From board games to fitness: Thiruvananthapuram's hobby communities are booming
Thiruvananthapuram is witnessing a steady rise in interest and hobby-based communities, with nearly 50 such groups now active in the city. These communities, which often begin as social media pages, regularly meet offline at cafes, restaurants, beaches, and open spaces, offering residents a chance to bond over shared passions such as sports, cinema, art, and books.
One of the key organisers is Playfest Initiative, which has been building communities through offline games. Anurag RS, a core member, said the initiative supports over 20 active communities. “We have formed a few; the rest we are promoting. They fall into categories like tabletop games and gaming, fandom and pop culture, arts and entertainment, collectors and enthusiasts, sports and others,” he said. These include communities dedicated to board games, Dungeons and Dragons, chess, trading card games, retro and console gaming, cinema, anime, F1 fans, die-cast models, automobiles, remote-controlled cars, sports like cricket, badminton, football, cycling, and table tennis, as well as trekking, photography, mental health, and plant enthusiasts.
Some communities have emerged from personal needs. FiTribe, a women-led fitness community, was founded by Dahlia Moreas and Seena Raghavan. Dahlia explained that both had lived abroad and were looking for a community matching their interests. “We met through our school-going children. Having lived abroad, we both were on the lookout for a community that matched our vibe and didn’t find any. So we launched one, based around our shared interest in fitness,” she said. FiTribe organises group fitness events followed by social gatherings. “You don’t need alcohol to unwind! We bond over music, food, and dance. Next we want to do something for the elderly,” Dahlia added.
Another community, Technopark Koottam, was founded by F Fredy, a Technopark employee. It brings together strangers for get-togethers in and around Kazhakkoottam every Saturday. Fredy said he started the group because commuting from the tech park to the city for meet-ups was inconvenient. “Life was getting monotonous with just work and home. If at all I wanted to unwind on weekends, I had to travel from Kazhakkoottam to the city where all meet-ups and get-togethers were happening. That’s when I decided to form a community in Kazhakkoottam itself,” he said.
The Verandah Collective, started by film critic Arun George and his wife Priya Sebastian, provides a space for healthy cinema discussions. Arun said online reviews had become saturated and sometimes hostile. “Having lived in Bengaluru where there are a lot of film-based communities, I knew the format. Here we hold theme-based sessions, incorporating discussions, quizzes, and games on cinema. We also post sessions with veteran filmmakers on our page,” he said. The collective has held sessions on themes such as food, memories, investigative films, and movies based on books. An upcoming session on travel-themed films and books is scheduled for August 16 at The Reading Room.
The collective has also collaborated with other groups, including Beyond Cinema Collective and Technopark Koottam. An upcoming craft-and-conversations session is planned for August 12 at BLUMI’s Cafe with Kadalaspookkal, a craft community run by three students of the National Institute of Speech and Hearing (NISH) — Sneha Anil A, Moona Amina, and Marva Nasnin Nasser. The trio discovered their love for craft during a class activity and decided to hold workshops across the city, with their first session at the Museum.
The growing number of these communities reflects a broader desire for offline social connection in the city. With diverse options ranging from sports to crafts, residents now have more avenues than ever to pursue their interests and meet like-minded people.
