Cathartic, truth be told!

Every month, about 30 people gather at a space where there is no right or wrong, where they can shed their inhibitions, and dish out their perspectives, all without being judged. Wouldn’t everyone like such a space? Bengaluru-based Dirish Mohan is the brain behind such an initiative that he calls A Take On Life. With set topics up for discussion, this platform aims to drive meaningful discussions on life through monthly meet-ups.

A toastmaster, writer and professional storyteller, Dirish has always understood the power of words, something that fuels these sessions. “The intent was to re-kindle powerful interactions and discussions in this gadget dependent world,” says the 32-year-old real estate subject matter expert who founded the platform along with Rashmi Swamy.  “At a time when people hide behind screens, at work or are often disconnected with the people around them, we love getting people to come together to share their stories, experiences that have shaped them and in the process bring new perspectives to each one’s unique life – or as we say, we hope they have their own take on life!” he says, believing that it is sometimes in another person’s story or thoughts that we find an answer to many of life’s questions.

Founded in August last year, discussions at their previous gatherings have ranged from relationships and perception to tackling failure, decoding emotions, barriers in thinking, building connections, managing expectations and most recently, on how to handle pressure.

Needless to say, the few Bengalureans that have stumbled upon this initiative are invigorated by the experience. “There are many who wish to pour out their feelings and concerns and are looking for forums other than social media and such get-togethers provide an excellent platform,” says Chendil Kumar, a corporate trainer from the city. This ‘self-discovering’ journey is also being looked at as an experiential session by some. “It’s a learning session where all the participants coming from diverse backgrounds act as a learning agent by sharing their personal experiences with others. These experiences shared makes one look at their own lives from a completely new perspective and leave the session enriched with learning,” says Sharavan Murugan, an HR manager from a leading MNC in Bengaluru. Dirish’s only hope is that people will begin to understand themselves better through this. “It’s also to let people know that they are not alone in dealing with life. That they see a safe platform to share and express their stories without judgement and have fun decoding life’s nuances,” says Dirish in conclusion.