Indian side of Valentine Day

Who in today’s generation does not know the popular Valentine Day that celebrates love? The day falls each year on 14th Feb and a very special day for lovers. Cupid hearts, roses, chocolates, red heart shaped balloons can be seen in every florist and gift shop. The cost of one rose bud goes as high as gold which is too much just for a bud. Anyway one who wants to celebrate it will definitely buy it.

But along with all these romantic accessories and love birds, a nuisance by political parties (mostly Hindu conservatives) is also created every year. The party people go to different restaurants and places where the day is supposed to celebrated to wipe out Valentine’s Day decorations. These political parties also demand that this day this day not be celebrated, as it is not a part of Indian culture. Now if rape is allowed and rapist are free to move in India as some of them are juvenile then why cannot other juveniles celebrate the festival of love? So here a question arises – Is Valentine day damaging Indian culture or not?

India is against violence, violence of any kind and that is why even if our soldiers are beheaded on the borders we are inviting cricket teams from those countries to play match with us. Then why are we showing violence on this issue? The answer is because it is damaging our culture not humans. Let’s move further. It is not only the Valentine but there are many other foreign festivals that are now celebrated in India such as New year, Halloween, St. Patrick’s day, Mother’s days, Father’s day and so on though with less vigour  It is assumed that foreign festivals attract more people as the way of celebrating these is just like party and it is very attractive.

Now let’s have a look how in general the festivals in India are celebrated. Almost all the Indian festivals are celebrated in a very traditional manner and none is complete if done without worshipping God. Indian festivals involve family but not just couples. On the other hand, even with some of these festivals various unwanted elements are attached and there is no opposition to these. Like it is well- known, at least to Indians, that Diwali is celebrated in a very conventional way. We pay obeisance to God, greet our friends and families, light diyas and burst cracker. But some people on the other hand drink and gamble on this auspicious day. Is it allowed by Indian culture? Can’t say…And even if it is allowed then is it a right way to celebrate it?

So actually what matter the most is the way in which festivals are celebrated rather than their name and origin. Just like right and duty go hand in hand so does the celebration of any festival and its limit. Youth celebrating Valentine day should not forget that the society in which they are living is undergoing a transformation and there are many bad elements in the society that take full advantage of such days. For them love means physical and nothing more than this. If this is the intention then it is true that not only Valentine but any such festival is against Indian culture. Moreover we are not an open society and when we openly confess such things then these are considered wrong. But if the Valentine day is celebrated with good and spirit of festival and we spend time with our loved ones then there is nothing wrong in this.

 

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