On the eve of valentine’s day when chocolates and postcards are available in abundance, ‘clarity’ is a scarce commodity in a major portion of world’s population. In Eastern countries like India and Pakistan, such a lack of clarity makes the events like Valentine’s Day more controversial for many reasons.
Debate Surrounding Valentine’s Day
Various conservative groups consider Valentine’s Day a social and cultural taboo for many reasons. Few of them think it as an onslaught on the cultural identity of East for its Western origin. Then there are the religious factions, who consider Valentine’s Day as a threat to a pure society and a mean of spreading obscenity and vulgarity. Last year, Islamabad High Court banned the public celebration of Valentine’s Day in Pakistan. The court announced its verdict after hearing an appeal from a citizen concerned about the moral and ethical health of the society.
Contrary to the opponents, there is no lack of ‘liberals’ who think that there is no harm in celebrating the day. They promote the idea of exchanging flowers, postcards, balloons, and chocolates with the beloveds.
Yes, the East lacks clarity, but this doesn’t mean you should let go such an opportunity for celebration.
There is a middle ground for those who want to celebrate the Valentine’s Day but not at the expense of their cultural values.
Origin of Valentine’s Day
There are plenty of prevalent myths about the origin of Valentine’s Day. But most of them relate the event to a priest whose name was Saint Valentine. One thing which is common in those tales is that the fundamental purpose of the event was to celebrate love and not to promote the vulgarity and obscenity in society. So, a mere celebration of the day doesn’t always mean that a person is corrupting the moral fabric of the society, by propagating the issues.
What is Harm in Exchanging Flowers and Chocolates?
There are many Valentines Day ideas that not celebrate the love between opposite gender only. They make the event look like a way to strengthen the bond between any relations. Even friends and family members exchange flowers and chocolates with each other on this eve. Youngsters organize parties and dinners lit with candles and decorated with red balloons. They just look at the event as a way to have fun and not to offend anyone by any means.
On a brighter side, the event also moves the economy as street vendors get a chance to sell postcards, gifts, and flowers and chocolates to the potential consumers.
Yes, events, festivals, music, art, and clothes reflect the cultural identity. But in the modern globalized era, there is no way for a society to stay away from the cultural influence of another one. The globalization that increased at a rapid pace after Columbus stepped into America has shortened this globe to a small village. Hence, banning an event merely because it belongs to the alien lands, doesn’t make sense in the modern scenario.
