See you at the SeeUnion

Kolkata: In a world of video calls, reunions have become boringly routine. The new kid in town, charmingly retro, is the SeeUnion. When people physically reconnect, whether family, friends or defensible peers. 

The global holiday season, December, is when this pattern peaks. Unrelated to financial book closures, this period is undeniably the emotional interlude to the next season of chores, whether gig or fixed. It is both necessary and fashionable to have and flaunt the good times, the latter most vital.

In recent decades Goa has emerged as the Queen of SeeUnion gigs, the silver sands and silverish pomfret acting as a perfect doubles pair. Not to forget the Mykanos pubs and Riviera eateries, tempting chefs from across the universe. Including a few from Russia, seeking a safe haven after the last mob murder in the homeland. The marinating of the chicken a calmer version of poisoning dissidents, on His Dictator's not-so-secret service.

Goa also has a certain timeliness in the climes. Tropical with dainty shades of the temperate, quite like the bonding between peer groups in 'Berlin 1989' mode. As waistlines expand in tune with bank balances, the passionate affiliations of yore can easily become filtered. But then, the abundance of vindaloo and feni does provide a flamboyant thrust to the lovable tidings. SeeUnions thrive on excesses and Goa holds a doctorate in this regard. 

Calcutta is the other accomplished veteran of this genre of meetings. In the past, it was a genuine melting pot, with a resultant diaspora oozing with both sentiment and commitment. People converge in winter for effortless nostalgia, and any modernisation of memories provokes sharp rebuke. There is a unique sense of entitlement that demands that characters from the wonder years remain in freeze-frame mode. 

Park Street makes sense if it's Mocambo or Olypub, while Starbucks seems like an unwanted intruder. Thus, it provides sufficient placebo cover for an opportunistic Flury's, a shadow of its former glory, to quote bariatric prices. School grounds host copious galas, and these are often the high points of SeeUnions, the context both continuing and contrasting. Tears are scrupulously shed for the tramways in palliative care, while the accomplished underground metro is deemed persona non grata. 

Weddings have become a happy part of the SeeUnion culture as alliances are aggressively sought in this amiable winter period. From the legacy era of heritage marriage halls like Nadia House and legacy caterers like Bijoligrill or Ananda, the game has truly changed. Feasts do due justice to both the Global South and North - Italians building bridges with Mongolia, Korea and deeper regions of India. Hotels, indeed, are the new hotspots, a homogeneity in look and feel is disrupted by the originality of the Kolkata Beckti, thankfully not the Cambodian emigres, also known as basa. 

There is a real business opportunity from SeeUnions, to break the soulless monotony of digital reunions. As ever, the answer lies in experience alliances, the ability to create a seamless agenda driven by customer centricity. Brands across categories, with win-win vested interests must come to the party and in fact, sponsor it. For-profits and for purpose, the union is clearly established with no imminent threat of separation. 

Imagine Bacardi SeeUnions, a consortium of St Xavier's School, Taj Group of Hotels, a consortium of classic eateries, heritage clubs, museums and shopping districts. A guided tour that provides a structure to the best-laid plans of alumni societies. Perhaps a version of this formula for family meets as well, integrating old and new experiences. A whole host of business stakeholders can benefit from the gigs, each adding meaning to the physicality of the community, beyond the attractive but limiting charms of virtuality. Alphabet and Meta need not frown as for demonstration and scalability, the attendees will certainly be left to their own devices. 

The latest messiah for civilisation, AI, can aid the SeeUnion movement immensely. By helping curate events and activities, apart from building meaningful bridges amongst seemingly disconnected groups. Whether food, culture or shopping - as long as they cement ties that matter. 

It is urgently time for reunions to become SeeUnions, for the sanity of civilisation at large. Whether Goa, Kolkata or the fabled Timbuktoo, it does not quite matter. Each will deliver its unique character, as long as every character in the cast is on call. To play the parts they richly deserve, in person most certainly.