All About Mumbai Pride Parade.

We, Color Positive Foundation, are a registered NGO under Sec 8 and can be found in the government records. We have worked for the LGBTQIA+ since 2016 and have performed various plays, performances, fashion shows, short-films and more. 

We train people to become models and also host our yearly Fashion Pageant, our next pageant’s auditions are already open. We have also helped the community get acting jobs in the Bollywood industry. We have worked with many organisations in and outside the LGBTQIA+ community. We provide free HIV testing and PrEP at low costs. We have provided free ration kits during the pandemic in Mumbai, Pune and Nashik. We continue to do our best in supporting the community despite negligible support and financial aid.

Mumbai Pride Parade will be held on 28th January, 2023. The Pride Parade will start from the point from 4:30 pm sharp. People are asked to gather by 4:15 pm at the venue.

Here is the Google Map link for the location - from Opposite of Taj Villa to Carter Road Amphitheatre

This is an official Pride month for Mumbai. No one else has arranged for a Pride Parade this year and it will be 3 years if we don't do it. We sought the necessary permissions and got it.

For this, you need to check the official page of the collective who used to manage it. We are in no position to comment on it.

Mumbai needs a Pride Parade. We sought the relevant permissions and got it. That is the only task we have done. Pride is not of one particular organisation or a collective, Pride is for the people, by the people and with the people. Our only contribution to this has been to get the permissions for it. Anyone can do that. 

In the past, a collective would host many events in Mumbai which would end with the final event, The Pride Parade. This year as well, many organisations have been hosting many events as “Pride Month Event” but no pride parade was declared. We have managed to get the permissions… Now if there is no one who wants to form a collective, despite being asked to approach us or we approaching them, we can't be held accountable for it. We only want Pride to happen. 

When we began with this, we wanted to host a nice big show at the Amphitheater (the end point of our pride parade). It has a stage where we could host some performances, a wonderful display of the talent in the community. This requires funds. The stage requires BMC permissions and a payment to block the stage which is not a small amount, then you need to make the stage (as it's just a square block) add lights, LEDs, sound, hosts, performers and all this needs money.

We really wanted to do this, but then we decided to NOT ask for donations and NOT do the finale stage show. So now, we are not asking for donations, unless you want to give it for our other causes we have mentioned on top. 

Organisations have fought over this topic in the past as to who becomes the official pride parade party organiser. People have had to compromise on where they should go or where they feel safe. In fact, organisations have used that reason to have more than one party.

But this is the old way. We cannot say who should or should not host a party… this is Mumbai, no venue can hold the entire LGBTQIA+ crowd in one place… so whoever wants to have a party can. We are looking to host a party too, but currently, we are still in conversation with venues.

Yes, the police have given us permission, so it has official merit. There is no one who has any right to call Pride their official event. It belongs to no one. All it needs are permissions so that it can be held. And that we have acquired. So yes, it's official. Can any organisation claim to be the official Pride organiser, no… Pride is not of an organisation. Pride is of the people.

We received our permissions only on 16th Jan, 2023. It is a very short notice. Many meetings were being held to discuss pride (by the collective) but never materialised for us to go and attend and tell them that we have applied for permissions. Once we received the permissions, we emailed the collective stating that we have received permissions and that we seek to work together with everyone. We are yet to have a meeting with them, once it's decided by them when to do so. But should Pride be delayed for this? Of course not, we can’t go back to the authorities and ask them to change things now. It has not been easy to get the permissions in the first place. .

Yes, all permissions are in place for us to have the Pride. We will inform you of the rules you need to follow in the coming days.

Please email us at support@colorpositive.org or contact us on our Instagram account @color.positive 

We had seeked support and we were offered it too, but later they said that they need to also make sure that it is not just verbal but formal… so we withdrew our statement after they stated so. We are waiting for them to have a formal written communication with us for it.

It's going to be chaotic for you to bring your vehicle and search for parking. It of course is a pride walk and the road we will walk adjacent to, does not allow parking. We cannot say if it's safe for you to leave your car unattended where many people will be walking by. It's recommended that you park elsewhere or use public transport like Uber/Ola/Taxis/Rickshaws/buses to make it to the venue and back.

Usually, any clothes that may depict a religion, politician, personality that may become a controversial concern should be avoided. Revealing clothes could be avoided if they are seen as obscene in public places by the law.

You can wear what you like, but have a sense of responsibility as a person who is sensitive to the surroundings.

Honey, you can come as a drag queen, a diva, a drag king, an androgynous hottie… Pride is your Ramp. Be the best version of you, just remember to read the previous question and its answer to make sure you do not get in any trouble for being insensitive towards your brothers and sisters which includes our straight friends and allies. 

Of course, this Pride is pet-friendly. Remember to pick up after your pet, like a good citizen. 

This is what we have observed before. A group of friends rent a hotel-room together very near to the Pride location, get ready and come by cabs and rickshaws to the venue and back so they do not have to worry about travelling and being teased or harassed in trains and buses. Also, make sure that the hotel or accommodation you rent is also LGBTQIA+ friendly.  Some people travel in trains with a group of friends who can help in such situations. We do not wish that you should be harmed in any way on your way to Pride. Please be cautious and make decisions that involve your supportive friends to travel with.

Anything illegal in the eyes of the law is prohibited at the event. Drinking in public is an offence and drugs anywhere in this country is illegal. You will be reported to the police authority for trying to be a hindrance to the event. The law states a fine and jail-term in cases where the person causes nuisance.

No, the volunteers will ask you to stay in the path only. Walking outside the path won't help you if you want to show support by walking away from us, would it? Also, no photographers will be outside for your pictures to be taken ;) … Additionally, if the volunteer requests you to stay in the path and you venture out for many attempts, we will simply ask the authorities to handle the matter. 

We are doing this for the first time. We didn't want to go overboard with this.

No, carrying any banner, promotions etc is not allowed. You cannot display any political, religious banners. You are walking for the LGBTQIA+ rights only, so right to marry, adopt, equality, social awareness is allowed. You need to write to us to get permissions to use any banner. You can write to us at support@colorpositive.org to receive an official approval. Any banner that goes against these rules, will be removed from the Parade.

For Example : You can make a poster that talks about your right as a mother of an LGBTQIA+ person. 

Yes, Ofcourse, here is the information you need.

The route that we will use for the Pride Parade will be a one thousand metres (1000 m) stretch starting from opposite the Taj Villa at Carter Road’s Joggers Path and it will end at the Carter Road Amphitheater which is a part of Pali Hill’s Chuim Village. We will only be using the Beach Walk path and not the adjacent road namely Sangeet Samrat Naushad Ali Road. It may cause some traffic as people may stop to look or may park their vehicles. Some people may walk outside the path as well. We will have volunteers who will contain the crowd inside the joggers path only.

MAP SHOWING THE PATH OF PRIDE.