It all started years back in Rome ,when emperor Claudius was boasting and reigning with incongruent 'principles' stating that only single soldiers performed better as compared to the married ones ,and so condemned the marriages of other couples. Defiant Valentine, a soldier under the emperor who opposed this and secretly wedded thousands of couples was prisoned and sentenced to death.It was to commemorate him ,express gratitude and also patronize love ,that the Valentine's day is celebrated even today every year in the month of February.
What started as a celebration for 'couples 'mainly ,later had a newer perspective too. Why should Valentines day only be restrained to' couples or lovers '?Love need not be implied in only a certain way and is unconditional and can have an unblemished form.I observed that my son's school(a Kindergarten ) ,they have a celebration on Valentine's day and the preparations precede 1 week before itself ,with mutual exchange of 'Valentine's or cards between the friends and classmates and teachers and also sending cards to relatives .The cards have subtle messages depicting their innocent love towards their friends ,parents relatives and teachers who have filled their lives with so much love and life.These Valentines have their favorite cartoon characters ,some flower pictures or some teddy or soft toy/ Barbie pictures for the girls.They are taught that Valentine's day is a day for 'love';to express love and gratitude to your dear ones either by your gifts ,cards or deeds.This day is dedicated exclusively to love and 'heart sign' only symbolizes that you love them from your heart sincerely.It's so nice to see these kids giving cards to their parents ,grand parents ,relatives and friends .Love can be in a pure blissful form too .
I really sympathize some activists protesting against the couples and people celebrating Valentine's day without giving them freedom of expression and thought.By this,I do not say that illegal ,indecent mannerisms should not be criticized ;but expressing a person's emotions is not to be restrained either.They criticize the western countries for being influential and inculcate nontraditional and 'culture less' customs in the Indians. Contrarily ,when I observed the customs and celebrations of 'Valentine's day 'here in the US, I realized that there was something 'good 'too about it !Every coin has 2 sides and both the sides needs to be explored ,without being judgmental about one side of it. Lets perceive this Valentine's day also with a new perspective rather than just creating a mere issue out of it!
9 comments:
Agree with you on that Raji!
Anything that promotes love is good and anything that provokes hatred is not!
Happy Valentines to you and yours!
Thank you and wish you the same.
as always we have to look @ the bright side of it. And its gr8 that schools there are promoting such actions,it will just make a child perceive things with the right notion.
Agree with you Raji
Though I am against stopping anyone from celebrating, I am also against excessive commercialization and the pressure build up on boys and girls to behave in a particular way. Older school kids getting mushy, in my opinion, is not healthy.
@ Vijay true,,:)thanks for your comments.
@Rachna..agree with you in the point that too much commercialization is also not good.Buying cards is fine;beyond that ,it gets very irritating right?Feelings need not be expressed with expensive materialization.Also the part of behaviour of the teenage kids is a point of concern and issue.true .
Happy Valentine's day. I loved the idea in your son's school.
i totally agree to whay you have said..it is just a kind of self marketing which these activities do in india..nice post..
I do agree with you Raji. Very rightly said.
Valentine's day, by far in India is only about couples. Thanks to the media & the men who protest it. It can be changed only through kids, by adopting to what your son's school does.
Nice & timely post Raji.
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