<p>It is a busy time for some matchmakers in Bengaluru. They say enquiries for potential matches rise by 12-35% toward the year-end as many young singles decide they don’t want another year to go by without a partner.</p>.<p>Relationship coach and matchmaker Radhika Mohta will host at least three singles’ mixers in the coming weeks, centred on activities such as pickleball, books, and salsa. She will also conduct online workshops for members of dating apps and singles-focused communities, including overseas clients.</p>.<p>Radhika notes that in India, interest in matchmaking begins to climb around Deepavali thanks to increased socialising during the festive season, and continues until Valentine’s Day, when few want to be alone. Festive gatherings often bring the familiar question “When are you getting married?” and this creates pressure to find a partner, she explains.</p>.3-day photography show at Bangalore International Centre spotlights India’s lunar mission.<p>Ravi Kumar N D, director of Hanumanthnagar-based Anuraga Matrimony, points out that October to December is also the Hindu wedding season. “Seeing others’ children getting married pushes families to start the process for their own kids,” he says. His company sees more enquiries from women aged 23-27 and men aged 25-29 during this period.</p>.<p>Jhanvi (name changed) is currently feeling this seasonal pressure. The Bengaluru-based content specialist, in her hometown Kolkata for a friend’s wedding, has been receiving questions about marriage from her family. “There is pressure and at times I feel frustrated to the point of wanting to find someone just to get it over with,” says the 36-year-old. In reality, she says she would like to find a partner on her own terms, at her pace.</p>.<p>Year-end is also when many NRIs visit India, allowing families to arrange meetings with potential alliances that would otherwise be difficult, says a representative from VanajaRao Quick Marriages in Jayanagar. Enquiries mostly come from families seeking matches for children aged 29-35.</p>.<p>Radhika says that year-end is also when people try to tick off personal goals from their bucket lists, and for some, finding a partner is one of those goals. Suman Deokar, who oversees the Bengaluru expansion of Pune-based JeevanMeet, has observed this pattern too. The platform sees a slight uptick in sign-ups in December. “When their own attempts during the festive season don’t work out, people feel somewhat hopeless and turn to professionals,” she says while quickly adding that informal searches also kick in within family and extended circles. And with work slowing down at MNCs toward the end of the year, people have more time and energy for matchmaking compared to the busy appraisal season, she adds. </p>.<p>Dating app Aisle sees a 12-15% increase in sign-ups, and a stronger date-to-marry mindset among users around this time. Chandni Gaglani, head of the Aisle Network, says long-inactive users reactivate their profiles, and some others join after attending a friend’s wedding. Attendance at their offline singles’ mixers also increases by 20-30%, and they see a marked improvement in the quality of engagement. She explains, “Participants spend more time talking. They actively exchange contacts, and approach compatibility discussions with greater seriousness”. </p>.<p>She shares another striking metric. They receive three times the wedding invitations from Aisle members between mid-November and mid-January compared to other months. “Many of these couples matched during the previous year’s festive window,” she remarks.</p>.<p>Other factors also drive up the matchmaking activity as the year-end approaches. Kumar says that between August and September, families and young people are usually too busy with festivals to focus on alliances. Radhika adds that job switches, relocations and tax filings keep singles occupied for much of the year. In contrast, she says year-end tends to be slower, and with increased socialising, the chances of serendipitous connections rise. The year-end surge, Chandni sums up, is driven by a powerful combination of emotional readiness and cultural timing in India.</p>.<p>However, the surge often spills into the new year. Anu (name change), a 33-year-old startup professional, says, “Year-end for me is holiday time. I don’t want to get caught in relationship drama. I would rather start fresh at the beginning of the year.” She hopes to attend a singles mixer in January.</p>
<p>It is a busy time for some matchmakers in Bengaluru. They say enquiries for potential matches rise by 12-35% toward the year-end as many young singles decide they don’t want another year to go by without a partner.</p>.<p>Relationship coach and matchmaker Radhika Mohta will host at least three singles’ mixers in the coming weeks, centred on activities such as pickleball, books, and salsa. She will also conduct online workshops for members of dating apps and singles-focused communities, including overseas clients.</p>.<p>Radhika notes that in India, interest in matchmaking begins to climb around Deepavali thanks to increased socialising during the festive season, and continues until Valentine’s Day, when few want to be alone. Festive gatherings often bring the familiar question “When are you getting married?” and this creates pressure to find a partner, she explains.</p>.3-day photography show at Bangalore International Centre spotlights India’s lunar mission.<p>Ravi Kumar N D, director of Hanumanthnagar-based Anuraga Matrimony, points out that October to December is also the Hindu wedding season. “Seeing others’ children getting married pushes families to start the process for their own kids,” he says. His company sees more enquiries from women aged 23-27 and men aged 25-29 during this period.</p>.<p>Jhanvi (name changed) is currently feeling this seasonal pressure. The Bengaluru-based content specialist, in her hometown Kolkata for a friend’s wedding, has been receiving questions about marriage from her family. “There is pressure and at times I feel frustrated to the point of wanting to find someone just to get it over with,” says the 36-year-old. In reality, she says she would like to find a partner on her own terms, at her pace.</p>.<p>Year-end is also when many NRIs visit India, allowing families to arrange meetings with potential alliances that would otherwise be difficult, says a representative from VanajaRao Quick Marriages in Jayanagar. Enquiries mostly come from families seeking matches for children aged 29-35.</p>.<p>Radhika says that year-end is also when people try to tick off personal goals from their bucket lists, and for some, finding a partner is one of those goals. Suman Deokar, who oversees the Bengaluru expansion of Pune-based JeevanMeet, has observed this pattern too. The platform sees a slight uptick in sign-ups in December. “When their own attempts during the festive season don’t work out, people feel somewhat hopeless and turn to professionals,” she says while quickly adding that informal searches also kick in within family and extended circles. And with work slowing down at MNCs toward the end of the year, people have more time and energy for matchmaking compared to the busy appraisal season, she adds. </p>.<p>Dating app Aisle sees a 12-15% increase in sign-ups, and a stronger date-to-marry mindset among users around this time. Chandni Gaglani, head of the Aisle Network, says long-inactive users reactivate their profiles, and some others join after attending a friend’s wedding. Attendance at their offline singles’ mixers also increases by 20-30%, and they see a marked improvement in the quality of engagement. She explains, “Participants spend more time talking. They actively exchange contacts, and approach compatibility discussions with greater seriousness”. </p>.<p>She shares another striking metric. They receive three times the wedding invitations from Aisle members between mid-November and mid-January compared to other months. “Many of these couples matched during the previous year’s festive window,” she remarks.</p>.<p>Other factors also drive up the matchmaking activity as the year-end approaches. Kumar says that between August and September, families and young people are usually too busy with festivals to focus on alliances. Radhika adds that job switches, relocations and tax filings keep singles occupied for much of the year. In contrast, she says year-end tends to be slower, and with increased socialising, the chances of serendipitous connections rise. The year-end surge, Chandni sums up, is driven by a powerful combination of emotional readiness and cultural timing in India.</p>.<p>However, the surge often spills into the new year. Anu (name change), a 33-year-old startup professional, says, “Year-end for me is holiday time. I don’t want to get caught in relationship drama. I would rather start fresh at the beginning of the year.” She hopes to attend a singles mixer in January.</p>