VALENTINE’S DAY is celebrated with great fervour all across the world. Even in India, the day has captured the hearts of all romantic couples. You will see love in all malls and hypermarkets with big discounts and freebies being offered to couples. There are contests on radio, TV and the print to determine whose love is the strongest. All major brands and companies want to cash in on this day. Theatres, where the crowd generally flocks, offer discount schemes to attract hapless couples, which don’t really have any other place to go.

 

But the detractors say that celebrating Valentine’s Day is against the Indian culture. They believe that we are just aping the Western culture. Now, there have been so many instances when we ape the West. Our Constitution itself is the longest constitution drafted and incorporates ideas from the United Kingdom (UK) and the American Constitution. Whenever we want to make movies, we again copy the entire script and the screenplay. All the high technology products coming into our country come from the west. The Internet, which has become the most vital medium for survival, came from Switzerland. Even the Special Economic Zone (SEZ) policy, which is being criticised by one and all right now, came from China.

 

So why don’t the detractors of Valentine’s Day stand up against all these things? Isn’t Valentine’s Day celebrated as a day? Love just does not mean the love for your spouse or partner. You could be in love with your parents, your children and even your dog. After being under the British rule for so long, Indians had to acquire some of the traits from the British. It was just not restricted to the English language. Even the colonial architecture stands out as a tribute to the British today.

 

Valentine’s Day began with St Valentine, a Roman Christian. It is believed that this saint died on February 14, 269 AD. Legend also says that the saint left a farewell note for the jailer’s daughter, and signed it “From Your Valentine”. Other aspects of the legend say that St Valentine served as a priest at the temple during the reign of Emperor Claudius. Claudius then had Valentine jailed for defying him. And since 496 AD, February 14 is being celebrated as Valentine’s Day to honour St Valentine.

 

Thus 1502 years hence, Valentine’s Day is still healthy and strong all across the world. The legend of St Valentine might not be that popular, but people do celebrate the day as they would celebrate Holi, Diwali or any other festival. Saint Valentine became the patron of love and this day is remembered in his name and celebrated by everyone who is in love.

 

Americans celebrate Diwali at the White House, parts of London celebrate Holi in the open where even foreigners join in the fun, for the main purpose of a festival is to spread happiness and have fun. How can anyone be against the spirit of love? Indians too revere Parvati – the Goddess of love, and Kama – the God of love. Since childhood, the stories of Laila Majnoo, Soni Mahiwal are imbibed in us. The love stories in Bollywood have been the biggest hits ever. Love is a feeling that brings everyone closer, irrespective of all social, political or economic barriers. To not be in love or not celebrating it would be to be devoid of the most powerful emotion that humans have. Even the animals, which can’t communicate properly to each other, exhibit qualities of love.

 

There is nothing wrong with the concept of Valentine’s Day, but the only problem that the detractors have is that we are aping the Western culture. Now if the Westerners have created a good precedent for us, then why shouldn’t we follow it? Ask all the detractors to celebrate another day in the name of love, I am sure people wouldn’t mind sharing their feelings for each other on that very day.