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Press Release

Maya Bazaar comes to Namma Bengaluru

After two phenomenal events in Goa and Shimla. ROAD TO UTOPIA proudly brings: Namma Maya Bazaar to Jayamahal Palace Hotel, Bengaluru on the 17th & 18th of September 2022.

– From LGBTQIA+ to the world

What is it?

A series of traveling marketplaces organized in various towns and cities in India – Maya Bazaar is a unique tradeshow that aims to be a safe platform for entrepreneurs, artists, and performers from the LGBTQIA+ community to exhibit and sell their wares directly to the world, with love.

A first-of-its-kind Mela – Maya Bazaar has pushed boundaries, created ripples of changes, and garnered a lot of love not just from within the community, but from across the consumer spectrum.

Who will be there?

80 to 100 stalls with homegrown brands from across the country that put out quirky, innovative, HARD-TO-FIND merchandise designed by queer folk, like:

Fashion & Accessories

  • House of KC – a Fashion brand from Ahmedabad
  • Rangili – a Jewellery brand from Kolkata
  • Salsette – Handcrafted stoles and scarves from Mumbai
  • Quirk Story – Cute and Cool baby and grown-up fashion from Bangalore

Home, food & Decor

  • Podi Nan Maga – Chutneys and Podis from Bangalore
  • Better Co. – Earth friendly, Daily use products from Chennai
  • Wild things – Art-based creations from Goa
  • Moondust Ceramics – Studio pottery from Bangalore

Collectables & Stationary

  • Ctrl+p – A lifestyle brand from Vijaywada
  • Art Asylum – an Artist from Pune
  • Pokeypoktatt Tattoos – A hand-poked and machine tattoo artist from Himachal
  • Ms Alwar – Artist from Mysore

ON-STAGE

With stage time for Open Mic and Busking for the audience, to professional performances by hidden gems from across genres like:

Vaibhav Modi brings the grace, passion & tradition of Kathak from Hyderabad. Abby – Independent Singer/ Songwriter. A local sensation, This time with a Motorwade! Avril a rapper, Debi stand-up artist from Goa. Vatsu beatboxing from Mumbai. City Lamps – A theatre troupe playing-back stories to its audience.

NEVER-SEEN-BEFORE

Drag Show – A powerful, highly-stylized performance by artists in elaborate costumes and make-up. A coming together of lights, music and lived experiences; drag shows transport their audience into a fantastic, gender-bending world were people are free to just be.  

Local crowd-favorite – Rita Squirter. Drag Emperor – Naaz and Mx Siaan from Mumbai.

Who is organizing it?

Registered in 2017, Road to Utopia is a queer-feminist consulting agency and a social enterprise working in the areas of Inclusion, Equity and Diversity.

Partnering with corporates, NGOs, communities, and individuals to bring about change in smart, impactful, and creative ways – Road to Utopia proudly presents their flagship program – MAYA BAZAAR

Garnering immense community support from all over India and Namma Maya Bazaar is collaborating with corporates and collectives:

  1. Thoughtworks India.
  2. Jägermeister
  3. Budweiser
  4. Roulette
  5. All Sorts of Queer, Bangalore
  6. Sappho for Equality, Kolkata
  7. Queer Nilayam, Hyderabad
  8. Nazariya Foundation, Delhi
  9. Queer Collective Dehradun, Dehradun
  10. Queer Kinara, Goa
  11. Queerly, Goa
  12. Solidarity Foundation, Bangalore
  13. Agents of Ishq, Mumbai

Sanam Dembla is the mind behind this unique tradeshow, Veena & Swathi are the team dedicated to creating these cyclic, sustainable livelihoods and eventually alternate economies. To further this mission, the bazaar is hosted across the country, culminating in about three events a year.

When and where is it happening?

This September we are bringing Namma Maya Bazaar to Bengaluru, the IT capital and the Garden City of India. The venue is none other than Jayamahal Hotel – well known as a flea market destination and the signature lush, wild greenery of the city.

There is something in it for everybody: Interactive theatre, Live Music, Drag and Dance performances that will keep you thoroughly entertained. If you fancy a jam session, bring your guitars, bongos, clarinets and most importantly your friends and family.

Maya Bazaar aims to be a platform for everyone to express themselves, build a sense of community

and let their hair down for a weekend of fun. We invite you to come and experience the mesmerizing vibe, your presence would add to the explosion of rainbow colours at the biggest queerest events this season.

After all, this checks all things-to-do in Bangalore boxes – Grammable palace view, all day bar, live music, quirky shopping, lots of nibbles and people being their gorgeous selves.

So we urge you not to miss out on an opportunity to visit the first ever Queer Marketplace to be held on the 17th & 18th of September 2022 at Jayamahal Palace, Bangalore. Buy tickets now!

(Here is a glimpse into what we did before – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Gy3MBZOYqQ&t=1s)

Download Logos here – Maya Bazaar | Road to Utopia