After Hyderabad in the south, it is Chandigarh in the north which is preparing to hold a gay pride parade. The LGBT Pride Walk will be held on March 15 and is being organized by a city based CBO (community based organization) Saksham Trust.
The march, which will be the first by any city in northern India after Delhi, will start at 4:30pm from Punjab University’s Students Centre, and move through Sector 15 Market and Sector 16 Market, crossing the famous Rose Garden and Shakti Kunj, and will culminate at 6pm at City Centre in Sec 17 Plaza, a popular hub for people in Chandigarh.
After the pride march, a number of cultural activities and advocacy programs are planned at City Centre. “City Centre is the heart of Chandigarh, and we will be able to reach out to many people there. After the pride march ends, we plan to hold cultural and dance programs, screen documentaries and raise awareness about LGBT issues,” said Dhananjay Chauhan, President of Saksham Trust and the main force behind organizing the march.
More than 500 people are expected to participate in the pride march. Over 1000 people had participated recently in Hyderabad’s first pride march held on 3rd Feb.
