Little India

Little India, also known as Gerrard India Bazaar, is a commercial district located along Leslieville’s eastern border. It is referred to as one of Toronto’s prime Little India and Little Pakistan neighbourhoods, consisting of Indian, Pakistani, Bangladeshi, Nepali, and Sri Lankan shops, grocery stores, restaurants, and cafés catering to the city’s Desi community.

History

Little India emerged in 1972 when entrepreneur Gian Naaz leased (and later acquired) the Eastwood Theatre on Gerrard Street, renaming it the Naaz Theatre. It became renowned for exclusively showcasing Bollywood and Pakistani films, reportedly the first cinema in North America to do so. This initiative drew many Indo-Canadians from across the GTA, which led to numerous businesses tailored to the South Asian community opening up. Little India’s growth was met with resistance from the neighbouring area, which was predominantly British-Canadian.This resulted in incidents of vandalism and racially motivated violence in the 1970s. As tensions escalated and shop owners felt a lack of responsiveness from law enforcement, the South Asian community took action. In 1977, they established an anti-racist task force to document and address racist assaults. In 1982, recognizing the need for collective support and promotion, the Gerrard India Bazaar BIA was established to champion the district's businesses and organize community events.

  • Gerrard St E between Greenwood Ave and Coxwell Ave

    • K-8

      • Roden Public School

    • Grade 9-12

      • Monarch Park Collegiate Institute

      • Riverdale Collegiate Institute

  • Every July, the Gerrard India Bazaar holds its annual two-day Festival of South Asia, which is one of North America’s largest South Asian festivals.

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