Kancheepuram Leads India’s Extra-Marital Dating Scene for Second Straight Year
When people think of Kancheepuram, they usually picture rich cultural heritage, beautiful silk, and historical temples. However, this traditional city in Tamil Nadu has quietly gained a very different reputation. For the second consecutive year, Kancheepuram has captured the top spot in India for sign-ups on Ashley Madison, a global dating app created specifically for married individuals seeking discreet, extra-marital affairs (relationships outside of marriage).
The top spots on the national infidelity (cheating on a spouse) leaderboard are heavily dominated by South Indian urban centers:
The Appeal of Total Discretion Relationship expert Ruchi Ruuh explains that in close-knit, traditional, and relatively wealthy communities, everyone knows each other's families. Because individuals cannot explore dating or express marital unhappiness publicly without sparking severe local gossip, they naturally turn to secure digital platforms that guarantee complete anonymity and privacy.
Paul Keable, the Chief Strategy Officer at Ashley Madison, noted that this rapid growth demonstrates a fundamental shift in how modern Indian adults approach personal freedom, intimacy, and emotional connection. Regardless of societal traditions or geography, millions of married Indians are quietly using digital tools to redefine their relationship boundaries on their own terms.
South India Dominates the List
According to the platform's latest per-capita data from May 2026, Kancheepuram recorded the highest intensity of non-monogamous activity (having more than one romantic partner) in the entire country. But it is far from alone.The top spots on the national infidelity (cheating on a spouse) leaderboard are heavily dominated by South Indian urban centers:
You may also like
- Tornado-like storm in Tamil Nadu causes destruction, 6 injured
- Bengal: VHP attacks Christian prayer, claims religious conversion
- Bengal's BJP govt announces DA hike for its employees
- Aaditya Thackeray slams Sena (UBT) rebels
- Army deployed near Uttarakhand gurdwara as Nihang-administration standoff enters third day
- Rank 1: Kancheepuram
- Rank 2: Coimbatore
- Rank 3: Tiruvallur
- Rank 4: Chennai
Why a Traditional Temple Town?
It might seem contradictory for a deeply religious, smaller city to lead the nation in secret dating sign-ups. However, relationship experts argue that Kancheepuram's traditional lifestyle is the exact reason why these secret apps are booming there.The Appeal of Total Discretion Relationship expert Ruchi Ruuh explains that in close-knit, traditional, and relatively wealthy communities, everyone knows each other's families. Because individuals cannot explore dating or express marital unhappiness publicly without sparking severe local gossip, they naturally turn to secure digital platforms that guarantee complete anonymity and privacy.
India’s Massive Global Climb
This local surge is part of a much larger, quiet revolution happening across the entire country. In just one year, India has climbed from 8th place all the way up to 3rd place globally for Ashley Madison membership sign-ups, sitting only behind the United States and Brazil. Supporting this trend, another popular extra-marital dating platform called Gleeden recently announced that it crossed a staggering 4 million subscribers in India.Paul Keable, the Chief Strategy Officer at Ashley Madison, noted that this rapid growth demonstrates a fundamental shift in how modern Indian adults approach personal freedom, intimacy, and emotional connection. Regardless of societal traditions or geography, millions of married Indians are quietly using digital tools to redefine their relationship boundaries on their own terms.
More from our partners
Loving Newspoint? Download the app now
