Group Discussion Contest : February 9th To 17th February 2012

Actually shiva sena oppose other culture which we Indians opted. so On valentines day if these shiva sena people see any couple just they will sound them and make their marriage.

"The Shiva Sena and Bajrang Dal will not permit even husbands and wives to celebrate this western function. "
It is really a bad thing. But I want to know whether they opposes Friendship day, Women's day or worker's day.
Gulshanji, can you tell something about this?

They are opposing only valentine Day. Workers' day on 1st may is observed by politicians and the trade unions mostly sponsored by politicians. Women's day does not appear as popular as valentine Day. In fact, even our constitution and democracy are foreign rather western. Shiva Sena and Bajarang Dal have their own agenda for opposing Valentine day. Only they may explain why they oppose only Valentine and why not other occasions.

According to me, of 365 days, if we are able to give one day fully dedicated for our loved ones and show our love it is really great. All want their love to be expressed and if they are getting one special day for it, it is really good. It is celebrated only with good means. So it should be accepted. East or west, good things are to be accepted. All persons have love in their heart. That's why this day has become so popular. But, some see it as only a part of business. I totally disagree with such people. Love is not at all business, in any case.

I think our discussion so far and the respective views of all members who have chosen to take part in it, indicate one thing running common in them which is utter dislike for any agnecy - either any political party or any cultural outfit to dictate our free choices.In this land of love - if I am permitted to use the terms - there is absolutely nothing wrong to be inspired by any example any icon irrespective of place of origin. So these elements may be kept out of our discussion.

The question here is how many of us are laying importance on substance than the form.A substantial section of our people have a craze for anything foreign.To them Indian heritage is to be always looked down upon - they look blissfully happy and turn to any direction for ideas,inspiration before making sure if it is aavailable in our own land!!

I agree with chinmoy,We should not encourage such foreign crazy culture.

No comments, Actually after reading all post I am in confusion,to whom I will support.One day when I was young then I celebrated with great joy but now I am against it as I am a father, and I would not like to see that my children have any lover.This is an example but this is fact.

Passion and craze are two different terms with altogether different imports. Our great men were all having a universal outlook - be it the field of religion.literature or art. Swami Vivekananda was the first to address the people of the United States of America as 'brothers and sisters' and those words had electrifying effects.His views and interpretations of 'Vedanta' struck a harmonious chords in the hearts of all religious minded people of the world.Rabindra Nath Tagore set Shantinekatan and Viswa Bharati to bring enlightened people all over the world. He even adapted melodies of some Eurpoean music to create his unforgettable musical work. I am mentioning all these just to emphasise the point - that cultural interaction on global scale is not only desirable but also a must to enrich one's culture.

I have no issue with anyone who loves to express his or love on this day but I am against carrying it to excess to the point of aping anything foreign. Indian loved before it,love without it and will love without it!!

Passion and craze are two different terms with altogether different imports. Our great men were all having a universal outlook - be it the field of religion.literature or art. Swami Vivekananda was the first to address the people of the United States of America as 'brothers and sisters' and those words had electrifying effects.His views and interpretations of 'Vedanta' struck a harmonious chords in the hearts of all religious minded people of the world.Rabindra Nath Tagore set Shantinekatan and Viswa Bharati to bring enlightened people all over the world. He even adapted melodies of some Eurpoean music to create his unforgettable musical work. I am mentioning all these just to emphasise the point - that cultural interaction on global scale is not only desirable but also a must to enrich one's culture.

I have no issue with anyone who loves to express his or love on this day but I am against carrying it to excess to the point of aping anything foreign. Indian loved before it,love without it and will love without it!!

I agree that there can be no closed door cultural purity. There is import and export of cultural and religious traditions. Buddhism spread far and wide from India. There is nothing wrong in adopting customs and traditions of the west. However, the import of Valentine and other similar events has been deliberately and artificially encouraged by commercial interests. The events like New Year Day and Christmas have been mixed up with India traditions naturally unlike Valentine. Even then, there should be no hooliganism and harassment of the lovers celebrating this occasion. The organizations like Shiva Sena and Bajarang Dal should not be allowed 'moral policing'.

yes this is right, I agree with gulshanji. As we Indians celebrating Newyear, christmas,fathersday, womens days and even mothers day so why not lovers day. But why People opposing about lovers days because of misusing the day by the lovers as they rome and do mess in parks and some others restricted places and do ilegal deeds. As in my home town most of the lovers meet at the steps of one hill called Kailash giri as there no one come. Due to such things people are taking this day badly.

To My view celebrating valentines day is not wrong.

St .Valentine's Day , is also known as simply Valentine's day, may be it comes once in a year and can be celebrated on February fourteen. Valentine's Day was created simply by Pope Gelasius at the era of 500 Ad to be able to recognize the actual Orlando martyrs known as Valentines. The particular religious observance during the day had been erased through Pope John Mire from your Roman calender associated with new orleans saints in 1969 but continues to be often authorized. Valentine's Evening was associated with intimate love through Geoffrey Chaucer through the Middle Ages. Until the 19th century handwritten Valentines were often offered as opposed to modern mass-produced greeting cards.

