Valentines Day - My Views

The Ram Sena referred to as the Hindu Taliban by certain news channels have stirred a hornets nest by the attack on the Mangalore Pub thereby earning the tag of being the moral police of the Country more so a particular region at present. The Pink Chadi campaign and Pub Bharo Campaign launched by the so called independent free thinkers of this country is only going to make matters worse and lead the next generation into further degeneration as they will now be provoked into drinking to prove a point when instgated by the friends to join the campaign which they may not have otherwise done with vigour.

Mr Mutalik with his extremist views on the subject which also has a substantial following has created a cultural divide and has probably played into the hands of the new genaration free thinkers by alienating them further from a normal Indian culture of working the whole week and probably going to a pub or lounge bar to have a few drinks to relax annd enjoy music.

While Mutaliks views may not be exactly appreciated i am witness to the fact that the pub Culture has also created an increasing trend of girls and ladies smoking and this is more to make a fashion statement than for enjoying the taste of tobacco. The so called ban on public smoking has not yielded any results and will become ineffective due to practical problems of monitoring the same. It is this trend which has to be arrested rather than trying to force the new genaration to desist from going to pubs.

Coming to the valentine day celebrations i am also of the firm view that this concept which is become more of a marketing tool for the Hotels, Restaurants and Greeting card companies was alien to our culture even a few years back and has become popular only becoz of the effects of globalisation. In my opinion to express the love for someone on a particular day is ridculous as love comes from within and it can be seen without even one having the need to express it. Love for someone manifests itself in so many ways like feeling good in each others company, eye contact, longing to see each other on the slighest pretext, waiting for an opportunity to talk to and/or meet each other and is it presposterous to even suggest that this manifestation has to find its expression only on Valentines Day. To put it simple if you love someone , you need not wait for valentines day to express love and this can be expressed in so many other ways and on other occasions and therefore my appeal to all is not to fall for this occassion which is a creation of the marketing agencies but enjoy the day by going to parties or get togethers to enjoy the music, fun and frolic but not becoz it is Valentines Day. After all many of us i am sure have been or had been in love without even knowing what Valentines Day was all about till a few years back.

Ram Sena you do not have to do anything. Just sit back and do more important things and these marketing gimmicks will start falling apart on thier own once people start seeing through it.