A t a secluded farmhouse on the outskirts of Delhi, on the serpentine NH8, a handful of couples come together fortnightly for what are popularly known as swinging parties. At these soirees, couples—all married and in the 35-40 age group—meet to explore their sexuality with and amongst each other. Following a light dinner, the host, a demure man named Vaibhav, with a gentle, almost feminine nature, introduces the couples to each other, all of whom he has handpicked for the evening after probing interviews. The couples then interact freely with each other in play areas such as the dressing room, the film club, and the ‘grope wall’.

“The internet has broken barriers. Earlier, swinging, like other non-conformist sexual activities, was confined to the rich and fashionable circles. The internet has brought this opportunity to the urban middle class. My parties mostly include married, middle-aged, committed couples who are looking for ways to make their marriage more interesting,” says Vaibhav Singh, a...