Mixed feelings for youths ahead of V-Day

Imphal, Feb 13 : With just a day left for the Valentine`s Day, also known by many as "Lovers` Day", it has drawn in mixed feelings amongst the masses especially the youths of Manipur.

A survey by Newmai News Network found that many of the youths in the state have mixed feelings about the day; while some held that it was a day meant to express your love to someone `special`, some held that the concept has been misunderstood and should be rectified while still others felt that it was a whole commercialisation drama. Interestingly, the survey also found that the observation of Valentine`s Day has drastically declined over the last three years or so.

Talking to NNN, Miss. Esther of Imphal, college going student, held that Valentine`s Day was an important day for those in love. "Valentine`s Day is like a love renewal day," she asserted and added that love needs to be renewed once in a while just like driving licenses are renewed. "When the validity of your driving license is over, you have to renew it. Likewise, when you feel that your relationship is slowing down, you need to heat it up and I guess Valentine`s day is a perfect day," Esther maintained.

Agreeing to her statement, Salma, another college going girl, opined that Valentine`s Day was a day of love. She, however, observed that the concept has not been fully understood by the youths of today. "It is not just about love between a boy and a girl, but also a love you share with your parents, siblings, families and relatives and even with your female or male friends," she asserted and added that one should enjoy it that way and not just of a `boy-girl` relationship.

There were also many in the lines of Salma who felt that concept of Valentine`s Day has been misunderstood and is being celebrated in the improper way.

"Generally unlike New Year celebration youths are more eager for Valentines` Day, an important day to make partners and giving a red rose to a girl means a lot. This is the concept that the youths have in their minds," asserted Bosan, a Bsc. II year student of Dhana Manjuri (DM) College.

Lenin, another second year student of the same College observed that besides the trend of romancing on this very day technology had played another role changing the style of celebration. "Romance has over taken the essence of Valentines` Day and greeting cards have been replaced by sending of Recharge Coupons", he observed. Nonetheless, he welcomed the celebration asserting that its real meaning should be to maintain love in the society among different communities.

Joining them, Miss. Lakhibai and Miss. Daina Kumari, students at the Manipur University (MU) were also of the opinion were the day was being celebration with a wrong concept. Asserting it was being observed in a `luxurious way` by many youths of the society, they also opined that it was hampering the moral values and characters of the youths of today due to the misconception.

However, some of the people were of the opinion that just `another day` was being commercialized.

Ashemval, an M. Phil student of the MU opined that all these Valentine`s Day was just a commercialization of just any other day. "Why should someone you don`t even know fix up a day for you to propose someone you love or why should a day be kept aside as a day of love?" he questioned and added everyday could be that day to propose or be a day of love. "There should be no fix day of love or whatsoever. If you are in love, you are in love everyday. This is all commercialization, business of some unknown people" he asserted.

However, amidst all these opinions on Valentine`s Day, NNN also found out that the day has not be celebrated or observed that it used to be three to four years before. This especially in the about 50 percent decreased in the sale of Valentine Day`s cards.

According to Jimmy, owner of a leading greeting cards shop of Imphal East area, Tweety Collection, the percentage of card sales has sharply fallen to about fifty percent during the last few years including New Year and Christmas cards. However, sale of red roses and other gift items have remained the same, informed the shop owner.

Owner of Nicky`s Collections, a gift shop in the Imphal city, also informed that the sale of cards, be it V-day, New year or Christmas, have decreased drastically over the last few years especially after 2005. While asserting that this could be due to the arrival of mobile phones in the state, the owner also observed that it could perhaps be due to the ban imposed on the celebration by some outfits of the state.

However, with less than a day left for "Lovers` Day", love seems to be in the air for some while for others, just another day.