It’s that time of the year when flower, chocolate and card shops start playing with your mind and emotions. It’s February Silly!! Also, now that we are increasingly living in a dual world of online and offline, where one overlaps the other quite harmoniously, Apps start enticing you with the umpteenth offers of cash-backs, discounts on purchases for your loved ones- may be some heart shape box of dark, delectable chocolates, teddy bears for the young love and that ubiquitous Little Red Dress, symbolizing the Valentine’s Day spirit on your face- and hotels and restaurants make special arrangements to en-cash ‘the day’. ‘Love’ becomes an earnest business. A simple day, which announced its grand arrival somewhere in the nineties, has since surreptitiously turned into a week-long affair starting with the Rose Day followed by Propose Day, Chocolate Day, Teddy Day, Promise Day, Hug Day, Kiss Day and finishing with the grand Happy Valentine’s Day.
Now where does all that leave me? Alright- let me blurt it out. I bow at the altar of enviousness as I see the youngsters making plans for the week. Where was all this freedom when I was younger (just trying to assert that I am still young, referring only to the ‘younger’ days! :D) I had heard the adage- Love may be blind but jealousy has 20-20 vision. May be that’s why I am experiencing all this exhilarating and animating happenings around, with much more clarity than I ever did. Should I feel guilty of this feeling! Well..Combine it with the saying ‘He who is not jealous is not in love’- this could purge me of the aforementioned thoughts, even though this feeling of love has long breezed past me.I am resentful as this new ‘liberated atmosphere’ around the V day is there, when I have got my head together, but my body is starting to fall apart.
It wasn’t long back (or was it so long back, I wonder) when a guy in a Baraat giving extra attention to a girl made her heart flutter, and a short ‘love story’ would begin, with one extra Gulab Jamun served on the crush’s plate, only to end with an equal speed if not more, like the candy floss melting in the mouth, once the Baraat left. This book of short stories would add another chapter, written deftly only with the subtle glances, in high schools/colleges.
With no cell phones, FB or WhatsApp, Insta, Snap Chat etc, these stories turned into full-fledged novels only for a few indefatigable souls, who would cross the river of ‘non-communication’ through the bridges of Archie’s cards and may be a ‘cassette’ sneaked in the same envelop exchanged through a long route of friends’ friends’ friends . The songs were supposed to convey the feelings of the protagonists of the story.
Most of them, however, could never gather the courage to tread the gallant path of ‘card exchange’ on Valentine’s Day or on any day. With ‘Simran ke Bauji’ being the role model for most of the fathers, ‘Raj’ and ‘Simran’ remained the silver screen characters only. ‘Simran ke Bauji’ ensured that these short love stories remained like the size of ‘challenge of writing 100 words stories’, you blink and it’s over! ‘Romance’ remained something which could be explored only in the matrimonial territory! In most of the cases these grounds proved to be quite unproductive vis-a vis romance! After few failed attempts, the die hard romantic out of the two, would give up and settle down to appreciate the other aspects of life and the life-partner!
Falling in the category where one settles down to appreciate the ‘other aspects’ of life, with all the romance out of the window, I am in particular hostile towards this St. Valentine. What is ‘love’ anyway? Why this ‘kolaveri ’ around this simple thing? Isn’t it one of the many feelings like anger, sadness, euphoria etc! It is said that the love-struck couples have high levels of the neurotransmitter dopamine, which stimulates an intense rush of pleasure, essentially the same effect on the brain as taking cocaine. Hello… And all this while I thought it’s about the heart! How naïve! Or Perhaps it is the case of sour grapes!
For the ones though, whose romance is as alive as a new born baby’s first cry, embrace it, celebrate it, for the simple reason that no reason is enough to count yourself blessed if you are in love. Happy valentine’s Week.. ! Naysayers, including me, can say whatever they want to.
Copyright © Aradhana Mishra
After reading,I was back to my college days and that brought a smile on my face.I remember a girl asked me ‘are u sending valentine day card to anyone?’ I just smiled and as soon as I returned home opened the dictionary to search what the hell is this Valentine day😂😂
The best compliment to a writer is when the reader connects with the piece! I am glad that my words made you smile! 🙂
Had never heard of this day till a few years back.. love was always there albeit discreet, subtley expressed . Old Hindi movie songs style😁😁. Valentine’s Day sells the idea of love like never before and fills up the coffers of smart people who know how to fleece the gullible youth. Anyways as they say all is fair in love….
You have hit the nail right at its head Mrs Sharma. Indeed all these celebrations are more about ‘commerce’ than the feelings. But again, as long as all the stakeholders are happy, I suppose its fine.:) 🙂
Another well penned piece !
For me it was nostalgic as it brought back old memories of Archie’s cards, gifts n u hit it right ..the casettes ☺️☺️
No FB no phones no WhatsApp ..still Love survived.
For me ,it was bday n valentine together so come the month of February, n it was all love in the air.
I disagree a bit with what u wrote about love just like any other emotion…anger etc
NO!
There is kolavari about love because it’s a beautiful emotion. It sustains life and if people treat this emotion above all, life on this planet would be more beautiful.
Of course , commercialisation has taken its toll.But Valentine’s Day still stands above chocolate n teddy bear days….
It’s about love for each other. My mother in law still wishes her grand children on that day …so let love spread it’s wings and aroma in whatever form ☺️☺️
Hello Monisha,
Thank for all the good words. Always been very encouraging. Coming to your ‘disagreement’, this piece is a satire on many things, ‘love being just another emotion’ was one of them, a case of sour grapes you see! Agree that valentines is so much more than just one type of love. And I for one, believe in the other types more ardently than the more popular one.
Much love
Kora kaagaz tha Jeevan Mera
Likh diya Naam uspe tera..
Remembered this song after reading your article. Love expressed through chits and letters hidden in books and transferred through one trusted postboy/ girl was the romance of our time. The fresh smell of kaagaz… The feel of kaagaz…. Always made us feel… Kya yehi pyar hai… Boys and girls never waited for February to fall in love. It happened and it was expressed with aankhon he aankhon mein …. Followed by letters and then discreet meet. There were few Lucky ones whose dad would say:- Ja Simran ja… Jee le apni zindagi.
Beautifully written. Thanks Ranjana for sharing the link. Will love to read more from your pen.
Hello Sir,
Sometimes, the experience of reading a comment is much more intense and interesting than the piece, to which that comment is rendered. Loved the concinnity gone into this comment. 🙂 Reading this was like reading a story of its own kind. Brought a big smile to my face.
Thank you!
Ps you can find many more write-ups on my page, including poetries.Hope you like them too.
This one about love n despite of whatever u think about it has been written with utmost love..Loved it…Simran ke bouji wala angle still exists n so does all that is pretty about young birds love though now it is richer…….For me I love the flamboyance
‘Written with utmost love’ :), yes, now that it’s about Valentines. how could it be any other way! 😀 True, Baujiwala angle still exists but Simran and Raj have come a long way …and are not ready to abide by Bauji’s law blindfolded. For flamboyance..suppose, one should do what one loves to celebrate love!
Aradhana very aptly presented. Reminded me of my college days specially the cassettes n cards part. It really brought a smile to my facr. I believe for any couple in love each day is like a Valentine’s day n should be celebrated . Thank you