Singled out, and loving it!

When the news spread that a new singles forum called Covalence had opened up in the city the organisers were shocked to receive close to 300 registrations in the first three weeks All they did was create a Facebook page which describes them as a group characterised by the sharing of electrons in a chemical compound ie the sharing of wavelengthsu00a0interesting conversation randomness or just a drink to forge new friendships partnerships or even just casual acquaintances and the response was tremendous Youngsters bond at the sailing event organised by Floh at Gateway of India last month Neha Majithia one of the grouprsquos cofounders reveals that they felt there was a huge void when it came to meeting new people and making new friends ldquoAfter a certain age our social interactions are limited to office colleagues making new friends becomes difficult There was a common need but no common platform Thatrsquos why we decided to start Covalencerdquo reasons the 28yearold Participants at a Mocha Board Game Night in Bandra No dating please The forum is open to people between 25 to 35 years and they plan to hold regular events to facilitate meetings the only condition being no plus one is allowed ldquoWe also want to be clear that we are not a dating website People should come in to meet new people So even those who are married can join but they need to come alonerdquo says Majithia who returned to Mumbai last year after living in the US for over five years Once she was back she realised that it was way more difficult to make friends here ldquoIn America you can just walk up to the next person in a bar and start talking But here you canrsquot do that and itrsquos really difficult to make new friends especially if you are new in the cityrdquo she stresses Anish Vyavahare standing at one of his poetry reading sessions Pic courtesyRohan Shenoy Riday Thakur who partnered with Majithia to start Covalence feels that being single at 28 can be difficult ldquoMany of my friends are married and I did feel a certain pressure to find someone as the group dynamics changes when people get married But I know I am not yet ready for marriage so forums like these are where I can meet new people which is great And many people have felt a need for thisrdquo he says Covalence is going to hold its first event in the third week of December and though the first few events will be casual meetings at restaurants or pubs later they plan to organise interestspecific events as well From Bengaluru to Mumbai Floh which is a platform for single people to meet and interact started in Bengaluru last year They held their first event in Mumbai on November 25 mdash a sailing event at Gateway of India followed by cocktails at Indigo Started with the same agenda of getting likeminded people together and helping them make new friends Floh also allows the specified age group of 25 to 35 years but they do not allow married people to register ldquoWe host events like sailing treks cookouts dance or mixology sessions ensuring highly interactive experiencesrdquo says 38yearold Siddharth Mangharam who started Floh They now hosts events across Bengaluru Delhi and Mumbai ldquoThis is the only such national platform and we have about 500 membersrdquo shares Mangharam who is married with a twoyearold daughter He met his wife at a small gathering and they bonded over a common love for blue cheese ldquoMy wife who is also the cofounder of Floh and I felt there is a need for a forum where singles can meet not just for dating or finding a partner but also to find likeminded singles and have a good time over shared experiences and in a safe way Safety is a key requirement and at Floh every person is screened by a founder before gaining access to the network No exceptionsrdquo he says Both Floh and Covalence cater to urban independent working professionals and have a screening process to ensure that Events galore Take 32yearold Angiersquos case She joined Floh in March this year and has attended ten events Shersquos made several friends thanks to these sessions ldquoItrsquos been great to meet a diverse group Itrsquos an organic environment where you meet new people and if you meet someone interesting then itrsquos great If not you still have a lovely timerdquo she says Itrsquos not just with groups like these but even sessions like board game nights film screenings or poetry sessions make for a great platform for people to interact ldquoWe see a lot of firsttimers and many who come on their own for the Mocha board game nights Itrsquos a great way to meet new people from different walks of life And over a round of board games which acts as an icebreaker it becomes easier to chat and form friendshipsrdquo says Shobita Kadan VP Marketing Impresario Entertainment amp Hospitality Pvt Ltd Mocha Trip which was started last year and hosts heritage walks comic book workshops book readings open mic nights photography workshops bicycle rides it also acts as a forum for people to meet and interact Area no bar While most of these events may take place in popular suburbs people living in faroff areas can attend Maxmeet Social sessions that take place once a month in Thane Started by 26yearold Anish Vyavahare a year ago they conduct regular poetry reading sessions sometimes music sessions and on this Sunday they are going to host a film screening ldquoI have made great friends during these poetry sessions While many attend due to an interest in poetry some come to make friends and meet new peoplerdquo he reveals Those who run forums such as this where members join to make new friends agree that these days most youngsters especially the urban educated would rather sign up here than log on to dating sites ldquoItrsquos a changing mindsetrdquo agrees Thakur ldquoThough there is pressure to find a partner people arenrsquot giving in to the pressure unlike before People would rather meet interesting people over shared interests and chillrdquo he reminds us u00a0