"I never thought in my wildest dreams that I could have the wedding that I wanted with the person I loved."

When Rishi Agarwal came out to his friends and family, he all but gave up on his desire to have a traditional Hindu wedding. However, thanks to the love and support of his conservative parents, Agarwal got the wedding of his Bollywood dreams.

Despite his parents moving to Canada in the 1970s, Rishi says that he had a traditional Hindu upbringing, with emphasis placed on religion and societal norms. Though he always found himself drawn to Hinduism, he remarks that from a young age he knew he was different.

Rishi struggled against these feelings as he watched members in his community face rejection from their families. He specifically recalls an openly gay Sikh student at his high school who committed suicide after being ostracized by his parents.

Eventually, though, the pressure became too immense and he came out to his parents in 2011. Rishi’s father Vijay said that he and his wife Sushma were initially “stunned” and “devastated” by the news.

However, instead of reacting rashly, the couple decided to learn as much as they could about the LGBT community and even began to attend regular meetings of the Parents and Friends of Lesbians and Gays chapter in Toronto. When Rishi asked if they wanted him to move out of their home, they quickly responded “Absolutely not…this is strictly our baggage.”

Having fully come to terms with their son’s sexuality, when he announced that he planned to marry his boyfriend Daniel Langdon, Vijay and Sushma decided to throw their son the wedding he never thought he’d be able to have.

Sukhbir Channa Photography

Though it was difficult to find a Hindu priest who would officiate the ceremony, once they finally found one, the day itself went off without a hitch. Rishi and Daniel were surrounded by a warm community and participated in all the customs of a traditional Hindu wedding day.

“I never thought in my wildest dreams that I could have the wedding that I wanted with the person I loved and with all my family and my friends,” Rishi told local news channels of the day.

The couple decided to share their story to help inspire Indian families to accept their LGBT children. Homosexuality is still a major taboo in many Indian communities, so stories like those of the Agarwal family help to show that, ultimately, love can overcome even the most deeply held prejudices.

Check out highlights from the wedding below:



