the queer chronicle - february 2010

September 2009

The Queer Chronicle | Pune

TTTT QQQQ CCCC February 2010

September 2009

Life

Life is a possibility, embrace it.

Life is beautiful, admire it.

Life is wonderful, enjoy it.

Life is a dream, follow it.

Life is a bewilderment, face it.

Life is a mission, fulfill it.

Life is a game, play it.

Life is a treasure, cherish it.

Life is rich, savior it.

Life is lovely, revere it.

Life is a mystery, uncover it.

Life is pain, endure it.

Life is a song, sing it.

Life is a tragedy, forbear it.

Life is luck, benefit from it.

Life is an adventure, be regardful of it.

Life is very precious, delight in it.

Life is a war, learn from it.

Life is life, fight for it.

Translation of the poem ‘Jeta’, written by Mother Theresa

September 2009

TTTT QQQQ CCCC

Editorial

I still remember the 1st

of September 2009

when the inaugural issue of TQC was

published. Our emotions were a pot-pourri of

excitement, anxiety and anticipation.

How would TQC be received by the

community? Would TQC actually serve its

mission to ‘Build a strong, networked queer

community’? Would TQC be sustainable?

I guess our anxiety was misplaced.

Compared with the 250 readers of our

inaugural issue, in a short span of five months

TQC’s readership has grown multifold to over

900 loyal readers of our January 2010 issue -

that too, in over 20 countries.

The past months have established that TQC

continues to touch lives and is definitely here

to stay.

I am convinced that the time is right to expand

TQC to the next level.

In our February 2010 issue, we are pleased to

launch a new initiative through our column

‘Art & Soul’ aimed at promoting the talent of

queer artists and simultaneously help to raise

funds for ‘Voices against 377’ a coalition of

NGOs and progressive groups working

together as a united voice to fight against

Article 377 of the Indian Penal Code.

We should be ready to launch the TQC official

website within February 2010. This would be

followed with the launch TQC Homestays &

TQC City Tours, aimed at assisting queer

travelers.

TQC Business Classifieds, TQC Personals, TQC

Events, TQC Holidays …..

It’s only just begun!

The editorThe editorThe editorThe editor

It’s only just begun

In this issue

A Queer View: ‘What are you looking for?’

Tribute: ‘Wind beneath my wings’ – Part 2

Art & Soul

Special Event: Kashish, the Mumbai International Queer Film Festival

Travel: Off the beaten track

Health: Ask Doctor Tushar

Leisure: Tarot Predictions for February 2010

Readers’ Corner

Lifestyle: Spring clean your closet

Classi-prides: Queer owned and operated businesses in Pune

02

Cover: Artwork © Syed Ali Arif

Inner Cover: ‘Life’ - Translation of the poem

‘Jeta’, written by Mother Theresa

The TQC Team

Editor: Keith. Columnists: Ankur Bhojane,

Chaitanya Gokhale, Jaideep Bhide, Jayesh

Paranjape, Tushar Tayal, ‘Fleeting Sunshine’.

Layout concept, design & production: Keith

TQC (The Queer Chronicle) is a monthly e-magazine

published for and by the queer community in Pune.

This e-zine is a non-commercial publication, is not for

sale and is exclusively for private distribution. Views

expressed are solely the opinions of the individual

authors and do not necessarily represent the opinions

of the editorial team of TQC, nor its affiliates. The

content of this e-zine may not be suitable for all

audiences.

www.facebook.com/tqc.india

[email protected]

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Keith

Editor, TQC

September 2009

The Queer Chronicle

Despite my six year long, checkered

career in dating and the experience of

being in a reasonable number of

relationships of varying lengths, there is

one question that has always remained

hard for me to answer, if I choose to

answer it honestly, that is. What am I

really looking for when I log onto

Planet-Romeo or similar such sites?

New experiences? New ex’s? Isn't it a

hopeful denial that a new experience

will really be different and 'meaningful'?

And, what's meaningful anyway?

Fundamentally, the human mind is

queer; and a queer's mind, more so. The

mind always seeks a sense of fulfillment

that is externally derived. Don't we just

love it when someone is attracted to us,

or when we know for sure that if I don't

phone him, he will phone me anyway?

This deep seated craving for acceptance

is what I'd term as the female part of a

gay mind.

I am not suggesting at all that females

tend to be acceptance seeking puppies.

I am sure all you bi’s out there have

seen quite a few girls and women with

strong personalities. The reason I use

the term is because this craving arises

out of our biological instinct to nurture

and care. This is starkly different from

philanthropy though. At its root, this

instinct is very selfish. In the process of

nurturing, the mind derives a sense of

worth. It feels as if your lacuna, void, or

hole if you will, is filled in, and you are

doing the same for your partner. But

each silver rim has a cloud. After a

while, the mind wants to ensure and

ascertain exclusive inter-dependence,

because its sense of self-worth so

heavily depends on it. This is why he

cannot go to a party without you, or

why you can't stand it when he even

What are you looking for? BY ‘FLEETING SUNSHINE’

A Queer View

2

why you can't stand it when he even

smiles at another guy.

Certain traits in your partner can

heighten this pleasure. Let's call them

qualities of being 'expensive'. Let's face

it. A good looking, educated, witty guy

who has an invisible ‘boyfriend in the

UK’, is less likely to randomly sleep

around. The expensive quality of your

partner is your feeble insurance against

infidelity and a gateway to probable

exclusivity.

Interestingly, having an attitude is also

subconsciously taken as an expensive

quality. However, behind the overt "I'm

expensive" signal, there is an implicit

statement - "buy me!". Behind all that

attitude, impractical, childish demands

of an egg biryani at 2 am, there is

innate sense of insecurity and craving

for acceptance. Unfortunately, the

world is full of smart dudes who exactly

know how to exploit such traits. Let me

call such dudes as 'males': again,

without any judgments. A pure 'alpha

male' is like a fleeting butterfly

committed to relish the pleasures of

succulent females without remaining

committed to a particular 'flower'.

A sneaky but effective way to tame the

butterfly, especially for girls in

relationships, is to enter his or allow

him into your social circle. Once they

have common friends, it raises the

stakes in this game of poker. Both the

girl and the boy come as a package,

along with their set of 'followers', which

can make it hard to abruptly leave the

relation, for the fear of being labeled as

an 'asshole/bitch' by a group of people.

That's why social networking websites,

which in fact are dating websites in

disguise, are so popular. This type of

social insurance is not always available

social insurance is not always available

in gay relationships; at least, not in the

present-day Indian cities. This is one of

the reasons for ubiquitous infidelity in

gay relations.

What also makes gay relationships so

mind-bogglingly complicated is the fact

that not only do most gay people

exhibit both male and female qualities,

but they also exhibit them at

unpredictable times, with unpredictable

intensities. Knowing when your partner

is exhibiting which role can be, in my

experience, good for the longevity of

the innately flawed relation.

Okay. So, the question remains - what

am I looking for now? If anything, my

past relationships have made me gain a

better understanding of humans and in

particular, myself. They have enabled

me live at peace with my 'void', which

I'd now call my natural tranquil space.

Natural, because it can be identified

with everything in nature: from the vast

emptiness of an ocean, intergalactic

space to the space between atoms. Not

surprisingly, my tranquility loves to

encounter new ripples. Ripples,

vibrations, big-bangs, tender bangs are

what I'm looking for, until the craving

exists no more.

September 2009

Page 3

BombayMasala New Year Party, Mumbai | Photo Credits: Ankur & Nihal

September 2009

TRIBUTE

4 The Queer Chronicle

A few years later, I moved to Toronto,

Canada to study. My mother

apparently dug out more information

than I did. When I was packing my

bags, she sat next to me and said in a

very hush-hush tone so that my father

wouldn’t hear, “They [Canadians] have

decriminalized Marijuana. Don’t do any

of that stuff. But at least there you will

be accepted for who you are. I am very

happy for you. Don’t know if that will

ever happen here. People are very

backward and narrow minded like your

daddy.” I couldn’t help smiling at her

cuteness. I grabbed her in a loving

embrace and said “You are the most

adorable mommy in the world. Did I

ever tell you that?”

“Don’t forget to pack all your new

underwear too.” She quickly changed

the topic with the most ridiculous

point one could emphasize on when

packing.

Living in Canada was a dream come

true. It is here that I eventually met my

better half which is a story reserved for

another huge article. I survived the

first winter but by the end of which I

was yearning for the warmth of

Mumbai. Only in the absence of it did I

realize the importance of the scorching

sun. The following summer, my

parents decided to visit me. Their

arrival coincided with their twenty

eighth wedding anniversary and my

twenty-fifth birthday which are barely

a few days apart. Celebrations were to

be had. Festive moods were to be set.

‘Wind beneath my wings’ – Part 2

BY ANKUR BHOJANE

However, my only dilemma was to

explain to them that I lived in the gay

village. Wait, it gets better. I had a full

time night-shift job at the front desk of

the swankiest gay bath-house. ‘Mum, I

work where men come for a quick

f@#$’ was not the best way to explain

my work life. On their arrival, I did

what is known to be a gay Indian mans

best talent; I faked my way through it,

pun intended. Eventually, Church

Street, the gayest street in Canada,

became my father’s favorite street for

evening walks and my mother insisted

on joining me at the gay bars to watch

drag queens perform. Talk about

things running in the genes!

In the middle of August, towards the

end of their visit, we ended up on the

Toronto Islands for a picnic. At around

five in the evening my best friend

David, for whom the word ‘Queen’ is

an understatement, called me, “Bee-

atch where are you? The fetish fair has

started. I am wearing ass-less leather

jock straps and boots. You are walking

Church Street with me. Come fast!” He

hung up. No further arguments

entertained. No space or time for an

excuse to be heard. So, I turned

around looked at my parents and said,

“There is this event on Church Street

that I want to attend. It has a lot of

nudity and stuff. Do you guys want to

join?” They just shook their head in

negation. Phew!

Once we got back home, I stepped out,

went to the bath-house where I had

my own locker stacked with my

leathers. I was smart; I knew my

parents would get into my closet. So

for the duration of their visit, I shoved

all my kinks in to the closet (locker).

Doesn’t that sound ironic? Well,

anyway, I got dressed in my leather

shorts, harness, vest and boots. Just

then, my boss - the bath house

manager, walked by wearing an

oversized white shirt and briefs. “Nice

leathers”, he complimented me. The

jerk was being nice for a change. “So

what are you today? A corporate jock”,

I said jokingly. My phone rang. It was

my mother.

“Beta, your dad is busy watching TV.

Can I come too?”

Pause. For a second I was wondering

what is she getting herself into? But

hey this is a grown up woman that we

are talking about, responsible for her

own actions.

“Sure”, I said.

I waited for her down at the lobby of

September 2009

February 2010

TRIBUTE

5

my apartment building. I asked David

to come there too. A few minutes

later, David arrived with his ass

hanging out, wearing military boots

and a red scarf around his neck. In no

time out emerged my mother, in a

lovely Punjabi suit. She took one look

at me and said, “You look hot.”

Aww. I caught myself blushing like a

thirteen year old school girl. “You don’t

mind David’s ass hanging out, do you?”

I asked before he could turn around

and flash it.

“Please he’s just like a son to me. He

can be a nudist for all I care”, she

assured me.

We walked around witnessing various

scenes: boys on their fours on a f@#$

bench getting whipped, naked men

walking all about just as nature

intended, lesbians marching devoid of

a top, the streets adorned with little

shacks selling dungeon equipment, etc.

My mother began lecturing me about

sadism and masochism, of Freudian

analysis that plunged me into a series

of yawns. Thankfully we were swarmed

by a bunch of boys from the Indian

sub-continent who wouldn’t stop

clicking pictures of the Desi Mother-

Son duo out for Fetish Fair. I

introduced her to my favorite Cher

impersonator, Eddie Barnett, dressed

very androgynous and a few other

fellow fetish-mates.

She bought a sticker for charity that

was labeled ‘Mistress’, from my friend

Serge who was collecting $2 per sticker

for the People With AIDS Foundation. I

bought one that read ‘boy’. We wore

our stickers proudly marching about

Church Street, bar hopping and

checking out a few kinky

merchandises. Her trip was a blast

indeed!

A year later, I called up my mother to

ask for her blessings. I said, “Mum,

Glenn proposed to me tonight.” She

was aware of our relationship but I

couldn’t wait to share this piece of

news with her. My mum and sister

were thrilled. Anagha, my sister, who I

fondly call Ana, was busy buying a

ticket to come over to not only attend

the wedding but first ‘check out’ the

to-be-groom while my mother

anxiously awaited the report in

Mumbai. Upon approval from Ana and

subsequently mum, the ladies

showered us with their blessings. “But

make sure you have a small Ganesh

idol at the wedding place and please

pray to Him before you start your

pray to Him before you start your

ceremony.” “Yes mother.”

A few days later my sister returned to

India and showed my mum the

wedding pictures. The following

weekend I received a call from her. Her

voice was mellow and I could sense she

was teary-eyed.

“I’m sorry I missed the wedding. It

looked so beautiful and I’m very happy

for you. I promise to be there for Pride

next year. We will march together.”

Her sobbing had stopped. Those were

the last words I heard from my dear

Mother.

Three days later, my husband sat me

down on a bench at the Riverdale Park

when we were walking the dogs. He

held my hands and started crying. He

broke the news of my mum’s accident.

She was hit by a school bus in front of

the house. My father ran to her aid

and she took her last breath lying in his

arms.

I still see her around sometimes and

other times I wonder what she used to

smell like, wonder if I will ever again

feel the warmth when she hugged me

or the sound of her singing. But all I am

left with is Luther Van Dross’ words, “If

I could have another chance, another

walk, another dance….”

A tribute in fond remembrance of Mrs.

Bhojane, from her children Ankur & Anagha;

and all the members of the queer community

that were touched in some way by her

warmth, understanding and practicality.

September 2009

Title: “MERRY GO ROUND”

Artwork Code: TQC-0001

Artist name: Syed Ali Arif

Medium: Acrylic on canvas

Style: Figurative

Size: 30 inches x 40 inches

Mounting: Stretched, Unframed

Price for the art: Indian Rupees 70,000/-

Year: 2008

The Queer Chronicle The Queer Chronicle

Art & Soul COMPILED BY KEITH

Art & Soul

6

Title: “THIRST”


Artist name: Sagar Dave

Medium: Oil on canvas

Style: Abstract still-life


Mounting: Framed


Year: 2009

Title: “THE PEACOCK”


Artist name: Resh Val


Style: Abstract




Year: 2009

Title: “JUST LET FLOW”


Artist name: Resh Val


Style: Abstract



Price for the art: Indian Rupees

35,000/-

Year: 2009

TQC is committed to encouraging

and promoting the creativity of

queer & queer-friendly talent.

Featured artists: Syed Ali Arif,

Resh Val & Sagar Dave.

These artists have pledged that

15% of the proceeds on sale of

these artworks through TQC,

would be donated to ‘Voices

Against 377’ , a coalition of NGOs

and progressive groups working

together as a united voice to fight

against Article 377 of the Indian

Penal Code. (voicesagainst377.org)

If you would like to purchase any

of these works of art and would

like to connect with the artist,

please send an email to

[email protected],

mentioning the artwork code in

the subject line.

All published images are copyright

of the respective artists.

September 2009

February 2010

SPECIAL EVENT

Pride parades in all metros, the historic

Delhi High Court’s verdict on Section

377 of the Indian Penal Code, launch of

India’s first gay magazines, the Indian

Election Commission’s decision to

recognize transgender as a separate

category … the pink flag is rising over

India, queer visibility is increasing.

Kashish - Mumbai International Queer

Film Festival, 2010 takes this journey

further through the medium of films.

The festival offers cinema as a means

to understand what being queer

means, and how it impacts both the

queer community and the society at

large.

Features, short films, documentaries

and experimental films will be

screened, highlighting gay, lesbian,

bisexual and transgender characters

and stories. The films explore the

diverse realities, complexities, joys and

sorrows that make up the Indian queer

experience as well as celebrate,

reclaim and explain LGBTQ identities

while engaging and entertaining

audiences.

Many recent as well as undiscovered

Indian films and cutting edge

contemporary international films are

being screened. Eminent personalities

from films, art, fashion, media and

queer activists are part of the jury for

its competitive sections, which will

carry awards. Panel discussions about

Indian queer culture and its portrayal,

and a photo-exhibition will be a part of

the film festival.

The vision of the festival is to

encourage greater visibility of Indian

queer cinema and bringing it into the

mainstream discourse. “We are

showcasing the films to both queer

and mainstream audiences, in order to

make them aware about queer

thought, desires and expressions,” says

Sridhar Rangayan, Festival Director.

Kashish - Mumbai International Queer

Film Festival, 2010 is being organized

by Solaris Pictures, producers of queer

films Gulabi Aaina, Yours Emotionally

and 68 Pages and Bombay Dost, India’s

first gay magazine, with support from

Movies That Matter, Netherlands.

Event at a glance

Dates: April 22-25, 2010

Host City: Mumbai

Venues: To be announced

International Movies : Argentina,

Australia, Canada, China, France,

Germany, Indonesia, Israel, New

Zealand, Portugal, Singapore, South

Africa, Spain, Sweden, Taiwan,

Thailand, UK and USA.

More details can be found at

www.mumbaiqueerfest.com. Those

who would like to volunteer or attend

the festival, please write to:

[email protected]

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September 2009

The Queer Chronicle 8

Travel

Have you ever been to a holiday at the

end of which you've come back with the

smug satisfaction of actually being a part

of the culture of the place you visited,

rather than being just a boring binocular

clad spectator? And whilst you were

photographing those cute little kids

bathing in the stream, did you ever give

a thought that whether your visit

benefitted them in any way, rather than

them serving just as a good inclusion to

your wall collage? If you have thought

about this, then your way of thinking is

definitely on the ‘responsible’ track.

Responsible Tourism is a fast growing

trend globally. Simply put, its tourism

which creates ‘better places for people

to live in, and better places for people to

visit’.

Many organizations within the travel and

tourism industry have taken to

responsible tourism as a way of life. They

have not just made ‘normal’ look ‘green’

but they have made ‘green’, ‘normal’!

Located in the Sindhudurg district of

Maharashtra, ‘Culture Aangan’ is one

such organization. Started with the main

objective of preserving the local art and

culture, they introduced the concept of

promoting cultural tourism through

homestays – a premise which was alien

to the area. Sindhudurg, the southern-

most district of Maharashtra is picture

perfect – lush green forests, small

villages, coconut and mango orchards,

long stretches of clean beaches and

backwaters which can give the Kerala

backwaters tough competition. A

destination waiting to be explored. The

Home stays offered by Culture Aangan in

Sindhudurg are perfect for those who

are looking for vacations free of the in-

your-face service which hotels offer. The

hosts of the homes will greet you as a

long lost cousin and you would be a part

of their family for the time you spend

there. But at the same time you would

have the much needed solace you expect

out of a vacation. There are three

options for the home stays – Nandan

Farms in Sawantwadi, Pitruchhaya in

Shirgaon, and Sreeyog Paryatan in

Padve.

Nandan Farms in Sawantwadi is run by

Amruta and Ashish Padagoankar. The

Padgaonkars are a young and jolly couple

with a lot of positive energy which is

exuberated through their hospitality. The

home is a perfect place to unwind and go

on an inward journey. Set amidst a farm,

the homes are the typical ‘shet-ghar’

(farmhouse) with mud walls, ancient

solid wood beams, sloping terracotta

tiled roof, and a large covered veranda.

The food they serve is simply delicious,

particularly the sol-kadhi – a drink made

from kokum and coconut milk. Amboli –

a British-era hill station is just one hour

drive away from here and is a must-visit

destination.

Vaishali and Vijay Loke will welcome you

to their home ‘Pitruchhaya’, which

means ‘fathers blessings’. Located in the

village of Shirgaon, the Lokes offer two

rooms to tourists in their quaint but

beautiful house. The terrace room has

the touch of luxury with a view of the

orchards. Pitruchhaya can boast about

something which very few

accommodation providers can – the

terrace bathroom. It’s the perfect

location to soak in for hours, relax,

meditate and watch the beautiful sunset.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 11

extra beds at a time.

Off the beaten track BY JAYESH PARANJAPE

September 2009

Health

Ask Doctor Tushar

9 February 2010

the doctor from asking the donor

whether or not he’s a homosexual.

The reason for the ban being some

archaic law laid down ages ago which

identifies homosexuals as a high risk

group for HIV transmission; facts now

withstanding, promiscuous unsafe sex

of any kind, straight or gay, is a risk

factor. Blood donation forms at most

centers have a column asking about

your sexuality, which I’d say need not be

filled up honestly; the only honesty

required on your part is to ensure that

you have crossed the window period

(i.e. 3 months) of your last unprotected

sexual encounter. Also maintain a gap of

three months between two subsequent

blood donations. As they say, blood

donation heals dually, someone’s body

and your SOUL!!!!!

In case you have a health related query

that you would like answered, email us

at [email protected]

While having anal sex, the condom

broke. I am very afraid! Should I get

tested for HIV? - Prashant

Dr Tushar: Dude, you need to relax!

Firstly, the chances of getting infected in

an accidental exposure via condom

breakage is very minimal, nevertheless

your worries need to be answered.

Depending upon who the dominant

partner was, the chances of the

penetrating partner of having

contracted the disease are even lesser.

Also depending upon whether or not

either of you have been previously

tested for HIV, have indulged in risky

behavior in the past, and have been

honest enough with each other about

your HIV status, I would advise both the

partners to go for HIV antibody testing a

minimum of 4 weeks after the exposure

and repeat the test at 3 and 6 months

{ideally the test to be done 3 months

post exposure i.e. after the window

period}. DO NOT get tested immediately

post exposure (unless you are unaware

of your previous HIV status) because the

test is bound to be inaccurate. If you

have been spending sleepless nights

ever since, you could go for another test

called HIV-PCR which may be performed

1-2 weeks post exposure and is quite

accurate - however much more

expensive. In the interim, while you wait

for the window period to lapse, I would

suggest you try abstinence. It is the only

responsible thing to do!

I have heard that homosexuals are not

permitted to donate blood in countries

like the US. Is this true for India as

well? Do I really need to inform them

of my sexual orientation? - Akash

Dr Tushar: Yes it is true that

homosexuals are banned from donating

blood in many countries, including

INDIA, the only saving grace being the

lack of acceptance of homosexuality as a

norm which (to our advantage) prevents

September 2009

The Queer Chronicle

Leisure

10

ARIES - Card of the Month: The

Hermit. A month of action, most of it in

the mind. A lot can be accomplished

but you need to put some ass into it!

Channel some of that mental tension

into the real world and take some

action. Week 3 and 4 would be super

busy, but isn’t that always a good

thing? Number of Hope and Luck: 9.

Best day of the Month: February 18th

.

TAURUS - Card of the Month: 3 of Air.

A time to let go, a time to move on.

Nursing a broken heart is easier when

you know and believe that it’s for the

highest good. The hurt won’t go away

just yet but it’s important to start with

the journey if you want to reach your

destination. Try not to lose your cool

with those who are just trying to

help…you’ll only alienate more people.

Number of Hope and Luck: 8. Best Day

of the Month: February 26th

.

GEMINI - Card of the Month: 8 of Fire.

Hold on tight, coz February’s going to

be like a steed on steroids and you’re

riding without a saddle…but that

doesn’t mean you need to lose the

reins as well! Think things through

before committing to them, later is

better than right now! Avoid making

impromptu decisions, especially where

money is concerned. Number of Hope

and Luck: 7. Best Day of the Month:

February 7th

.

CANCER - Card of the Month: Princess

of Earth. A month full of possibilities

that starts off with a bang but

threatens to fizzle out by Week Four.

Stop playing the Diva and ask for help

if you need it. A creative phase is about

to begin, make the most of it. Balance

your social life and work commitments.


of the Month: February 10th

.

Tarot Predictions for February 2010 BY JAIDEEP BHIDE

LEO - Card of the Month: The Moon.

Spiritual energies are high. You could

feel drawn to the mystical. As you tire

of the mundane and every day, you

begin questioning the meaning and

purpose of Life. Go with the flow, don’t

oppose the process. At the same time,

remain grounded in the real world.


of the Month: February 22nd

VIRGO - Card of the Month: 3 of Fire. A

period of hard-work is behind you and

you shall reap the rewards…if only you

don’t get cowed down when the time

comes to demand it! Stand up for

yourself, know what your worth and

ask for what you think you

deserve…whether it’s that promotion

or the next step in a relationship.

Number of Hope and Luck: 11. Best

Day of the Month: February 11th

.

LIBRA - Card of the Month: 10 of Air.

“What are you waiting for? Nobody’s

gonna show you how. Why wait for

someone else to do what you can do

right now!” This month could either be

rewarding and fruitful or it may see

you flounder. Trust yourself (and no

one else). Number of Hope and Luck:

3. Best Day of the Month: February

12th

.

SCORPIO - Card of the Month: Justice.

Life takes charge of the wheel…sit back

and enjoy the ride! You experience

contentment and the joy of receiving

rewards and platitudes. Don’t get too

carried away, there’s still loads of work

to be done. Number of Hope and Luck:

10. Best Day of the Month: February

28th

.

SAGITTARIUS - Card of the Month: 4 of

Earth. Tread carefully, spend wisely,

CONTINUED ON PAGE 13

September 2009

11 February 2010

Dear Editor,

Zameer, Germany: “I went through the

issue again, I am amazed again. It has

come out well. May I also suggest you

to possibly also click Indian photos, I

have a feeling it doesn't represent the

Indian ethos so much visually.”

TQC: Thank you for your

encouragement and feedback, Zameer. I

do appreciate your observation and we

would definitely like to consider the use

of more ‘Indian’ images. In the past, we

have used photographs from reputed

photographers like Firoz Shakir and

Harpreet. However it is quite difficult to

find suitable photographs with Queer

Indians, especially when a large

population still is closeted. Additionally,

we have to be careful about using

photographs and images that have

usage restrictions. In case you have any

photographs that we could use, or know

of anyone would like to contribute to

TQC, please drop us a line at

[email protected]

Anand, Chennai: Where can I purchase

this magazine from? Is it possible that I

send you a cheque and you can send a

copy to me by courier?

TQC: Owing to the fact that TQC is 100%

non-funded, as of now we do not have

any immediate plans for a print edition.

Hence TQC would be available only as a

free online ezine. We have also had

several readers request that they be

allowed to download the ezine, so that

they can read it at their leisure. We

would be launching the TQC website

during February 2010 and there would

be a facility to download the ezine from

our website for a token subscription

charge. The funds generated would help

cover the expenses of maintaining the

TQC website.

Readers’ Comments

Here is what we heard from you, on

TQC’s January 2010 edition.

“A great edition to kick start the new

year.... Thanks to the entire team.” -

Johnny, Pune

“I had a look, great publication. Nice to

see such initiative from community

members.” – Shiraz, Mumbai

“TQC January is the best - loved the

layout and the articles too. Hats off to

your efforts in compiling something

which makes sense in our mad..crazy

world.” – Sameer, Pune

“The article written by Ankur is very

touching. Would you please pass on my

best wishes to him! I am eagerly waiting

for the February issue.” – Bikash, Pune

“I just read the entire TQC from the link

on your profile. I just wanted to say that

it’s an amazing magazine, that's

insightful and entertaining at the same

time.” - ‘Patt’, Pune

“Love the cover & the articles.... Ankur

& Prasad you continue to make me

proud.” – Anagha, Mumbai

“Congrats with the magazine - it looks

really nice!” - Tejas and Johan, Denmark

‘Off the beaten track

- CONTINUED FROM PAGE 8

The house can accommodate four

people comfortably or a group of six with

extra beds at a time.

Inspired from Lord Ganesha, Sreeyog

Paryatan is run by an old by age, but

young at heart couple - Shubhada and

Shashikant Kadam. The Kadam’s

enthusiasm will give any youngster a run

for their money. They offer two rooms in

the ‘aangan’ (courtyard). They offer a

rare experience filled with starry skies,

moonlit nights and particularly a

traditional dinner right from Kadam

Auntie’s open kitchen. A day trip to the

Sindhudurg Fort and temples in the

neighbouring villages is a must.

Apart from tourism, Culture Aangan has

successfully developed an art arena at

Pinguli near Kudal in Sindhudurg -

‘Thakar Adivasi Kala Aangan’. This arena

is aimed to showcase, revive and

promote a dying folk art tradition. A visit

to the Pinguli Art Complex is highly

recommended. Getting to all the places

is quite easy and Culture Aangan will

help will the smallest details. Visit their

website www.cultureaangan.com or

simply find them on facebook.

September 2009

Lifestyle

12

Spring clean your closet BY CHAITANYA GOKHALE

We all make resolutions and decide to

put all the old baggage and troubles

behind. This year too, we all have

planned our year even better than the

earlier one.

Well, the one thing we guys usually

don’t put behind is our WARDROBE!!

Yeah yeah I know, I too can’t part with

all the clutter that’s lying around in my

cupboard. But then, why not? Let us

begin this year with a brand new

wardrobe too. Keep the old stuff that

really has a lot of memories attached to

it or the ones that you really feel

comfortable in. Apart from all that, it is

time to SHOP!!

Just the other day I went window

shopping (ended up shopping) and I was

really surprised to see the number of

new stores and labels that have come

in. The whole damn thing makes you go

crazy coz you just cannot decide what to

buy and what not to criticize. So, here I

am, trying to help you guys decide what

trends to follow this Feb.

1. Mufflers are out. Duppattas are in!!

Guys, winter is almost dead and the

summer days are getting longer. Keep it

very cool. A good pair of Jeans teamed

with plain casual Tees. Use bright colors

such as Yellow, Pink, Olive Green,

Brown, Musk Mellon Orange, Indigo

Blue, Red, Purple and our all time

favorite White.

Keep your accessories minimal and just

carry a good pair of CK or Benetton

Shades. Carry a psychedelic cotton

Duppatta or a checkered one. They

make a great clothing accessory and can

also be used as a Sun Block (Without

the greasy creams and the thick

jackets). Let your Duppattas do the

talking. Don’t just be the crowd, lead it!

2. Converse, Flip Flops and Osho’s all

the way.

When you guys need to go out for a

casual party and are really bored of your

denims, just slip in to a pair of

comfortable casual checkered pants.

Wear your converse or your Osho’s for

the perfect blend. Team them up with

cool Tees. Keep those accessories

rocking and the party too. Guys, who

are very flamboyant, wear funky anklets

to give it the perfect look.

Some of my favorite places this season:

Benetton, Pepe, Either Or, CK. Guys

check out these places for great clothes

and accessories.

Have a great 2010!

The Queer Chronicle

September 2009

We would love to hear from you!

We hope that you enjoyed reading this issue of The Queer Chronicle. We welcome your feedback and suggestions to make

future editions even more exciting! E-mail us at [email protected]. www.facebook.com/tqc.india 13

Classi-Prides

This issue of The Queer Chronicle was published on

February 1, 2010. The next issue would be published

on March 1, 2010.

Centre of Contemporary Dance, Pune

inclined to set their feet atap on weekends, the class on Saturday from 11 am to

12.30 pm is just the thing to kick-start your weekend. The Centre also conducts

personalized and customized workshops for corporate clients.

Location: Kala Chaya Campus, Opposite Vikhe Patil School, Chaturshrungi.

For more details, please visit www.hrishikeshpawar.com

Under the artistic direction of

Hrishikesh Pawar, the Centre

of Contemporary Dance offers

regular classes every Monday

and Wednesday from 5 pm to

6.30 pm for beginners and

from 6.30 pm to 8 pm for

advanced students. For those

Homestays | City Tours

Launching soon!!

TTTT QQQQ CCCC www.facebook.com/tqc.india

TAROT FOR FEB 2010 – CONTD FROM PAGE 10

eat properly. Review your experiences

from last year and plan for this year…it’s

still not too late. Bury the past and move

on. Avoid using Shopping Therapy to beat

the blues. Number of Hope and Luck: 4.

Best Day of the Month: February 22nd

.

CAPRICORN - Card of the Month: King of

Fire. The usually nimble-footed Goat will

really have to do a balancing act this

month, at least where Work and Play are

concerned. How do you be the center of

attention at work AND at the next party?

Be Determined, not Overbearing; be

charming, not lecherous. Ultimately, try

and achieve equilibrium between what

you want to be and what you think you

ought to be. Number of Hope and Luck:

14. Best Day of the Month: February 14th

.

AQUARIUS - Card of the Month: 8 of Fire.

Great joy and great despair…as you shuttle

between these two states of being, try and

not lose your mind with all that’s going on

around you. Aquarians are naturally

mercurial and this month, those around

you will experience the full force of your

nature. A lot of volatile activity is

predicted by the cards. Be kind to yourself

and try not to take things too seriously.

Number of Hope and Luck: 10. Best Day of

the Month: February 19th

.

PISCES - Card of the Month: The Sun. Joy,

family, love, career, the good times. Could

life BE any sweeter for you? You’re on the

threshold of something important and life-

altering. It may not be what you wished

for, but it will be what you need….you’ll

see in time. Number of Hope and Luck:

13. Best Day of the Month: February 13th

.

the queer chronicle - february 2010

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