TQC
THE QUEER CHRONICLE 2010
OCT
Issue 2 . Volume 2 . Pune
(GAYSI): WE ARE FAMILY
TQC EXCLUSIVE: HOMOPHOBIA - A STUDY
HEALTH: ASK DOCTOR TUSHAR
PAGE 1
PAGE 4
PAGE 11
In this issue
Editorial
(Gaysi): We are family
01
Open Space
02
Page 3
03
TQC Exclusive: Homophobia ‐ A study
04
Book review: ‘Hostel room 131’
06
Money: The Pink Rupee
08
Readers’ Corner
09
Leisure: Santé & Bon Appétit
10
Health: Ask Doctor Tushar
11
Travel: Weekend getaway ‐ Karnala
12
Reflections
13
Movie Report: ‘Wild Reeds (Les Roseaux Sauvages)’
14
each month. Deepak Kashyap, a prominent LGBT
Leisure: Life & Tarot
15
activist also presented a summary of his thesis at Open Space, titled ‘Sexual
Art & Soul: Artists ‐ Waswo X. Waswo & Murali Raman
16
Pune got really ‘HOT’ in September, and it was not the mercury rising. Events galore pepped up the queer mood, despite the sultry weather. Open Space organized its first ‘Queering Saturdays’ with the screening of the popular queer movie Mambo Italiano. Open Space would be hosting ‘Queering Saturdays’ on the 2nd and 4th Saturday,
identity and behavior among urban Indian men’, which was followed by a very animated discussion. And how can I not mention the totally awesome party organized by ‘Birds of a Feather.’ Sagar and Apphia, outdo themselves with each successive event! Apphia, co‐founder of Birds of a Feather and prominent Bi‐activist was also invited to ‘BiCon 2010 & 10 ICB’ that was recently held in UK. I am sure we will
TQC. Issue 2. Volume 2. Pune. Cover artwork: “The Peepul Gatherer” is a work by Waswo X. Waswo from his well‐known series ‘A Studio in Rajasthan’. This 16”x 24” image is a hand‐colored digital photograph on archival Hahnemuhle fine art paper. This image has already appeared in exhibitions in Delhi, Mumbai, Kochi, Pondicherry and Italy. Copyright Waswo X. Waswo. Used with permission of the artist. Editor & publisher: Keith | Contributors: Ahana Banerjie, Amey Kolhe, Ankit Chawla, ‘Enigma’, Imran Ali Khan, Jaideep Bhide, Kedar Champhekar, ‘Broom’, Murali Raman, Ranjeet Kulkarni,
hear more from her on the conference, once her jet lag wears off :)
Subodh Bodke, ‘Seahorse of the Night’, Tushar Tayal, Waswo X. Waswo | Layout concept, design &
Overall an exciting month and much more is in the pipeline for October too.
TQC (The Queer Chronicle) is a monthly e‐magazine published for and by the queer community in
So join the respective groups on
distribution. Views expressed are solely the opinions of the individual authors and do not
Facebook to keep abreast with what’s happening right here, right now.
this e‐zine may not be suitable for all audiences.
Be a part of the change!
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Please print this ezine only if you have to. Help save our planet.
(GAYSI): We Are Family BY BROOM
TQC - Oct 2010
Photo credit: Milinda Rajapaksha It was a cold February afternoon when I
my fear of coming out. Of course it also
And now with Writers Bloc – my cup
first met The Girl. Three months later, my then husband & I decided to end
helped that I had a very very very patient partner who tolerated my self‐
runneth over. Gaysi Family is now a blog with a life of
what was left of our very unhappy
loathing homophobic attitude.
it’s own. We have several authors,
marriage. Those three months and several months
And when I was past the worst phase of fear and confusion and had come out
many supporters and many more readers. I like to believe that MJ & I
that followed were the months that showed me what I was made of. I had
on the other side, I rued the lack of a space & community where I could read
could disappear, but the community we started will live on.
several choices – I could stay unhappily
about others who had the same
In all this chest thumping, I would be
married while secretly having a relationship with The Girl. I could get
struggles as I had. Others with conservative South Asian parents who
leaving out a big fat detail if I didn’t mention how much MJ means to me &
divorced but choose not to pursue my relationship with The Girl. I could get
just could not fathom the meaning of their child being gay.
to this blog. She is the burning force that comes up with ideas and
divorced, have a relationship with The
And so Gaysi Family was born. MJ (who
implements them. She’s the one who
Girl but never tell a soul, especially not my parents.
