What’s Love Got To Do With It?

Tripathi,a writer,too,admits to having felt the pressure simply because “everyone else was doing it too”. The 23-year-old says,“The fact that gift shops were full of presents and nearly everyone around me was buying something for their partner made me feel like I had to buy something. A couple of months ago my girlfriend told me she felt the same way”

One only has to look outside one’s window or trawl the internet to understand why these youngsters feel the way they do. The onslaught of red and white balloons,adorable little teddy bears and restaurants advertising ‘cozy meals for two’ make it seem like we’re obliged to celebrate with ‘special Valentine’s Day offers’.

Valentine’s Day,as a concept,has always had its share of adherents and opposers. A peep into an Archies store will convince you that Valentine’s Day is as alive,if not even more so,as it was five years ago. Fluffy red hearts,musical cards that sing mushy love songs when you open them,and heart-shaped chocolates in red heart-shaped boxes have taken over nearly every gift store in the city. And there doesn’t seem to be a dearth of customers for these products either,with people flitting in and out of the stores all day.

Eavesdrop on a conversation about this so-called ‘day of love’ while you’re on the train or bus,however,and you will probably notice how many more people,like Agarwal and Tripathi,seem to be scorning the idea of celebrating. Their main complaint is that the day is less about love and more about making money. Freelance photographer Abhinav Rao declares,“Valentine’s Day may be the ‘poster boy’ for the capitalist economy which is ever so hungry for ideas that can bleed people dry of their money. However,it does have a fall-out affect,where regardless of your opinion of it,it can make you feel terribly lonely or terribly loved.” That is another problem — single people feel left out of the celebrations. Like Rao,27-year-old Radhika Vishwanathan complains,“If you’re single on Valentine’s Day,you’re forced to remember you’re all alone. All around you,you see things for couples: red heart-shaped pillows,balloons and chocolates. It’s an ego killer of sorts.”

So is the pressure of expectation the only thing that’s keeping Valentine’s Day alive? It does not seem so. Sixteen-year-old Neha Jindal is a genuine enthusiast. “I’ve never had a boyfriend on Valentine’s Day before,so I’m very excited”,says the schoolgirl. “I have already bought him a present and we’ve made dinner plans at a fancy restaurant.” Similarly,15-year-old Rahul Jain has also planned to celebrate with his first girlfriend. For these young teens who have probably grown up watching people gush over hearts and flowers on Valentine’s Day,the excitement is undeniable. So what if the day is increasingly being perceived as a consumerist circus? (Names have been changed on request)