When I posted about sexual minorities in India few weeks back, I didn't imagine India's gay community would take this leap so soon: On June 29, hundreds of gays, lesbians and transgenders marched on the streets of the country's capital city, New Delhi, tech hub Bangalore (Bengaluru), and culture-conscious Kolkata (Calcutta), making it India's first multiple-city gay pride parade.

It's festival time in India for the rest of the year. I am over 8,000 miles away from home, but my heart is in a flutter. It feels like I am right there, partaking in the myriad colors, sights, sounds and mantras of the season. Especially close to my heart are these five precious days (October 17-21) of Durga Puja – and the months of October and November -- when my native state of West Bengal will be seeped in celebrating the power of three Hindu Goddesses, namely Durga, Lakshmi and Kali.