It's the 14th of February today and it's time to celebrate love and express your affection for that special someone in your life; unless, of course, you are single and alone or a Shiv Sena activist! Yes, the 'Sainiks' were out this year again, burning cards and protesting the holiday.
Though celebrating Valentine's Day is a very recent phenomenon in India, unlike many other western imports (fast food joints, big box retailers etc.), it's a much welcome import. A land that gave us the Kama Sutra and that quintessential expression of love - Taj Mahal - had somewhere down the line lost its tradition of love. Any overt expression of love became frowned upon. And, I am not even talking about love before marriage; I am talking about married couples having to repress expressing their love for each other! Except for honeymoon couples in holiday spots, how many couples hold each other's hands in public? How many parents hug or otherwise be romantic at home in front of their kids?
Looking beyond the commercial aspects of the holiday, the underlying spirit of expressing love is definitely worth celebrating (and much needed) in India. In fact, more than youngsters, it provides an opportunity for the older generation to finally express their affection for each other a little bit more openly. If my grandmother buys my grandfather a Valentine's card, would the 'Sainiks' rip it out of her hands and burn it? I think not!
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