Ghor Kaliyug!” lamented an old man agonising over the ‘pride parade’ of the gays in Kathmandu recently. Since it was the day of Gaijatra, people were confused if it was part of variety entertainment or a real parade. But these people belonging to the “third sex” are not a recent phenomenon.

History reveals that the third sex existed long ago in the divine age when Lord Shiva’s hermaphrodite form Ardhanareshwor was highly honoured or later in Dwapar era when Shikhandi played an important role in the Mahabharata. Some unruly religious fanatics have also labelled Lord Krishna gay for his extreme fondness for the apparel of Radha.

However, nowadays people belonging to the ‘third sex’ are more often ridiculed than revered. Hence these people clamour for basic civil rights at par with other citizens. They are “born different”, they contend. Tennis great Martina Navratilova puts it well: “Labels are for only filing and clothing, not for the people.”

Conversely, the people who are against gay rights say that those with ‘alternate’ sex roles are mentally sick or follow unnatural practices.

They assert that homosexuality, if given legal acceptance, would cause havoc in the society and seriously undermine the social institution of marriage, especially in a traditional society like ours. They believe that encouraging these practices might also lead the youth to fall victim to their twisted curiosities.

It’s easy to rant and rave about the importance of gay rights but can we put our words into practice? I wonder how many liberal-minded people would be ready to accommodate a poor gay in their homes or publicly proclaim to have a gay pal.

Call me a bigot, but in this issue, I have to throw in my lot with American President George W Bush, who has voiced his unabashed disavowal of these ‘alternative’ practices.

I just can’t tolerate the sight of same-sex couples displaying their love in the middle of the road. A purist by heart, I staunchly believe only the opposite sexes form an agreeable biological alliance. Benign providence has made everything perfect. I wonder why humans are hell-bent on destroying the prevailing social fabric and on ushering in anarchy on this tranquil planet.