On Galentine’s day, young women meet to celebrate, forge friendships

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On the eve of Valentine’s Day, women celebrate their female friendships, calling it Galentine’s day, a made-up holiday from the American sitcom Parks and Recreation. But it’s clearly not confined to the West, because Chennai saw a flurry of Galentine’s Day gatherings this weekend.

Dyutika S., a full-time photographer, curated one such event in the city, where women aged 19 to 27 came with their “girl pals”. “We had a canvas painting session and wrote handwritten letters to each other on pink postcards, while sharing pastries.

“A couple of years ago, I did not even know about this concept of Galentine’s Day. But this year, it seems to have picked up momentum, and women in their 20s are far more interested in it,” Ms. Dyutika said.

She added that many may be curious about attending such gatherings but hesitate because they lack company, so the event provided a space for strangers to form platonic friendships too.

Kriya, who runs Social Age, a community platform that focuses on curating social experiences, says many women who are single or those navigating long-distance relationships must not feel left out while the city celebrates love.

The Social Age’s Girl Gang Project’s celebration was attended by women aged 24 to 32. “I want women to enjoy Valentine’s day even while being single, celebrating themselves and recognising their female friendships,” Ms. Kriya said.

She added that many millennial women in the city are seeking spaces to form potential friendships. “The women had Galentine’s themed dress code event on Sunday, played affirmation card exchanges with other participants, and other icebreakers too,” she said, adding that while many workshops exist, they are rarely curated with the goal of celebrating friendships.

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