Mumbai, July 01: Rocking party scene, nightclub, support groups, magazine… homosexuals here have a host of choices vis-a-vis other cities
A year after Section 377 was decriminalised, Mumbai is emerging as India’s gay capital.
A comparison across four cities — Pune, Bangalore, New Delhi and Mumbai — has revealed this.
For instance, in the last two months, there were more than 20 parties organised only in Mumbai. While Delhi hosted 15, 10 were held in Bangalore and there weren’t any in Pune.
While Mumbai has nearly half a dozen active gay support groups, it’s not so in Delhi, Bangalore and Pune.
While the city has a magazine for gays — Bombay Dost, Pune has two — PUCK and The Queer Chronicle.
By far, India’s lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) world is buzzing. However, going by figures and what gay activists say, Mumbai is India’s gay capital.
Here are a few counts on which Mumbai overshadows Bangalore, Delhi and Pune.
Voodoos, a gay club in the city, has already made its mark. On Saturday nights, gays in Mumbai have a number of parties to choose from.
“Being a cosmopolitan city, we are more accepting than any other city,” says Nitin Karani of Bombay Dost Trust. “The number of parties, conferences, film festivals are more than in other cities.”
To add on to Mumbai’s pride is the country’s first and only LGBT shop — Azad Bazaar.
Party-pooper Bangalore
“The number of parties in Bangalore has risen from one a month to 10,” says Abhishek Aggarwal, event manager of Pink Nation, a Bangalore-based gay group. “In recent times though, we have had difficulty finding a venue.”
He said hotels are not open to letting out their space to hold gay parties. “Until recently, I was convinced Bangalore was gay-friendly,” said Aggarwal. “But now, I feel otherwise.”
Pune’s warming up
In Pune, it’s not conducive for gays to come out of the closet.
“Last year, 55 of us started off as a group. Today, we have 200 members,” said Apphia K of a Pune-based LGBT group, Birds of a Feather. “We have straight friends in favour of equal human rights.”
Delhi party hots up
Though there are no confirmed statistics on the rise of queer-related events in the capital, Mohnish Malhotra, an active member of queer activities, says, “Earlier, we had one party a week, but now at least four are held. Participation has also increased.”
Looking down south
Girish Kumar of Humsafar Trust stresses on why Mumbai, not Delhi, is the gay capital. “Mumbai’s outlook is more open than Delhi’s. Bangalore is progressive, but has not yet reached the mark. So Mumbai is the the undisputed champion,” says Kumar.
However, Vikram Doctor, founder of Gay Bombay, a support group for LGBT persons, feels Mumbai ranks next to Chennai in terms of facilities towards the community. “Tamil Nadu has policies for the LGBT community and has even offered houses and free medical supervision,” he said.
——–Courtesy: Mid Day