Festivals are often imagined as occasions for family re-unions, elaborate meals, and crowded homes. But for those living away from family, navigating separation or building independent lives, celebrations can also bring a sense of absence. Social media, filled with photographs of family gatherings and festive get-togethers, can make that feeling more pronounced.
Finding A Festival Family Seeking to foster connections and ease festive-season loneliness, Singles Social, a community for singles and those seeking companionship, is hosting a Diwali celebration in Bengaluru on Nov 14. The community currently has about 2,500 members across India, including more than 700 in Bengaluru. Singles Club India, a community for people over 40, brings members together through festival gatherings and other social activities.
Because the ritual continues to give the day meaning, her mother, an elderly widow, decorates her doorway every year, not for guests but. People who are single, separated, or have lost spouses can take part in the celebration. Throughout December, we host multiple gatherings for single women aiming to ensure no one feels forgotten during the festive season, as I did after becoming a single parent Susan Timothy | RUNS A CAFE You Can Also Check: Gold Rate in Bengaluru | Silver Rate in Bengaluru | Bank Holidays in Bengaluru | Public Holidays in Bengaluru | Bengaluru AQI | Weather in Bengaluru | Petrol Price in Bengaluru | Diesel Price in Bengaluru | CNG Price in Bengaluru | LPG Price in Bengaluru Stay updated with the latest Bengaluru news.
Founder Harsh Vardhan Arya said the event will feature festive lights, food, and an opportunity for members to connect. “Singles Social seeks to create meaningful human connections in a world increasingly shaped by swipes and algorithms,” said Arya, adding the community has a dedicated chapter for single parents. “If the hotel charges Rs 2,500 per person, members will pay the same amount,” said Arya. “Our gatherings are intended to provide a comfortable, non-judgmental setting, without the expectations associated with dating platforms, and offer members an extended support network, like a family,” said Arya, adding, “We also provide women with a space where being single is not seen as being available. We offer a safe, welcoming space — especially for single mothers— to simply relax and feel part of a family again,” said Vignesh Balan, founder. “The idea is to ensure our members don’t just get through the holidays as singles, but genuine- ly celebrate them as a chosen family,” says Balan. She said meeting even one friend or joining a larger gathering could help.
Yet being single does not necessarily mean spending the festive season alone. Across Bengaluru, individuals are finding new ways to experience festivals — through communities that offer companionship and a sense of belonging, friendships that become chosen families, and personal rituals that make celebrating alone equally meaningful. The community does not charge a membership fee. Participants share the cost of individual events. At late gatherings, members even accompany women travelling alone or drop them home. Phoenix Family, a support group for single parents, hosted a Diwali party last week. “Festivals like Diwali are all about warmth and belonging. Rather than formal gatherings, the community organises lively, child-inclusive celebrations, with games that bring parents and children together. The community, whose members include divorced, separated, widowed and never-married people, has organised festival get-togethers for three years. Co-admin Srobona Das, a single mother who co-parents a teenage daughter, recalled spending New Year’s Eve alone whileher daughter was in Mumbai. There is no membership or participation fee, although members cover their own costs when events are held at external venues. Film director, screenwriter and lyricist Kavita Lankesh, a single parent, celebrates Diwali quietly with her daughter Esha and their pet dog, lighting a few diyas at home. Being single has not diminished Saleela Kappan’s festive celebrations. Living alone in Bengaluru, she remains closely connected to her family, friends, and neighbours. She decorates her apartment with lights, particularly during Diwali, and spends time with her six cats. When alone, she enjoys cooking a special meal, decorating her home or travelling. Hareeni Shetty, a single woman who works as a software engineer, lights one diya after finishing a late shift. Shetty also cooks a festive meal using a family recipe while video-calling home. For some, the festive season means a crowded home and a table full of guests. For others, it may be a meal with friends, a video call with family, a diya lit after work or simply an evening spent in their own company. As Bengaluru’s singles discover, the meaning of celebration does not have to depend on relationship status or the size of the gathering. …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. Living alone has changed the way I celebrate Diwali, but not how much I look forward to it. I like dressing up, arranging flowers and lighting diyas. I also make it a point to video call my family. And, of course, there’s the added pleasure of having an entire box of kaju katli to myself! Ishita Banerjee | CONTENT AND SOCIAL MEDIA STRATEGIST When you live alone, getting together with friends, sharing food and celebrating familiar customs bring a sense of belonging Souvik Datta | HOD & FACILITATOR AT CBS As people get older, being single can lead to a reduced sense of community. Many singles avoid parties where they might be the only single person present. Some do not use dating apps either. In such circumstances, joining a community or group could help Srobona Das | CO-ADMIN, THE SINGLES CLUB INDIA Once we became a single parent family of just the kids and me, the celebrations have become smaller. I run a community for single women, and I invite them over for lunch. Download the TOI App.
For Koramangala café-bookstore owner Susan Timothy, 45, the experience of becoming a single parent changed the way her family celebrates Christmas. Social media strategist Ishita Banerjee, 25, who hails from Dibrugarh in Assam, misses the familiar chaos of celebrating at home. Attendance is confirmed in advance before venues, decorations and small giveaways are arranged.
Events have ranged from vineyard visits to Sunday breakfasts and nights out. They are generally organised around themes and include food, music, icebreakers, games, and alcohol for those who choose to drink. Previous gifts included Diwali cookies, candles, and cakes. The gatherings are now smaller and quieter. She also invites her household staff and their children and other single women, bringing everyone together for meals, gifts, and time around the Christmas tree. Joy Of Celebrating On Your Own Alone, however, does not always mean lonely. For many singles, festivals have become more personal and intentional. The celebrations may be smaller, but they can be deeply meaningful. However, she has come to enjoy creating her own traditions and finding comfort in quieter celebrations.