SSB Lecturette Series: Valentine's Day, Is it Love or Commercialization

 Love is the most precious thing, it is the gift of God which is used to make the peoples closer and make them one.

February, the love season is for all who are in love. This romantic month of the year is for the celebration of valentine day. Firstly, it started in foreign countries, but now it’s a tradition to celebrate in India also and the youngsters are very much involve in celebrating Valentine’s Day. On Feb 14, Valentine day celebrate the bond of love and affection between the couples. Valentine day is also celebrated as the most popular day to express your feelings your beloved.

India has their own style of life. We need not copy down western as this festival is not within the Indian philosophy. Our culture is very much different from all &, it teaches us the modesty and tradition.

India has a very wide & different range of festivals in different caste, which youngsters are losing the importance of that now a days.

Nowadays the satellite TV's & Multi-national companies have tried to put the mark into the ancient culture of India. They just want to promote their sale. Hotels organize parties to eat, dance and for various events. A lot of money is spent on this western fashion in India due to this.

Commercialization of Valentine’s Day is the direct result of Globalization. In the last 10 years, Valentine’s Day has become increasingly commercialized in all parts of the world. TV and magazine ads shows models with perfect bodies giving each other chocolates, jewelry. The message is, “Your love is measured by what you buy”. This is not what love is all about; Love is much more complex than flowers and chocolates. Social psychologists have been studying interpersonal attraction and love for almost four decades, and they still haven’t figured it out completely.

Television ads are very significant tool to change the way people think. Today’s ads sell ideas more than the product. They have a wide range of gifts which attracts the people. Many companies in India have used this opportunity to exploit the customers on the occasion of Valentine’s Day. They have wide range of ideas which they are showing before the valentine months & try to sell their products in the behalf of Valentine’s Day. The Bollywood film industry which is also in promoting love and sex cannot be left behind in this thing. It has used this opportunity before or after 14th February to release movies.

The worst parts of Valentine’s Day is that, people usually celebrate the day without knowing about its origin I.e. from where it is originated, without knowing that it’s totally a commercialization strategy, without knowing its consequence and eventually getting carried away with what they see from others and what's the effect on our culture . Due to this the Shiv Sena protested the observance of valentine day on various parts of India to teach a lesson to the peoples who are involving in this.

Conclusion:

Love is sweet feeling of heart it should not be commercialized. The government should form some laws so that satellites TV’s and media should not get permission to popularize vulgarity on the name of valentine day. And one way to make love last forever is to show it every day, not just on Valentine’s Day. Love is not a one day affair , but one needs to show love and consideration to their partner on the other 364 days in the year as well, that what love means in reality.

About the author: Sunil Sahu is an electronics and telecommunication engineer and a die heart defense aspirant. He loves cooking and has a vast knowledge about cars and their latest developments. Through this article he wants to help defense aspirants by presenting his critical views on the topic, on the forum so that collective exchange of thoughts can take place.