I met through a friend) and I both agreed about wanting to set up a space
nags me to get things done. She’s the one who sends me to‐do lists and then
In the end, I chose to get divorced, I chose to let true love into my life, I
that we so craved. I cannot even remember how many
checks on whether I’ve done any of it and then patiently resends them when
chose to live my life with pride and
times I’ve read posts here by different
I haven’t done them. She’s the one who
dignity by coming out to my parents. I did not make these choices easily.
people and have held back tears because I’ve felt the same pain or
gets T‐shirts printed, seeks out authors to interview, schedules posts to be
Most of them I made because I knew that any other choice would mean a life
nodded vigorously in agreement because I’ve lived the same scenario.
published. All of this while doing her day job & being a total gaysi casanova.
not worth living. But what really helped
What’s amazing is that while we started
me through these times was a community of friends. Friends who
this blog to help others find a community – I have found a community
supported me, my grief at the divorce (unhappy as my marriage was, I had
here that has enriched and enlightened me more than I could have ever
Family. Gaysi Family was started in 2008 to provide a voice and a safe space to ‘desis’ w h o i d e n t i f y a s L G B T .
known & loved my ex for many years),
imagined.
www.gaysifamily.com
‘Broom’ & ‘MJ’ are co‐founders of Gaysi
1
Open Space
2 4
The other day a few Tibetan students
Watching the film it suddenly became
the Other. The identity of the self is
came to Open Space to watch a film and talk about the work they wanted to do
painfully apparent to me that there were more hearts in the space that
created by evaluation and elimination. Understanding what it was to be gay
with us for the Human Rights week in
stood broken, than one imagined.
when I understood it (a very, very long
December. I sat through the film on Tibet, at first
I was in an exile that I did not voluntarily opt for. But this idea took on
time ago), was a process of elimination. I preferred one to another, I understood
with an aesthetic detachment to the subject, and only later with a feeling of
a new meaning while I watched the film. This was not about a nation, it was
one better than the other, and so began what was to become an exile in itself. I
complete disappointment with the
not about the people in the room, but it
remained alien to much of the socio‐
world at large. (Of course it is always refreshing to know that the angst of 16
was about the spaces we share together. Each of us exiled in some way
cultural head‐banging of the straight world, but assumed a cultural stance,
hasn’t left you, and you may still be very much in fashion.)
to quarters of the larger milieu and as I write this I realize even more than ever
one that involved playing my cello, understanding what Auden meant
An entire nation in exile, deprived of a
that I am a minority in almost every
when he wrote “Lay your sleeping head,
cultural identity rooted in a heritage spanning generations, is bound to pull
sense of the word. As you read this, you will then understand the significance of
my love,/Human on my faithless arm..” and understanding that aubergine was
at the appropriate heart strings. A group, when in exile, assumes a
something larger than yourself. We have access to the language it is written
not just a vegetable but a color as well ( I a m ste re o t y p i n g , b u t I wa s
purpose that is quite different to their
in, access to the means it uses to
eliminating).
lives if they weren’t in exile. There is an identity to forge, a cultural landscape to
communicate in and we have access to express it. The idea is to use the spaces
But I have a language now by which I understand myself and I have a space to
melt into and a community to create. Routine cultural moorings that would
we have, to recognize the spaces that stand outside them. And standing
share that language by which I speak. I suppose the idea is to decode the
otherwise have gone unnoticed.
outside, to understand the nature of
language into form, (art or alcohol) and
For the Tibetans, as it is for any nation in exile, the freedom they wait for
what these spaces we inhabit are. The identity of a community is based on
understand not just the differences that separate us, but that also connect us.
always seems very close at hand, although it never is.
its relevance to the time it shares by comparison to something other than
There is no salvation in difference, but there is moksh in understanding that
itself. The nature of which is formed by
difference. (www.openspaceindia.org)
TQC - Aug Oct 2010 2010
PAGE 3 Q‐Party VIII September 25, 2010. Pune Organized by ‘Birds of a Feather’
TQC Exclusive: Homophobia - A Study BY AHANA BANERJIE
4
First came the Universe. Then came
objected to her. Great Roman generals
who said these, and they would have
nature with its soil, plants and trees,
like Caesar or Octavian are often
replied that their ‘Gods’ asked them to
and water. Then were the dinosaurs in
suspected of indulging in sexual
do so.
the Jurassic period, followed by apes
activities with men in harem, even
Gods... Where are the Gods? Why do
and human beings thousands of years
ambitious Emperors like Alexander or
they always appear in ancient times
after their disappearance from the
Xerxes. Why did people not object
and not now? What are they afraid of,
planet.
then, when they knew that these
media, pollution or terrorism? Why
But I wonder when did the Gods come,
generals were involved in such
don’t they show themselves to us?
or did they ever exist on this planet?
activities? They were powerful, is that
Does it mean that they do not exist in
Whatever! Since the very beginning of
what they would say?
fact, and that they are a simple
our different civilizations around the
Historians believed that homophobia
perception of these so called classes of
globe, in school we learnt what we did
came from conservative societies.
people out in the streets to hate and
then, how we survived and what kind of
Many religious societies were scared
marginalize people a bit hatke from
things we used or the dresses we wore.
about their statuses in the public and
their perception of normalcy?