Valentine's day is usually celebrated together with expression of our love to others, and Presents associated with Sweets, blossoms, and also cards known as "valentines." Emblems of Modern Valentine's Day time contain coronary heart styles, figures associated with winged Cupid, and doves Etc.

So yesterday was a great day for lovers as we were made to believe courtsey Valentine Day! Like everybody I too celebrated in my own - I didn't buy any card.It's not that I couldn't afford to buy but I just exhibited a little bit whatever sense I am left with by not playing into the hands of those companies making a big killing out of this hype! At personal level,I always feel any exhibitionism in the matter of love is nothing but insult to this concept of love.
If there is love between or amongst us - its loftiness demands dignified expression.There is a proverb:When it's two it is company and when it's three,it's a crowd!!

Now the central question is: Should we be following or aping anything that comes from distant lands and glorify them to the utter ignorance and consequent neglect of our great ones No,we shouldn't! That exposes our intellectual as well as moral bankruptcy to the ridicule of the entire world. Be receptive to rich ideas coming from all directions but with a critical evaluation before these are accepted and followed.Inverted snobbery,competitive peer pressures should be sensibly avoided.

What I feel is love has nothing to do with cultures, cast, creeds, countries, genders or relations. This is purely associated with humankind and every creature. I do love my relatives as per their relations to me and I do love my flowers, trees and pets as well. There is no fixed day for me to love or not to love therefore, every day is a heart or love day for me.

What I feel is love has nothing to do with cultures, cast, creeds, countries, genders or relations. This is purely associated with humankind and every creature. I do love my relatives as per their relations to me and I do love my flowers, trees and pets as well. There is no fixed day for me to love or not to love therefore, every day is a heart or love day for me.

To say that every day is love day tantamount to oppose celebration of a particular day as day of love. However, this is true about other days. also. Rakhi is a festival of brothers and sisters. This is fixed day for brothers to promise security to sister though he is duty bound the whole year. A married woman celebrates Karwa chauth for her husband's long life though she has such feeling the whole year. Thus, it is okay to celebrate valentine Day also on a particular day as mark of love. The fact remains that this is borrowed from west but then there are many things and ideas borrowed from west.

Yes, we can borrow any good things to our life, even if it is from west.
Many people are crying, we are simply imitating the west. But, it is not true. If we can accept their dress code and make it a part of our own culture, then why can't we accept their good motives to dedicate one day for our loved ones. There is nothing wrong it. If we were still holding our old tradition in closed hands, men would have been still on dhotis and women on sarees only.
Of course, love is the most important essence of one's life and we can't live without it. Though all of us don't express it fully, love dwells in everyone's heart. The true message of Valentine's day is to express our love towards our loved ones rather than hiding it behind deep corners of our mind and later buried, without letting the other person to know its depth.
It can be done through a small flower, a sweet smile or even a favourite dish made with your own hands. The true message of this day is, just to convey your love and dedicate one day for it. You can do it in any way you like, your preference. It has nothing to do with some other person's principles and concepts. Those who want to express it through cards can do like that and those who like to drive her to a favourite spot can also do like that. Some people give and take new promises also.
According to me, it is strictly personal and nothing to discuss it even with your close friend.Do, what your mind say. What do you say????

Love in life is such vital process that it counts and matters in every moment of our lives and while its presence makes our moments so lovable and lives so worth-living that it's open to debate if any particular day of the year may be celebrated when life itself is celelbration of love!Unfortunately commercial forays into domains of some of our most sacred and pure pleasures have made things appear a little bloated!!

@Sandhya

Wearing dhotis per se is neither a symbol of lack of modernity as Mr. Chidambarm would vouch for me- nor wearing trousers necessarily confirms one to be very modern in his thoughts and actions!!

@Sandhya

Wearing dhotis per se is neither a symbol of lack of modernity as Mr. Chidambarm would vouch for me- nor wearing trousers necessarily confirms one to be very modern in his thoughts and actions!!

I am saying about the convenience of using pants and shirts (not about symbol of modernity) My father still uses only dhoti, no pants :) . Sure, pants and modern dresses are more convenient to use, than dhoti and sari. So, we accept their dress code. If we are able to bring such good changes in us, why are we finding fault in dedicating a day for our loved ones?? That's what I am asking.

Go through my posts! Not even once I have been allergic to accepting anything which our common sense and pragmatism tell us to do.What I disapprove is the hoopla that surrounds this day!!!

sandhya you are right. When we are opting other culture in wearing modern dresses, using modern good and celebrating newyear, mothers day , fathers day and all then why cannot we celebrate valentines day. Most of the people are opposing it. In andhra if sevasena people find any couple going out on valentines day they are performing their marriage. This is really bad. Loving others is not compulsary to marry them know. I realy oppose for this kind of behavior of BJP people

I think Valentine's day celebration is similar to our cricket team. Media and business industries, hype them both, because they get huge amount of money in return. Even then, the importance of this day is not diminishing. In the modern world, every thing is needed to be expressive and as I have told in one of my previous posts, people are more insecure in the case of love. So they are finding new ways to make it fresh. Business people make use of these emotions as weapons to sell their products in the name of poor Valentine. That's all.
In today's competitive world, everyone has money in hand, yet people don't find happiness at all,also enough time to spare for their loved ones. So, let this day also happen as every one wish. It depends upon the personal decision only, how to make this day different. :)