The mela, which seeks to provide a safe platform for members of the community to exhibit their wares, will be attended by 130 entrepreneurs from all over the country “who are bringing their queerness through their products,” as Mujeer Pasha, the stage director of the festival puts it.

A dramatic post-monsoon sunset on Uddo beach set the mood riright for the a one-of-its-kind LGBTQIA+ event in Goa. Mayabazaar comprised of a pop-up with 40 stalls by LGBTQIA+, open mic, performance line ups and fun activities over the weekend, in Siolim.

The quirkiest and most funfilled queer bazaar in recent times, Maya Bazaar is back again. The event features over 100 stalls from across the country that have hard-to-find merchandise designed by the queer community. Other events to look forward to include music and dance performances, open mics and a food court.

There’s a palpable shift in her upbeat tone when Madhurima Ghosh, 34, replays her parents’ reaction when she announced her plans of launching a jewellery label. Madhurima worked at a leading private sector bank in Kolkata, and as a queer woman, routinely experienced various forms of bullying and harassment

The much-awaited Maya Bazaar (June 4 -5); a first-of-its-kind series of magical (traveling) marketplaces organized in various towns in India finally made its debut here today at Peterhoff. The event was inaugurated by Dhananjay Chauhan, founder of “Saksham” Trust and an LGBTQ human rights activist.

Maya Bazaar was established with the idea of creating an inclusive marketplace for members of the queer community to sell and showcase their work, to support their businesses and ventures, and to facilitate connections within and beyond the community.

@_maya_bazaar is the biggest-of-its-kind in-person (in-real-life) marketplace for business owners, artists, and performers from the LGBTQIA+ community. The first Maya Bazaar was held in North Goa in 2021 with 40 stalls selling everything from original art, T-shirts, handmade soaps, pickles, organic herbs, local coffee, sex toys and jewellery. Also: Drag shows, performances by queer musicians, beer pong, delicious cocktails, yummy food, and open mic performances.

Maya Bazaar is a first-of-its-kind series of magical (travelling) marketplaces organised in various towns in India. This unique tradeshow brings out colourful, innovative, quirky, artistic merchandise designed by queer folk. A safe platform for entrepreneurs, artists and performers from the LGBTQIA+ Community to exhibit and sell their wares directly to the world, with love.