Did any teacher tell us whom we slept
the respect that common men
To my knowledge, this is what the
with, or was there any social division
showered on them. These cultures
hardcore truth is!
based on the behaviors of the
emphasized that love can exist only
H e t e r o n o r m a t i v e s a r e m o s t l y
individuals? I don’t remember and
between a man and a woman, and
homophobic. They are the ones who
neither you nor I do believe, because
sexual activities were only for
are afraid to mingle with people who
people then hardly cared about those
producing children. They had set laws
share their love with their own kind, or
things.
for what to eat, whom to work for,
tend to go against the normal codes for
Lesbos was a famous Greek poetess who
what to wear and when to sleep;
dressing or apt to alter their body of
wrote poems depicting women as the
dividing the common class into many
their choice, in short the homosexuals
protagonists involved in heroics
social races and creating endless
or the queers.
especially meant for men. But nobody
dogmas for their own benefit. Ask them
TQC - Oct 2010
Harassed. Oppressed. Marginalized.
An example can be drawn from the
education. It is only through proper
O st ra c i ze d . Pa ra l y ze d . H a b i t u a l
media or the entertainment world,
education and learning that one would
Obstinate Barbaric Incalculable Acts or
which despite mocking the lifestyle of
be able to understand the basic
HOMOPHOBIA is a kind of infection that
the queers, have most of the time come
requirements needed to co‐exists in
the so‐called ‘normal’ people of the
out in support of their legal existence in
society, rather than involving in this
civilized societies of the world suffer
society. There are designers, reporters,
obnoxious behavior with each other
from whenever they come in contact or
editors, actors, directors, musicians, and
on grounds of unjustified issues of
are in the vicinity of people different
many other people from different strata
sexuality or caste.
from them.
of society who are from the LGBT
Homosexuals are very much part of
The term ‘homo’ is an anti‐gay slur
community.
this civilized world, who don’t indulge
meaning the ‘homosexual’. Homophobia
To understand what is the desire of the
in harming people through any means
is considered a serious offense for
other person, whether that person is a
but are often subjected to atrocities
heterosexuals against homosexuals. This
male or female doesn’t depend on the
without any proper reason.
behavior is mostly regarded as an
principles of society. Society doesn’t
I agree it is not possible to change the
outcaste, or semi‐abnormal by the
have any control on the powers of
scenario overnight, although a proper
modern learned crowd in today’s world.
nature.
effort to comprehend the LGBT
Semi‐abnormal did I say? Sorry, but I fail
Heteronormatives should know that
community can help in overcoming
to agree with this. Humans suffering
what we are today is not what we chose
this dangerous syndrome which not
from homophobia should be made to
to be, but are born with it. According to
only destroys the complete peace of a
understand about feelings and emotions
medical theories, a child starts taking a
family, but also a healthy environment
of other beings, before indulging in any
form of either gender in the fifth month
necessary for progress.
kind of hate‐crimes purported by the
of a woman’s pregnancy. Prior forming
Queers should always remember that
religious institutions or government
the gender, the child develops a female
being original, proud of their sexuality
agencies. What irks my mind is when
brain in the womb. It is in the fifth
and helping their own kind in times of
learned medical practitioners in India
month, that the brain of the child
crisis gives a positive vibe about the
mislead the common man against the
decides which gender to go for
community to the heteronormatives
community of sexual minorities by
depending on the power of the
who then understand that our actions
terming them as inefficient beings,
chromosomes of their parents. In
are natural and there is nothing
those who are incapable of earning a
certain cases, the brain retains itself
artificial about our state of affairs.
proper livelihood and can be ‘cured’
female whereas the body takes the form
through medicines or other modes of
of a male or vice versa. These babies
treatment, in the greed to add some
when they grow end up being feminine
wealth to their established coffers.
in nature or effeminate and express
Large corporate houses, to tiny business
their desire to become a member of
establishments in the present scenario
their opposite sex, to come in terms
think that by employing people from the
with their brain.
queer community would encourage
A normal person should also remember
others in their office and could begin a
that a gay, lesbian or transgender
drag race. Or worse, they would be
person is born from a straight couple
sleeping around the office premises!
and in that context they should not hate
However, some have opened their heart
us, rather should hate their own kind
to employ us because they have come
w h o a r e r e s p o n s i b l e f o r s u c h
to realize the talents that exists in every
occurrence!
human being irrespective of their caste,
The most important way to eliminate
creed, religion or sexuality.
this disease that is still persistent in the dark corners of the country is through 5
‘Hostel Room 131’ AN HONEST REVIEW BY ‘ENIGMA’
Photograph by Ankit Chawla
The Bollywood songs translated to
hijra community and her life, which
attempt at a love story which has English as part of the English tutoring, periodic inserts of the author’s thoughts while trying to highlight the absent gay and random ideas which do not fit in subtext was tiring and tacky. The
again had nothing to do with the original story and seemed to be snippets
with the conceived theme of the book. progression of the “story line” was After the two lovers meet the typical discontinuous and suddenly reaches a Bollywood style scorn from the families phase when the only way the couple ensues albeit in the homosexual feels it can be together is by Sudhir
author planned to write and did not finish. Another such impertinent
context.
going in for sex‐reassignment and
agent working for the American
The book begins with a scene in a police stat i o n w i t h s o m e u n n e c e s s a r y
moving out of the country with the love of his life.
