In Visakhapatnam, activity groups turn cafes and parks into cultural centers on weekends

On a recent Saturday afternoon, the buzzing sound at Veux Café carried more than the usual clink of glasses. Dozens of strangers had taken over a long wooden table, leaning over sheets of handmade paper, arranging bougainvillea petals and fern leaves in peaceful compositions. There was no instructor with a microphone and there was no rush to finish the lesson. For nearly three hours, conversation drifted between color palettes and childhood memories as hands patiently worked through the craft of pressed flower art. The theme was Galentine’s Day, yet the mood seemed less objective and more interested.

The gathering was organized by the Strings Community, a collective started four months ago by Hirsh Jain and Sai Vamsi Malliyakula. Hirsch, who works in financial investments, felt the city offered dining and moviegoing experiences but few spaces for thoughtful entertainment. He and Say wanted to put together small groups where people could share good experiences.

“We prefer our sessions to last about three hours because art loses its meaning when it is rushed,” Jain explains. “People understand a medium more deeply when they sit down with them. The goal is to create settings where conversation unfolds naturally and where the work at the table becomes a common language.”

Previous workshops have included making clay ornaments at Babi Cha Cafe near RK Beach. Jain points out that attendance reflects a balanced mix of men and women. “We were reassured that interest is not limited to one demographic. There is curiosity across the board.”

This curiosity seems to be a quiet shift throughout the city. Beaches, parks and independent cafes increasingly double as informal cultural centers on Saturdays and Sundays. Instead of heading to malls, a portion of the population is gravitating towards activity-led gatherings that promise interaction without fatigue.

Communiize Vizag represents the more expansive end of this development. Founded six months ago by data analyst Roshan Polamarasetti and a group of partners, the platform now hosts around 20 clubs ranging from book discussions and trips to Formula 1 enthusiasts and technical courses. Funding and startup talks are expected to join the list soon. By mid-February, the group will have completed 45 events.

Before the launch, the team conducted a survey to determine what the city lacked, says Roshan. “We realized that people were looking for spaces where they could interact with others beyond exchanging transactions. The options were limited. This vision encouraged us to organize interest-specific clubs so that people could find others interested in the same topics.”

The response to the Formula 1 Club has surprised even the organizers. “More than 70 people signed up to be part of that circle. None of them were personal acquaintances. They found us independently. This confirms that there is a demand for structuring.” On February 14, Communize Vizag is hosting a paint-themed gathering at Cheroney Café on Valentine’s Day and Galentine’s Day ideas. The event follows a group activity calendar that includes trips and reading sessions.

For Komal Bagrodia Saraf, this transformation has a personal dimension. She moved to Visakhapatnam from Rajasthan two years ago after her marriage and found herself navigating an unfamiliar social zone with no extended family nearby. Vizag Coffee Club started as an attempt to address her isolation. Since then, she has organized drawing sessions, coffee mornings, pickleball meetups, and a vision board workshop.

“It is striking to see strangers arriving hesitantly and leaving as acquaintances,” she says. “At one session, one person talked about wanting to be a disc jockey at the age of 60. The room responded with encouragement rather than amusement. Age seemed irrelevant at that moment. These meetings allow people to express aspirations that they might otherwise keep private.” Her next event scheduled at Zoro Café combines games and gift exchanges for Galentine’s Day. She points out that the focus is less on celebration and more on sharing. “People don’t just attend an activity, they invest in a shared experience.”

Public parks are also taking on new roles. Started by IT professional Kiranmayi Srinja and her sister Bhargavi, Art Social Vizag was created as a way to reconnect with their own artistic inclinations. Years ago, the sisters supplied handmade greeting cards to local stores such as Archies Gallery and Darling’s Paradise. In January, they conducted a workshop on reusable rangoli mat for children. However, one of the most discussed events at VMRDA Park has been unveiled in the form of the Saree Art Walk.

Participants arrived dressed in sarees and settled on mats under the trees for a session on nature journaling and flower methods using high-quality GSM paper. “The garden has completely changed the atmosphere,” says Kiranmayi. “Working outdoors created a certain amount of interest. The setting encouraged participants to observe rather than just produce. It remains one of my favorite sessions.” Cost remains a careful consideration. Organizers acknowledge that Visakhapatnam is price-sensitive, and most workshops are designed to remain affordable. “The goal is to develop communication and build skills without it being taboo,” says Kiranmayi. Art Social Vizag’s next Valentine’s Day event will be held at Brew n Cue Café, continuing the pattern of cafés acting as collaborative spaces.

(Connect with the groups on their Instagram accounts: @strings_community, @communize.vizag, @komal_bagrodia and @artsocialvizag).