Valentine's Day Celebrations

Once again the time of proposals and heartbreaks is here. This weekend is the much hyped(due to many reasons) Valentine's Day.
Forget about what it actually stands for or how it got started. Today in India this is the most hyped day. Even more than Republic Day, Independence Day or any other such day. The reason is not actually that people in India have started celebrating it in larger numbers than other days. But the actual reason this day is famous is for the number of people who act as moral police on this day. Taking moral policing to a new height one particular group has announced that it will marry any two people who will be seen with each other on that particular day.. I'm just imagining that if someone's sister has a birthday on 14th would he dare to give her flowers, cards, chocolates or take her to dinner after such an announcement. :p

Valentine's Day actually is just a day to express your love for someone. Someone whom you love more than anything in the world. Someone who is your inspiration during dark times. Someone who shares your happiness more than you actually do. Someone who is by your side when you are down.

A lot of people raise a question on Valentine's Day saying that love should not be expressed only on one single day. I have another question for them. Why do we remember Jesus only during Christmas season. Why do we do the Lakshmi Poojan only on Diwali. Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth, should be remembered everyday. But not everyone does that everyday. Not everyone remembers God everyday. Similarly not everyone can express their love everyday. And similarly this day is the one when they have to find time for the one they love. Just like they find time for Goddess Lakshmi on Diwali. Mind you.. I'm not equating both of them. Diwali has a very high place in the hearts of Hindus. And most of the people who oppose Valentine's Day are Hindus. I'm just trying to point out that as Diwali is important for those people this day can also be important for some people.

Another objection is that Valentine's Day is part of western culture and we should not allow other culture to mix with ours. But if these people lookout any of the history books they'll find that it has always been India, who has accepted whatever cultures have come to them. Only we have been strong enough to mix with people of different cultures and to own them as our own. All the religions that can be found in India have their own culture. And the Indian culture is the mix of all those. We celebrate Id, Diwali, Christmas, Guru Parab. Though the importance of each festival varies for different religions. But Holi, that is one festival that is celebrated throughout India without any distinction. Hindus, Muslims, Sikhs, Parsis, Jains, Buddhists .... all of them celebrate Holi. Does anyone complain that Holi is part of Hindu culture only so we will not celebrate it. No one does. Simply because they have respect for each others' religions. Though Valentine's Day is not part of any religion but still we should accept it as a part simply because a lot of people like celebrating it.

Another set of people want to ban it because (as per them) on this day the companies like Archies, Coke , Pepsi, McD, KFC etc. make more profits and send them to US. For such people I just have to say one thing. Have they ever thought why is this happening. It's not because the adolescents are doing it. It's more because there's no option apart from these companies. Is there any such retail chain in India which gives such quality and service. There are a few. But all of them which i know are as full on this( or any other day) as the KFCs, McDs are.

Finally, the last objection which i hear on this day is that this day( or specially this western culture) is corrupting the young minds. No one bothers to describe how. This is the most preposterous claim I've ever heard. If the people think that the adolescents are going on the wrong path why don't they try to correct them. I know their is peer pressure and all those things. But they are also able to think. And they do think well. Take yourself for example. During that period of time were you not able to think correctly. So why are you concerned that today' youth cannot. In fact today's youth is much more experienced and educated. So have some faith in them. Hope someone among the moral police would have enough brains to understand the true meaning of Valentine's Day and may someday we, Indians, will stop fighting among ourselves over such petty issues.