The perils of a family WhatsApp group

Where long-lost relatives are forced into camaraderie in the most artificial of environments

My mother is turning 80. My brother and I are planning a grand celebration. We plan to invite all our relatives for a weekend of revelry — which, for a South Indian family of my mother’s generation generally means a vegetarian lunch, no alcohol, and sonorous Sanskrit chanting by countless priests.

The columnist’s mother never wants her offspring to spend more than “a decent amount” on her b’day celebration. This amount is Rs300!(Photo Imaging by Parth Garg)

Some “enthu cutlet” forms a WhatsApp Group with a name like IIMA and drags everyone into it...