Any newcomer to the City would be surprised to know the number of clubs Bangalore houses. There are clubs for everyone here — laughter clubs, book clubs, photography clubs, technical writers' clubs to name a few. People eagerly join clubs according to their interest. But what is it about these clubs that attract so many people?
Clubs help one socialise with people with common interests and come up with new and innovative ideas. Also, one can widen their friend circle through them.
People have their own reasons for joining clubs. Arpitha Somaiyaji, a member of the 'Iris Photography Club', says that clubs help one focus on one particular activity.
"Most people have hobbies which can be further developed by joining clubs. I was interested in photography but did not know what to do further. I learnt a lot about photography and the importance of team work after joining the club," she says. She adds that people can cheer themselves up by interacting with their club members after having a bad day.
For students like Sahil Yadav, clubs offer practical learning apart from what they learn in college. Sahil, who is a member of 'TechSpark Club', says, "Such educational clubs help students learn more about a specific subject. If you want to move out of a particular area of knowledge and learn something new, clubs can make that happen."
Subhash Hathwar, the founder of 'Sammilan Club' which deals with social awareness, says that clubs are important in any city. "These days, people are into virtual social networking. But once you join a club, it is real social networking. It helps to meet new people and share different ideas," he explains.
He is of the opinion that due to the organisational approach of most clubs, those ideas can get implemented.
"Also, clubs conducts various activities because of which people are exposed to different things. I believe this enhances one's personality," he adds.
Although most people say that clubs are a great means to socialise with one another, Keerthi Adiga, who is a member of the 'Sanskrita Bharti Club', feels that it can also be a platform for motivation. "Being in any club increases one's creativity. Also, it motivates them to participate in various activities," she says.
Joining a club is indeed a great way to socialise, specially for those who are new to the City. With new activities every week, these clubs surely seem to have a good impact on the people. So, have you joined any club yet?