The first same sex marriage between Nepali and US citizen

The first same sex marriage between a Nepali citizen and a US citizen has been witnessed in Nepal for the first time in history on Thursday. A marriage between Nepali citizen Prajeet Budhathoki, 27, and US citizen Joseph Foster Elis, 30, both gays, was solemnized in a hotel in Kathmandu on Thursday as per the Hindu tradition chanting Vedic mantras performing Hindu rituals. This was the first transnational marriage Nepal ever witnessed after the country’s Supreme Court allowed the same sex marriage.

Earlier, on Monday Prajeet and Joseph legally registered their marriage at Dharan Sub-Metropolitan City in Sunsari district of Eastern Nepal as same sex marriage and received a marriage certificate, from the local body informed Sunil Babu Panta, the first gay Member of Parliament of Nepal.

The same sex marriage was facilitated by Maya Ko Pahichan, the organization working for the welfare of LGBT community headed by gay LGBT activist Panta. The one and a half hour long wedding ceremony was performed on Thursday in Kathmandu as per the Hindu tradition which was attended by around 50 people including those from sexual minority community, diplomats, family members and media persons. The two later on exchanged rings as per Christian tradition in the presence of the father.

Surendra Pandey and Maya Gurung of Nepal registered the same sex marriage in November 2023, for the first time in S. Asia following the Supreme Court’s interim order. On June 27, 2023, the Supreme Court issued an interim order to legalise same-sex marriage in Nepal in a writ petition filed by people from sexual minority community.

This is the first marriage between a Nepali gay man to a foreign gay man, said Panta. “This is an historic moment for us and this will help promote tourism in Nepal,” he underscored. Nepal can be a hub as the destination for same sex marriage, which will ultimately help promote tourism, he added. Joseph met Prajeet in Kathmandu two years ago and they decided to marry two weeks later. “this is so amazing that our love is being recognized,” remarked Joseph shortly after the wedding ceremony. “To be able to marry as a gay is a privilege and we are very happy for this, he pointed out. Joseph, who hails from New York, USA, has decided to live in Nepal with his partner. Joseph is doing his PhD in Sanskrit language in Tribhuvan University in Kathmandu and Prajeet runs a queer travel company in Nepal.