Enjoy ‘Valentine week’ but wear a helmet!

By Abhishek Pandey

In the very beginning of Valentine week, I received an e-mail titled ‘Prevention is better than cure’. It was not from my family doctor for suggesting me to take care of my health or some think like. It was from one of the well-wishers to suggest me to take care of you from the lunatic self-claimed protector of Indian culture, whether they are saffron flag bearers, extremist Muslims or our cops.

The mail showed a boy wearing a helmet and presenting the red rose to his girlfriend. Satirically, the mail conveyed the message what it intended to. The message was crystal clear and self explanatory: ‘Indian youths are under threat but the zest is not gone to celebrate Valentine day.’
The valentine day is around the corner. The valentine week has started though there is not perfectly laid down list for the special days but every one celebrate in his/her own fashion irrespective of the days specified and dedicated to a particular date. Some internet websites suggest the following list of the days, starting from Rose day on Feb 7 and followed by Propose day, Chocolate day, Teddy day, Promise day, Kiss day, Hug day in the continuity and finally, Valentines Day on 14 Feb.

In my opinion, this is the most acceptable list of celebrating the love fest. We have these days to celebrate the love fest though most of us know that our love towards our partner is not limited to a single day but we need an excuse to celebrate it.

Valentine Day is celebrated in the remembrance of a Roman Catholic priest, St. Valentine. There are many stories of St. Valentine. In his time Emperor Claudius II outlawed the marriage of young men because he was under impression that unmarried men made better soldiers than married ones. But St. Valentine continued the marriages of young couples secretly. When his act was uncovered he was punished death sentence. Another story stated that St Valentine fell in love with the jailor’s daughter who used to come to meet him during his confinement. It is believed that he wrote a letter to her greeting himself as ‘from your Valentine’ which is still used by couples.

Valentine in the history pages is profiled as a romantic and heroic character. There are many traditional symbols of Valentine’s Day which include hearts, doves, and Cupid and love notes. Greetings, chocolates, roses, SMS, gifts and …so on have also been added in the list.

I think the message of love should also be given to these extremists who are creating ruckus for the youth in the season of fest. In Mangalore, few goons of a moral brigade thrashed some girls and boys because they were of different communities. In Srinagar, posters and hoarding was put to restrict strolling or dating with opposite sex. (Do they want us to be homosexual!).

Whether it is Mangalore, Srinagar, Delhi or any city, youths must join their hands together to fight against these fringe groups. This is not because they are preventing us to celebrate V day but reason is that our freedom is crushed and we will not let the India became another ‘Taliban’ state.

I would like to summaries my message in one quote of a scholar: ‘Love does not dominate; it cultivates.’ Please let this message reach to the so called ‘moral-police’.

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