Priding and Parading in New Delhi

Never in my life had I even imagined that I would participate in a Queer Pride parade in India. But it's happened. On June 29, 2008 New Delhi (along with Bangalore and Calcutta) witnessed a spectacular show of pride on the part of the Queer community and their supporters. There were Gays and Lesbians, Bis and a good number of Transgendred and Transsexual folks. And many, many straight people who'd "come out" in support of the Queer community.

The organizers initially had hoped for a turnout of around a hundred people. Amazingly, though, the group that marched from Janpath to Jantarmantar numbered a little more than a thousand! Provision had been made for those who wished to remain anonymous: Rainbow striped masks were available for anyone who wanted it. I showed up at Janpath with a friend expecting to see a small sombre group of masked individuals. Instead, we found ourselves in a festive sea of smiling faces, chanting and hooting, waving rainbow flags and carrying banners up high. I expected police aggression and some right-wing Hindu groups to show up and set things on fire...but all I saw was immense enthusiasm. The cops looked amused and happy, the spectators looked genuinely interested, the press was respectful and we encountered no hostility as we made our noisy way down one of Delhi's busiest streets.
My friend and I walked with a banner that read "Delhi be Proud", and chanted "Hindu, Muslim, Sikh, Isaai, Hetero, Homo Bhai-Bhai" (Hindus, Muslinms, Sikhs, Christians, Heteros, Homos: We're all brothers!), a take on India's favourite national diversity slogan, and sang "Hum honge kameyaab", the Hindi version of "We shall overcome". We also called for the legalization of Queer behaviour (the offending Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code being the object of our collective ire).

Finally, we stopped near Jantarmantar, paid our respects to those whose circumstances would not permit them to participate in the parade and lit candles in a silent vigil. When everyone began to disperse and we walked back down for some coffee, we saw the street strewn with rainbow flags, we passed outrageously made-up hijras twittering and laughing about the few incredible hours we had all just spent, and all seemed right in the world.