Besharam

On the first Friday of every month, there is a perceptible shift in Toronto. The sari queens mingle with suburban aunties. The mithaiwalas jostle for space amongst the hipsters. Even the transsexuals wait impatiently in line, pouting and tapping their stilettos for DJ Amita Handa.

This is when the desis come out to play: A night of mad dancing to homemade mashups in the heart of Toronto. What was once a loud whisper in the gay and lesbian community can barely contain itself now, with line ups snaking around the block and back.

Originally created to encourage a queer positive space accompanied by the jhinchak of balle balles and scintillating Tamil movie songs, both Besharam nights and Handa have now become chic dinner topics.

Once a month, Handa likes connecting with the energy of a boisterous and sweaty mob. She likes how the crowd pulsates when she introduces a new Bollywood hit, but she loves it when hands wave to her from the dance floor, which at times can number in the hundreds.

Handa is a lithe woman with cascading curly hair and a faraway look in her eyes. She rarely forgets a name, never mind a face. An education equity advisor by day, she is helping close the gap between Toronto’s  increasingly multicultural demographic in schools and the staff and culture, which remains predominantly white.

Encouraged by her friend DJ Ritu and inspired by the Asian music explosion in the UK, in the 90s, Handa took to spinning monthly for a local radio show from four cassette tapes bought from Gerrard Street, also known as Little India. Now she commands her own booth —  often with guest DJs — that overlooks the dance floor.

Besharam was inspired by the idea of reclaiming the term,” she says.  “We often use it in judgmental ways, to judge other people’s codes of conduct, the way the act, dress, their sexual behaviour. We wanted to re-focus people’s attention on what is truly besharam: the war on  terrorism, racism, homophobia, poverty, environmental decay.”

The space and idea may have been reclaimed but what’s a desi night out without bottom pinching?

So policies have been put in place to avoid soreness all around: No groups of men allowed, unless accompanied by women. “Or unless we personally know you are gay,” says Handa. “It’s great to see lots more women and some more gay peeps turn up.”

(Surya Bhattacharya is a journalist with the Toronto Star in Canada)