BENGALURU: Kalki Banerjee (24), wanted to go back home to Kolkata for Durga Puja celebrations, but due to work commitments, she has had to stay back. But the engineer has found ways to cheer herself –her place of stay, a co-living space, is celebrating the occasion. Often, exams, work commitments, or unavailability of tickets during this peak season leave many who have come to the city to study or work in a high and dry situation.
Which is where startups like Grexter and Colive are stepping in and organising festive events like Ganesha Chaturthi, Dandiya nights, Durga Puja, Diwali to ensure Bengalureans can experience the feeling of home despite being away from home. “We are sensitive and respectful towards all kinds of festivals as our residents come from diverse backgrounds.
There are going to be special food arrangements for our residents who are fasting for the Dussera, and we’ll have a dandiya night and an online contest on the eve of Dussera. Special festive related films and programs will also be screened in cinema rooms during the entire stretch of the festival,” says Suresh Rangarajan, co-founder & CEO of Colive, which caters to customers in the age category of 22-35.
Agrees Pratul Gupta, Co-founder, Grexter Living, who says that to keep things lively and fun, they organise in-house events like movie screening, open mic poetry and game-based activities. “Celebrating festivals with our tenants gave us another amazing opportunity to connect and make them feel home-like,” says Gupta, whose startup has organised Holi and Ganesh Chaturthi in the past. “For our tenants, especially those who are having their first jobs and are new in the city, far from their families, we are planning to have Dandiya nights and a well-decked up Navratri puja.It keeps the festive vibes alive,” Gupta adds.
SathyaKumar, 22, a copywriter who has been in the city for a little over a year looks at these events as a platform to network. “Honestly, there are not many platforms to meet new people informally once you get out of college. I make my networks at work. But here, I am able to make new friends. It’s a fun and friendly community. Celebrations back home are different. You only get to meet the people you already know. And you know so much about. It’s fun there as well but I guess there is something about partying or celebrating with people you just met or new ones every time,” says SathyaKumar.