by this since they preferred the binary over Britain’s 250 year rule in India they did whatever they could to apply India’s and this can still be felt to this day in the mindsets of the people, lawmakers and law enforcers 


While I was in the midst of research for this project I had this realization that maybe I’m just born in the wrong time because the concept of gender and sexuality in ancient India resonated with me a lot. I think for quite a while now I’ve always put pressure on myself to give myself a label but looking at ancient India I learned that I could screw labels and it taught me to embrace my sexual fluidity. 


 The whole intent behind this project was exploring ancient India and how I could bring a piece of it into my life, modern India and beyond.