**Bhubaneswar: ** Every February 14, across the world, candy, flowers and gifts are exchanged between loved ones, all in the name of St. Valentine. But who is this mysterious saint, and where did these traditions come from?
The history of Valentine’s Day–and the story of its patron saint–is shrouded in mystery. We do know that February has long been celebrated as a month of romance, and that St. Valentine’s Day, as we know it today, contains vestiges of both Christian and ancient Roman tradition. But who was Saint Valentine, and how did he become associated with this ancient rite?
Want to know about the history of this centuries-old holiday, from ancient Roman rituals to the customs of Victorian England. Here is what you need to know about this St Valentine`s Day.
We owe it to the ancient Romans, when the emperor Claudias had prohibited marriage, because the soldiers preferred staying with their fiancées instead of going to war. A catholic priest Valentine celebrated marriages in secret, which finally led him to persecution and prison. Since that time St Valentine has become to be known as the patron of love, commitment, the romantic expression of feelings, and so on. This is the most romantic holiday, singing the anthem to love, tenderness and shared sympathy. It is also the best chance to show your love and care to that special person, whatever your relationships with them are, through simple or more elaborated gestures.
It is that time of the year when love in all its forms and types is celebrated. Yes, it is Valentine’s Week, starting from February 7 to February 14. Especially around this time, happily-in-love couples make the time and efforts to make their loved ones feel special. They mark the day by exchanging gifts and spending quality time with each other. Building up the hype of Valentine’s Day are the seven days that come before — Rose Day, Propose Day, Chocolate Day, Teddy Day, Promise Day, Kiss Day, Hug Day — in that order before the big V-Day comes a-calling.
Other than being a significant part of pop culture, each day of Valentine’s Week also has its own significance. As much as people in love argue that they do not need a day or a week to celebrate their bond, Valentine’s week is celebrated with vigour.
Valentine’s Day is celebrated on February 14, the day which commemorates love in all its forms, shapes and sizes. Couples take time out from their schedules, make plans for spending quality time with each other and generally make each other feel loved.
Approximately 150 million Valentine’s Day cards are exchanged annually, making Valentine’s Day the second most popular card-sending holiday after Christmas. With the advent of e-cards, the numbers are staggeringly high now. Youngsters spend billions across the world to woo their loved ones on this special day. Many get engaged or married to make this day all the more special.
In India, in ancient times, there was a tradition of adoring Kamadeva, the lord of love; illustrated by the erotic carvings in the Khajuraho and by the writing of Kamasutra. This tradition was lost around the Middle Ages, when Kamadeva was no longer celebrated, and public displays of sexual affection became frowned upon.This repression of public affections persisted until the 1990s.
With the advent of electronic media, Valentine’s Day celebrations caught up attention due to programmes in commercial TV cahnnels which celebrated love and displayed affection.
Economic liberalization also helped the Valentine card industry. The celebration has caused a sharp change on how people have been displaying their affection in public since the Middle Ages.
In India, extremist groups like Bajrang Dal and Shiv Sena have dubbed these celebrations as ‘vulgar display of affection in public’ which is alien to our ‘Indian culture’. They fear that such celebrations would destroy their traditional society. Their members play a spoilsport on this occasion by assaulting the young couples in public or forcibly marrying them off on this particular day.
Despite these obstacles, Valentine’s Day is becoming increasingly popular in India. Youngsters wait for this day eagerly to profess their love to ‘someone special’ and enjoy every moment of togetherness.
