In 2008, when Mumbai held its first Gay Pride Parade ‒ billed as the Queer Azadi March ‒ about a 1,000 people showed up. On Saturday, as members of the LGBTQ community await the outcome of a petition in the Supreme Court seeking the legalisation of gay sex, the ninth edition of the march gathered almost 6,000 participants.

As they walked in a loop from August Kranti Maidan to the end of Kennedy Bridge and back again, one feature stood out: the encouragingly large number of parents standing shouder-to-shoulder with their queer children. Among them was Pradeep Divgikar, who posed proudly for photographs with his son Sushant, who had been crowned Mr Gay India in 2014.

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All along the route, the marchers, accompanied by drummers, drew curious stares and amusement (especially when men with women's clothes and high heels tottered by) but nothing resembling hostility.

After the end of every pride march, participants release multicoloured balloons in the hues of the queer flag into the sky. This year, though, several bunches of balloons had been appropriated by street kids. So the event concluded with only red and green balloons soaring into the clouds.

Activist Harish Iyer speaks to the crowd before the start of the Gay Pride Parade on Saturday.
A participant of the Gay Pride Parade strikes a pose.
Participants at the Mumbai Gay Pride Parade greet each other enthusiastically.
Posters are painted before the start of the Mumbai Gay Pride Parade.
One of the participants wore his support on his chin.
The rainbow flag is unfurled.
The marchers make their way across Mumbai's Nana Chowk.
There were cool hats and floral wristbands at the march.
Participants pose for photographs.
Sushant Divgikar, Gay Mr India 2014 and his father Pratap, at the parade.
A participant ensures his voice is heard.
A quick make-up check.
Puppies marched for pride too.
Sending off selfies as the event progresses.
Gaurav Joshi waves a home-made flag.
Giving it a whirl.
A reminder that being queer is still illegal in India.