Intelligence to inject the enemy with a serum which turns them gay, so that
descriptions of filth, grime, odors served The flavors of revenge which come with with a side of saliva and mucous which the gay group coming together and raping the homophobes who intern rape made my stomach turn.
they fall in love with the soldiers from the US army and surrender to them.
The protagonist Siddharth, a metro‐ t h e m b a c k e v e n t u a l l y h a s n o based literature professor falls in love significance in the story and had no with Sudhir a demure lad from a small impact on me. Whether the author t o w n . T h e s e x b e g i n s a l m o s t wanted these sequences to be erotic or
me think of this book as extremely silly but also made me think of the very
immediately and progresses through the disturbing is unclear. book and evolves into ‘watersport’ and The language of the book which ranges some more disturbing stuff ‐ all of this from English from Oxford, to phrases
author thinks of homosexuality as a
without the mention of condoms or any like “Chuk chuk gaadi” describing sex mention of HIV or AIDS, which can be confused me while reading, as I was explained by the fact that the book is unsure if I should peg this book as the
lot that the gay movement stands for.
set in the late seventies and the early roadside lewd kinds or the up market ones with a little sprinkle of trash to set eighties. However, as one of the very few works the context. By the time I finished I went of Indian gay literature available today, with the former opinion.
R. Raj Rao is a professor in the Department of English, University of
‘Hostel Room 131’ is an unsuccessful
6
this book has a responsibility to
So while the love story takes place,
emphasize the importance of safe sex.
there was mention of a member of the
added from another book which the
digression came with Sudhir’s Iraqi room‐mate suddenly turning into an
This kind of a write‐up not only made
disturbed mind it has originated from. This also points to the fact that the phenomenon that can be induced with an injection, which just goes against a
About the author
Pune. He is a pioneering Indian academic who runs a course on queer literature in his department.
TQC - Oct 2010
The Pink Rupee BY RANJEET KULKARNI
82
Let us start where we left off in our
mutual fund is no different than this.
last installment of The Pink Rupee.
Let’s see how it is done.
How do I go about investing in
Identify funds that match your
mutual funds?
investment objectives
If you check out the gay dating
In India there are around 38 Asset
scenario over the web, there are
Management Companies (Companies
some 5 known gay dating websites.
that float mutual funds ‐ eg: HDFC,
Each website has all the continents,
UTI, SBI, Franklin Templeton etc.).
countries within the continents, states
There are about 21 types of mutual
within the countries and cities within
funds according to structure, nature,
the states listed. Each city has some
t y p e s o f r e t u r n s , i n v e s t m e n t
‘N’ number of profiles updated on
objectives etc. There are a ballpark
them. These profiles themselves can
200+ schemes within these 21 types
be sorted by heights, weights, skin
of mutual funds. So one would think
color, length of hair, hobbies, pics and
its quite a task to choose from
certain other criteria that would be
amongst these mutual funds. Well,
politically incorrect to state here.
yes but if you know your financial
Say you want to go on a date through
goals and risk tolerance levels (refer
a particular website. What do you do?
The Pink Rupee in TQC’s July 2010
You decide on an objective first. Do
issue), the process would become
you want to go on a “date”‐ like, just
much simpler. We would actually go
dinner; or do you want a “dinner and
on to discuss the type of mutual funds
more” or do you want “more and
and schemes in the next write up.
more”? Having decided on an
So typical investment objectives
objective, you start browsing through
would include fixed income or long
profiles and start short listing guys
term appreciation, short term liquidity
w h o s e p r o f i l e s m a t c h y o u r
etc.
expectations. You further filter those
Evaluate Past performance
profiles who are “referenced”‐ so
Although past performance is no
basically, you look at who their friends
assurance of the future, it is a useful
are; if you have any common people
way of assessing how well or badly a
you know, etc. Once you have found
fund has performed in the past
THE guy that you want to be with,
through various market trends in
what do you do? You don’t stop! You
comparison to its stated objectives
browse through some more profiles
and peer group. A good way to do this
and “ping” a couple of more guys just
is to pick up a fund and compare its
to, you know, “diversify”. (Who says
performance over various periods, say
dating ain’t a risk?). You finally
6 months, 1 years, 3 years, 5 years. So
message all the guys you have liked
if the fund is a consistent performer in
and “save” them for future expected
each of these time horizons, you have
“benefits”. The process of selecting a
got yourselves a winner!
