Overview

• French designer Julia Chaigneau posted on X that she values India’s open, street-centered festivities compared with Europe’s more home-focused holidays.
• She wrote that in her European experience, people retreat indoors on festival days and those without nearby family can end up alone.
• Chaigneau said she has never celebrated a festival alone in India because neighbours, friends of friends and even strangers make sure she is included.
• Her comments about shared food, music and public rituals were widely shared and reported by Indian media, elevating a broader conversation about communal belonging.
• Coverage also noted mixed online feedback, with many endorsing the inclusivity and some users criticizing frequent public celebrations for creating noise and traffic issues.