GayBombay: Exclusive tours for gay men

Exclusive tours for gay men

By: Varun Singh

Date: 2009-08-02

Place: Mumbai

Indjapink.co.in offers personalised tours for gay men that include cooking classes, parties and spa trips

WHILE religious gurus are still ranting on the decriminalisation of gay relationships, the community is reveling in the judgment; roaming the country in exclusive tours meant only for gay men. Indjapink.co.in, a website created by Delhi-based fashion designer Sanjay Malhotra, is offering customised tours for gays across the country, anywhere in India and at anytime. These tour packages are open for both gays residing in India and foreigners who want to visit India.

The website is nearly a year old, but it took efforts on the part of the developer to promote it. Now, though, the response is overwhelming. Before Article 377 was read down by the Delhi High Court on July 2, there were one or two queries daily, but now the number has gone up to four to five a day from Indians and also from foreigners, especially from Zurich.

According to Malhotra, he started the website because he's a passionate traveler himself and is also aware about the problems that gay travelers face because of their 'tag'. "We're receiving a good response, especially after the reading down of Article 377. At least, I'm breathing free air and so are others," says Malhotra.

The minimum charges for a tour are between Rs 7,500-8,000 and there is no fixed upper limit.

"We're arranging a special India exclusive gay group tour to Goa in October where we will also invite the local gay group and go party on the beaches. There will also be other entertainment programmes," says Puneet Kumar, manager for Indja Pink.

Why name the website as Indja Pink? The owners say that India in Latin is 'Indja' and pink is the colour associated with the gay community. Charges for the four-day trip to Goa are Rs 15,000 per person. For the trip, Indja Pink has also booked a sea-front hotel exclusively for gay men.

"We have a customised tour package, depending on whether the person wants to travel by a car or a chartered flight. The tour is completely decided by the tourist. We just help him reach conveniently and take care that he gets the best in that location," says Kumar, adding, "House tours, cooking classes, visits to spas, the best massages and gay parties â€" we can arrange them all." The website also reads that if you are a single, the tour operators will pair you up with "pleasant and compatible" roommate.