Diversify Avoid the risk of being overtly dependent on one fund house; or one type or once scheme. Say, if you want to invest in an equity diversified scheme, allocate your money across the top two‐three fund houses within that category and spread your investment.
Readers’ Corner Here is what we heard from you on TQC’s September 2010 issue.
that positive change. Thank you, I have passed your site on to many lonely gay friends in India. They feel some sense of community from your magazine. Peace & Love.” ‐ Mr E, United Kingdom “I enjoyed reading the excerpt from the book "you are not alone" by Arun
Consider fund costs
Mirchandani. Yet another great issue!
The cost of investing though a mutual
Thanks TQC” ‐ Suraj, Australia
fund is not trivial. It deserves due
“Happy Birthday TQC! Ankur has
consideration, especially in the case of
beautifully summed up our feelings
fixed income funds. Management
for TQC since it's inception. The issues
fees, annual expenses of the fund, exit
turned out so beautiful and they
loads can take away a significant
continue to be so spectacular one
portion of your returns. So be careful
after another. So a big KUDOS to you.”
there.
‐ Ranjeet, Pune
Invest, monitor and review Having made an investment in a
“The cover page just gets better.” ‐
mutual fund, one should monitor it to
Jinnah, Pune
see whether its performance is in tandem with the stated objectives and
“I adore this cover.” ‐ Syed Ali Arif,
also whether it leads or lags
Mumbai
expectations. A review should be carried out with the objective of selling /holding a mutual fund; although it is advisable to stick for a longer term with your fund (also since mutual funds hardly fluctuate as dramatically in a shorter period as stocks do). Normally, a review once a quarter is sufficient. So now that we know what are the advantages and disadvantages of investing in a mutual fund and the way to go about it, we will actually go through some of the types of mutual funds/schemes risks with some case
TQC - Oct 2010
studies.
“Absolutely great work you have put up on TQC. I read all of the issues over
“ Wa r m R e g a r d s . . . o n t h e f i r s t
the last weekend and today, and I
a n n i ve rs a r y. . . .f i rst o n e i n t h e
must say, everything is so professional.
many...read and enjoyed each copy” ‐
Kudos to you and your team for
Sumit, Mumbai
bringing something that defies all notions of a queer magazine general people would have in their minds. Intelligent, reflective and far away from the cheap pornographic stuff widely available online, TQC is
“Congratulations to you and your team on completing one year. As expected and as always a well produced issue. Keep up the good work.” ‐ Pratap, Pune
different and I am sure it will make all
“I’m a very regular reader of this
the difference in changing everyone's
magazine. I love this. Thanks for this
perceptions about the issues the
awesome magazine.” ‐ Aaryan, Pune
magazine brings to the fore. Well done!” ‐ ‘XamginE’, Pune
‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐ TQC’s editorial desk is now open for
But all that, in the articles to come. So
“I am delighted to see your magazine.
article contributions to be published
stay glued and happy investing!
It’s heart warming and inspiring. I am
in the November 2010 issue. Please
British, but I have many Indian friends,
send your articles to us via email at
especially gay friends. It’s so hard in
TheQueerChronicle@gmail.com by
India right now, things will change but
October 15, 2010.
Disclaimer: The financial content in ‘The Pink Rupee’ is provided for your personal information only, is not intended for trading purposes, and cannot substitute for professional financial advice. Always seek advice of a competent financial advisor with any questions you may have regarding a financial matter.
it takes time. Your efforts are part of
‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐ 15 9
Santé
And Bon Appétit
BY CHEF SUBODH BODKE
Although not a part of our regular cocktail series, this traditional drink‐ dessert is to die for.
A festive selection of palate tickling delectables for the time-pressed gourmet home entertainer.
FALOODA Falooda is an adaptation of the Persian dessert Faloodeh and was brought to the Indian subcontinent during the Mughal period.
Ingredients 2 cups milk 1 packet falooda sev 3 tsp rose water 1/4 table spoon soaked tukmuri seeds/ sabja (basil seeds) Method Boil the sev in water for 15 minutes. Now boil it in milk for another 15 minutes. Cool the sev. Put the sev in glasses and add rose water and the
M ut to n B ir ya ni Ingredients 2 cups rice 1 kg mutton 10 gms cardamom, cinnamon and cummin seed 40 gms Ginger, garlic, salt and chillies as per taste 2 lemons Curd and ghee.
Method Wash the mutton well. Grind the ginger garlic, chillies, and other spices and add it to the mutton. Add curd to this mixture. Boil 6-8 cups of water in a ves sel and then add rice to it.
Place the mutton mixture in a pressure cooker. When the rice is ready, spread it over the mutton mixture. Let it cook for 30 minutes on a
low flame.
tukmuri seeds. Add the milk to it. You may also add vanilla ice cream to your falooda if you wish to. Forget about the calories and indulge!
