Kitty Party: The Financial Feminist Movement Of South Asian Women

Picture this: a room filled with sounds of laughter, bursts of conversation, and women dressed in their sometimes extravagant, sometimes themed dresses. They may share an age group, a neighbourhood, a community, or perhaps a bizarre string of coincidences that brought them together. This is the world of the Kitty Party. 

A concept where a dozen or so ladies get together to host parties every month. The main part of this is the 'Kitty', where each member contributes an equal amount monthly, and one member is randomly selected to receive the kitty. This continues until every member is picked up once.   

What looks like an afternoon of frivolity and is often dismissed as a hobby for women, the kitty party has, for decades, been quietly subverting patriarchal norms. In a society that scrutinises a woman in leisure, this space of laughter and glamour has become an act of quiet rebellion.

The History of Kitty Parties 

The story of the kitty party dates back to post-partition India, in the aftermath of 1947, where women and their families were grappling with financial uncertainty and required stability. The answer came in the form of informal savings groups. It was a microfinance movement like no other!

Microfinance, according to the UNDP, brings financial strength and empowers women in India, who would have thought it could turn into something so glamorous? Today, across South Asian communities worldwide, kitty parties are as much about joy as they are about security.

Raina, a businesswoman who is part of five kitties, says: “It’s about having company to enjoy every moment with and a network that’s always there to celebrate with you.”

 A Subtle Financial Feminist Revolution 

Women are often burdened with family responsibilities to the point where choosing friendship or even a moment of leisure can feel like an act of defiance. Financial education is limited, wealth is traditionally controlled by men, and homemakers rarely have access to independent funds. Against this backdrop, a kitty party is a subtle force of revolution that not only allows women access to friendship but also enables financial literacy and freedom. 

Ghazala, a homemaker from Lucknow, says: “Apart from the friendships and the fun, it has given me the freedom to make big purchases from jewellery to electronics without waiting for someone’s approval."

A Network Beyond Numbers

In a culture where female networks are often discouraged for fear of challenging the patriarchal order, these gatherings create safe spaces for solidarity, bonding, and escape. They act as informal support groups, places where women can laugh, vent, dress up, and simply be themselves without the male gaze deciding what that looks like.

While it has been looked at as a concept for the previous generation, modern women are completely radicalising it. Today’s kitties go beyond living rooms. They explore new cafes in the city, throw a fun get-together or even travel together to different countries!

Mohini Pimpale, an IT professional from Pune, sums it up perfectly: “It’s a space where women can be joyful, silly, glamorous and real. For me, kitty parties are a way of saying: You matter. Your time, your presence, your happiness matter.”

Friendship plays an integral role in a woman’s life; it improves health, strengthens agency, and enhances overall quality of life. When this bond comes with financial freedom, it turns into a quiet yet powerful feminist revolution. That is exactly what kitty parties have been enabling for decades: a space where women can save, celebrate, and stand together, one gathering at a time.