These Platforms are Hosting Community Meet-ups in Your City Moving away from the usual hobby clubs, these organisations are doing something different to bring like-minded people together

You have just moved in a city with a new job in hand or you are staying in our hometown, but friends have left for greener pastures — you must have gone through those lonely moments at one point of time or another. As a matter of fact, it happens with almost everyone in familiar or unfamiliar environments.

Be it the loneliness or the desire to meet new people with similar interests, people are going out of their homes and are signing up for gatherings with like-minded people. The fact that they will not know the people, who have also signed up for such meet-ups isn't what holds them back — it's what excites them.

Be it the love for Mozart or the yearning for Ernest Hemingway, or just an outlet for their emotions, people are turning to organizations that create these getaways within the city for like-minded people to get hang out together.

So, for the ones who had to resort to "here to make friends" on Tinder, it's time to put it away and catch up with groups that are helping in connecting the dots and linking like-minded people for the love of music, movies, books etc.

Secret Gigs for Music Lovers

If you are tired of going to pubs and listening to the incessant chatter while musicians perform, turn to Sofar sounds.

We are talking about secret gigs at secret venues. Founded by Rafe Offer, Rocky Start and Dave J. Alexander, it's headquarted in London, but has found its way into India with intimate gatherings taking place in over 12 Indian cities.

A global company now, Sofar is run all over the world by city volunteers, who take charge of their city and organize music events. The line-up of musicians and the address is kept a secret and while you get to know the address a day before the event, the lineup is still a secret till you arrive at the venue. What makes it more interesting is that the choice of the venue is usually someone's living room in their house, making it a very intimate affair.

A Library to Read Humans

Quite literally, Human Library is a safe place for people to come and read "people as books". Created with the idea that conversations flow by breaking barriers of judgment, it was founded in Copenhagen. When it debuted in India, Human Library made headlines because of its unique concept. People sign up as books, where they share their lives and experiences with others who sign up as readers. Books can range from people who have been sexually abused to someone battling with alcoholism to a young single mother. Anyone can sign up as a reader.

Popcorn and Pillows

Remember the movie scenes where the hero and heroine meet at an open-air movie screening and it's a story that ends in "lived happily ever after'? Well, it's now in India. While Akshara Theatre in Delhi has been organizing the screenings of some classics, another start-up Stepping Out goes to Facebook and takes popular choice votes for movies and once the movie is selected. You can buy the tickets and head to the venue, mostly a lawn or a garden with adequate arrangements for you to lie down and watch a movie. Perfect idea for a date!

Travel Tales

For travellers and those who wish to travel, it's always great catching up with fellow travellers and listening to the stories of their journeys. From start-ups like Byond Travel that organize community trips to others like Lime Diaries that take those travel journeys to create conversations where people can get together to hear travellers share their stories, travel definitely makes for great bonding.