H a le e m Ingredients 250 gms mutton 1 cup wheat dal (split gram) 1/4th cup channa ) dal (green gram 1/4th cup moong r dal (red lentils) 1/4th cup masoo wder and chilli Salt, coriander po ste powder as per ta ste. Ginger garlic pa
Method
keep it eat overnight and
Soak the wh ed. pounded and husk r 40 and moong dal fo Soak the channa minutes.
and water in a vessel Put eight cups of r d the wheat, ginge bring it to boil. Ad
10
chilly nder powder and garlic paste, coria powder and salt. to the pieces and add it Mash the mutton mixture. ium Cook over a med is tender.
n flame till the mutto
Ask Doctor Tushar “Although I lead a fairly healthy life of 15‐30 ml with meals. Taken post and have healthy eating habits I often meals they act for 2‐3 hours, but if suffer from unbearable bouts of taken on empty stomach, the duration acidity. Could you please suggest how I of action is merely 1 hour. Although should deal with this?” – Dhruv
Digene and Gelusil are are available in
Dr Tushar: Time and again, or should I tablet form, their syrups are proven to say, every day when I’m sitting in the be more effective. OPD, the commonest complaint that Then come PPI’s . These are extremely each and every tobacco chewing, efficacious and help stop acid secretion toothless granny elaborates upon is her completely for a few days. The ACIDITY.
disadvantage being, they are extremely
And in my attempt to dissuade them habit forming, primarily because the from making a habit out of those ‘Pitta relief is tremendous. I’ll list down a few ki Goli’, I have always wondered that and you can try them and decide which whether their complaint is really one works best for you: Cap Omez genuine, or if it has more to do with the 20mg ; Cap Nexpro / Cap Raciper :20mg variation in their body metabolism (longer acting than Omez); tab Pan / depending on whether or not they’ve Pantocid 40mg and tab Razo 10 mg fought with their daughter‐ in‐law on (fastest acting). that particular day.
Take one tablet / capsule on an empty
Turns out, both are true. And its not stomach, preferably in the morning and just these rural grannies who suffer you would remain, should I say, acid from the pangs of excess acid secretion, free for the next few days. even our young, restless and urbane If you are having really severe gastritis, crowd is falling prey to the same. And repeat one tablet in the evening, trust me, the pain can be excruciating.
continue the same regimen for 5 days
The key words here are STRESS and and then give it a break for the next 5 TOBACCO, both precipitating acidity. days at least. Add to it irregular food timings, and If your symptoms are still not relieved you’re in a soup.
by any of the above mentioned drugs, I
So instead of dwelling upon the holistic strongly advise a visit to a physician or approach, which at times can be a little a surgeon to rule out ulcers or bacterial impractical, we’ll focus of the medical (H. Pylori) infection of the stomach. management.
You could also try chewing Saunf /
Starting with antacids, our fizzy ENO fennel seeds after meals. Last but not sachets can be taken in S.O.S. the least, have chilled buttermilk. It situations, but the disadvantage is its always works for me. short duration of action. TQC - Oct 2010
Next in line are Digene / Gelusil / If you have a health‐related query for Mucaine syrups, each with a difference Doctor Tushar, please email us at in content, but similar mechanism of TheQueerChronicle@gmail.com action. They are to be taken in a dosage 11
Weekend Getaway: Karnala BY KEDAR CHAMPHEKAR
Photograph by Kedar Champhekar
My first trip to this mysterious looking highway begins. If travelling by bike you The Fort has a strange looking pinnacle fort was about 4 years ago. It is very will have to travel on the old Pune‐ at the top, which looks like a thumb. accessible from Pune and Mumbai and Mumbai highway, which will directly Though most of the Fort is in ruins, the connected with excellent quality roads. arrive at the Goa highway junction. wall, which runs along its boundary, is A friend and I had chosen a lovely day Once on the Goa highway, after still intact and so are the large to take my motorcycle out on a long travelling for about 7‐8 km the road doorways in the wall. Behind the ride and we couldn’t think of a better starts to wind and you encounter lush, pinnacle, there are a few more thick vegetation on both sides. On your doorways, which still retain their old destination! Karnala is an old fort near Panvel and it left you will find a board indicating carvings. Look out for the large water is surrounded by a lush forest. The Fort Karnala Bird Sanctuary (written in cisterns carved in the rock at the base dates back to the 12th century and was Marathi). There is a small check post at of the pinnacle. Some of these retain in the control of various rulers including the entrance and a parking space for cool, clear water all year round. the Nizam, Shivaji, the Moghuls, the cars. A nominal fee has to be paid to The view from the top is breathtaking. Marathas and finally the British. The the forest department and for parking.
