CHENNAI: Cities and towns in Tamil Nadu are widely considered 'culturally traditional'. When it comes to matters under the sheet, however, here is some food for thought (and perhaps action if you are interested): After New Delhi, the most number of people looking for a ln affair on the side are not from Mumbai, Bengaluru, or Hyderabad, but from smaller cities in Tamil Nadu like Vellore, Coimbatore, and Thanjavur.
In fact, according to the 'heat map' prepared by popular website Ashley Madison, which claims to be the number one platform in the world when it comes to "discreet relationships", 8 of the top 10 cities in India are in Tamil Nadu. (While press statements use the phrase discreet relationships, the company’s registered tagline prefers no such ambiguity: “Life is short. Have an affair.”
On top of the list is Delhi, the capital city with a large floating population. What follows is nothing short of a surprise. For, following closely are not other larger cities with a cosmopolitan population, but Vellore, Coimbatore, Thanjavur, Dindigul, Thoothukudi, Erode, Tirunelveli, and Salem.
“The presence of so many cities from the region in the top ranks suggests that while the communities here may be close-knit and traditional in nature, individuals are finding a safe and discreet outlet to explore their individuality and desires that their primary relationship may not necessarily fulfill,” said Dr Tammy Nelson, relationship expert and consultant at Ashley Madison, who defined the trend as a “strong indication of growing personal autonomy”.
Noting how Kancheepuram was the number one in its listing last year, Paul Keable, chief strategy officer of the platform, added, “A full cohort of non-metro Tamil Nadu cities is now showing that the desire to explore intimacy on one's own terms is a powerful and growing nationwide movement."