WE’RE BONDING OVER...
WhatsApp is to middle-class Indians what Snapchat is to American teenagers: a social network that really, truly gets them. Extremely open and entirely closed, the messaging app is central to the making of community and consensus in India.
MOMS’ GROUP
Prenatal groups are the latest to hit the scene, which is already crowded with working moms, school moms, Delhi moms, G-K moms, Colaba moms. Common lesson: You can never be a good enough mom. Common tip: nothing brings out as many emojis as the full-length scan of a physics homework.
FAMILY GROUP
There is one for the mother’s side, one for father’s side, one for wife’s family, one for husband’s family, one for all the men, one for all the women, one for all siblings, one for all cousins, one even for all male cousins. There is nothing like one big group of the extended family. Stock characters include the aunt who praises every forward as a beautiful thought and the cousin who leaves the group every week only to beg for re-entry the next day.
SOCIETY GROUP
Depending on where you live, it can range from a housing society group to a condo group. All respectable building groups must branch out into male and female sub groups. Men get to ponder serious matters: municipal elections, repairs, bills. Women organise functions and exchange notes on maids. Most condo groups in Gurgaon contain the word ‘elite.’ Some go for ‘elite plus.’
ALUMNI GROUP
There are general groups for school, college, university and specific groups for engineering college, medical college, law college, business school. Recurring topics: state of nation, merit vs. reservation, Narendra Modi vs Rahul Gandhi. There is no alum group like one from an engineering college: no women and no rules. Updates can range from Steve Job quotes to porn clips.