Towards the East you can see ranges of
pinnacle of the Fort was the main As you enter the sanctuary from the the Western ghats and several other location of a hit Marathi movie that highway, you will see a few small forts. Towards the West, you can see featured Smita Patil ‐ “Jait re Jait”. The st r u c t u re s i n w h i c h t h e fo re st Mumbai and the Elephanta islands (on surrounding forest has been declared as department guards live. From behind a clear weather day). one of the ‘houses’ a simple trail goes There are numerous eateries all along As you travel along the Pune‐Mumbai up to the Fort. (Please ask directions the road where you can stop for Expressway, look to the left after from the guards, as there are numerous breakfast or lunch. “Sri Datta Snacks” in crossing the Khopoli Toll Station, while trails in the forest and one can get lost). Panvel is famous for its wada and chai going towards Mumbai. You will be able Most of the path goes through thick and is definitely a welcome stop while a protected bird sanctuary.
to see a tall thumb‐shaped rock jutting forest, which offers great shelter from on the way back! The best time to visit out against the sky. This is Karnala Fort. the sun, and finally emerges near the is just after the monsoon. So what are After taking the first exit to Panvel, in a pinnacle. If you do not want to climb, you waiting for? Get your cars out, stuff few minutes you will reach the junction there are many lovely paths winding your friends in and spend your Sunday in an awesome way! where to the left the Mumbai‐Goa through the forest. 12
Reflections A BETTER CHANGE By ‘Seahorse of the night’ Oh life is so much sunnier now It is everything and more that we wanted We mowed the grass of the backyard Pulled the weeds out the house that was haunted We also renovated the ruins And now the field looks pretty Dust has settled out of the attic The kitchen door looks more witty Desires have spread and blossomed Have taken over the whole of lobby They have carpeted the floor and the driveway Fuming enchanting dizzy smokes out of the chimney Our steps are loud and we a thing of beauty Intelligence we have ready and in open we flaunt it We think our times are well spent and our rooms well lit Our happiness is now permanent and our lives sorted
Wild Reeds (Les Roseaux Sauvages) MOVIE REPORT BY AMEY KOLHE
Three boys on the verge of manhood (with the French‐Algerian conflict smoldering in the background) are in residence at a boarding school in the south of France in 1962. One is gay, the second is bi‐sexual and the third is straight. Through their interactions we (and they) discover their sexuality. The slightly loose and episodic feel of this charming coming‐of‐ager doesn't matter because the characters and the conflicts are so well presented that we are enthralled throughout. Francois Forestier, played attractively by Gael Morel, is gay as he discovers one night when Serge Bartolo (Stephane Rideau), an athletic schoolmate with a natural style, awakens his sexuality by seducing him. For Serge it is just a school age sexual adventure; for Francois it is love so intense he is transformed. The third boy, Henri Mariana, who is from Algeria, is a little older and a little more cynical. He finds heterosexual love with his enemy, Maité Alverez, who is a hated communist. The scenes in the classroom are bright, solar, reminding the purity of childhood; and alternate with the scenes taken 14
place at night, that are incredibly sensual. François is also portrayed as an intellectual that reads Jean‐Arthur‐ Nicolas Rimbaud, a homosexual writer revolted against the world, that leaves everything to live with the also writer Paul Verlaine, while he was still a teenager. That is what François wants to be. Maïte, on her side, is a communist that, after knowing about François passion for Serge, is jealous, but finally realizes the true platonic nature of her relationship with him. After a while, she falls in love with Henri, a pied‐noir (French born Algerian) teenager revolted against the situation in his native country. He is also in love with her, although ideologically they are rivals. And this is why love, in this film, is taken as a superior and dominant statement: it surpasses all human ideologies, even the most complex and rooted ones; it surpasses intellectuals who read Rimbaud and even the most practical persons. The soundtrack confirms the excellence of this film, with Chubby Checker giving
a sixties atmosphere, and the Adagio for string by Samuel Barber yielding the dramatic dimension that the film deserves, like in the highly stylized scene where Henri his sleeping by the river, or when François travels on the motorcycle hugging Serge. In the end, François meets a shoe salesman that everyone knows his a homosexual, in a scene that represents the almost desperate search for a way t o d e s t r o y t h e l o w l i n e s s , incomprehension, and lack of role models that are destined by his sexual orientation. Although he doesn't find the answer for his problems, because there isn't one, François remains optimistic. What makes this film superior is the warm and truthful way in which the sexual awakenings are realized. The kids seem absolutely real and the dialogue is sharp and authentic. Morel is very winning. This is a film about young p e o p l e fo r o p e n ‐ m i n d ed a d u l t s attractively done. For many it will strike a strong cord of recognition. Release: 1994 Duration: 1 hr. 50 min.
TQC - Oct 2010
Life & Tarot BY JAIDEEP BHIDE “I feel stuck in my job. My rating this year was poor, so there is no hope of any bonus or pay hike. I have financial responsibilities that now seem difficult to fulfill. No one told me at my job what was expected of me, and this led to my poor performance. I am thinking of quitting, maybe starting something with a couple of friends. But I don’t know what to do. Please advise?” Mr A, Date of birth: May 13th JB: Dear Mr A, first off, I think I need to address the issue of “No one told me at my job what was expected of me“ – it seems to me that you probably didn’t get as involved in your job as you should have been. From the cards, I can see that your Boss is a King of Swords – driven, a very tough task‐master and hard‐as‐nails. He’s also not much of a mentor. You, on the other hand are quite the opposite. You’re a dreamer. This seems to have intimidated you and made you feel a bit isolated from the team. Also, your organization is the kind of place where Hierarchy is everything! And you’re used to having easy access to people, provided those people are sweet and easily approachable. It’s a classic case of a square peg in a round hole – you’re a misfit and this has hampered performance. Try and get more involved in discussions with your colleagues, ask questions, don’t feel shy to approach people with your problems. While you are ambitious, you need to learn to direct that ambition into actual deeds. Set goals, work on them, get more involved – see where it goes. Not a good idea to get into business with friends at this juncture. First, sort out your finances. Do not even THINK of accumulating more debt!
“I have recently taken diksha from a Kundalini Yoga Master. Of all the things I have done so far, this form of Sadhana is by far the most effective. But I have recently started getting into minor mishaps, almost on a daily basis. Why is this happening? Is this a result of my sadhana? Please advice.” Mr B, Date of birth: September 1st JB: Dear Mr B, while the current form of meditation/sadhana is appropriate and will benefit you in the long term, there is also a danger of moving too fast with this type of energy work. The cards too indicate that this is exactly what has happened – the Kundalini has started moving but not in a balanced manner. The Three of Swords is the foundation card and a clear pointer that on a physical, emotional and energy level, there is still a lot of integration that needs to happen. Tread with caution, take things slowly. This is not advice that you should stop the Sadhana totally (8 of Pentacles as the base card tells me that this is a course of study that has the potential to benefit you) but only that you take the necessary precautions while you ex p l o re t h e s u b t l e r re a l m s o f consciousness. Talk to your teacher/Guru, sit with him and maybe, ask him to review your own practice to see if you are doing the meditation properly. Learn techniques for protecting your Chakras when you sit down for meditation, I’m sure your guru can guide you in these matters. A simple method is to imagine a Ring of Fire and you at the center, protected in it’s fiery loop. The card for final outcome is The Empress – the destination is a wonderful place. Just ensure that the journey does not burn you too much. All the best! 15
Art & Soul COMPILED BY KEITH
TQC is committed to encouraging and promoting the creativity of queer & queerfriendly talent. Waswo X. Waswo and Murali Raman, the featured artists, have pledged that 15% of the proceeds on sale of this artwork 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. www.voicesagainst377.org
THE PEEPUL GATHERER Waswo X Waswo MALE NUDE 4 Murali Raman
“The Peepul Gatherer” by Waswo X. Waswo is from his well-known series ‘A Studio in Rajasthan’. This 16”x 24” image is a hand-colored digital photograph on archival Hahnemuhle fine art paper. Waswo X. Waswo has signed the front of this photograph as well as embossed his initials "W.X.W." in the lower right margin. The reverse has been signed and numbered in pencil. The hand colorist, Rajesh Soni, has also signed. Price: Rs 65,000 (Unframed) , Rs 75,000 (Framed). 16
“Male Nude 4” by Murali Raman is a 11.5”x 11” oil painting on wooden board. It is part of a series of seven male nude figuratives. Three of these are larger in size, with full-length figures. For a private review of t h e f u ll s e r i e s, p le a s e co ntact T h e Q u e e r Chronicle. Price: Rs 5,000 (unframed). If you would like to purchase these works of art and would like to connect with the artists, email us at TheQueerChronicle@gmail.com
23rd & 24th October From Opera to Capoeira, Street Underground to Fashion, fine art spun with electro music, shopping with dance, music with a sensory experience. The trendiest venues at Bandra in Mumbai are going to be invaded with art… Thereʼs a mix between techniques and cultures as well as installations, live art, performances and more.
BE A PART OF THE CONSPIRACY ....
Open Space is an independent creative public space that allows you to interact, debate and initate change. Open Space is hosting its next screening of the queer film ‘Bubbles’ on October 9, 2010 at 4.00 pm. For more information visit www.openspaceindia.org or visit us at 301, Kanchanjung Building, Kanchan Lane (Near Krishna Dining Hall) Off Law College Road, Pune. Phone: +91.20.25457371.
TQC - Sep 2010
Homemade Chocolates
Plain (Dark Milk), Raisins, Cashew, Crackle, Marzipan, Hazel Kalyani Nagar,or Pune. 11White, am to 7Rum pm .&By appointment only. Contact Mickey atAlmonds, +91.9604578477. nuts, Coconut centre, Fruit & Nuts, Plain truffle, Coffee truffle and Mint truffle. Contact: Vivek / Mathew at +91.9960345904 / +91.9665031982