Tuesday, February 13, 2007

“Bought your girlfriend flowers although you know she’s allergic to them? Can’t think of anything except chocolates even though she’s on a diet? Log onto blah blah blah dot com and get innovative ideas for a Valentine’s day gift!”

When The Beatles sang "Money Can't Buy Me Love", they had no clue about Hallmark moments that would set the template and price for emotions. Since Esther Howland, the woman who produced the first commercial American valentines in the 1840s, sold a then mind-boggling $5,000 in cards during her first year of business, the valentine industry has been booming. People now believe that Valentine's Day announces your place in life, declares your popularity publicly and assesses your worth, and, from being a bonanza only for card companies, this “occasion” has blossomed into a day of immense profit for entrepreneurs in all fields, ranging from estate agents (“This Valentine’s day, gift her something she’ll treasure forever. Gift her a Mantri home”) to diamond merchants (“A diamond is forever”) to horticulturists (“Today’s headlines– 50 million rose buds exported to foreign shores for Valentine’s Day”) to the music industry (“Top ten romantic albums – only Rs.1999”) to tour operators (“The Perfect Valentine's Day Gift - A Tour of the Seven Wonders”) to fitness clubs (“This Valentine’s Day, lose that extra weight, and make him fall in love with you all over again”) to mobile network operators (“Romantic wallpapers, pictures and caller tunes. For more details, visit Hutchworld”) to the ever popular Worldspace (“Make every day Valentine’s Day. Gift your lover a Worldspace today” to your neighbourhood supermarket (“Offers to fall in love with this Valentine’s Day”) to websites packed with information on do's and don'ts for Valentine's Day.

In this rat race to outdo each other in buying the “perfect” gift, the reason behind the existence of this day has been conveniently forgotten.

* Fade into flashback mode *

Under the rule of Emperor Claudius II, Rome was involved in many bloody and unpopular campaigns. Claudius the Cruel was having a difficult time getting soldiers to join his military leagues, and had determined that married men made poor soldiers. So he banned marriage from his empire. But Valentine would secretly marry young men that came to him. When Claudius found out about Valentine, he first tried to convert him to paganism. But Valentine reversed the strategy, trying instead to convert Claudius. When he failed, he was stoned and beheaded.
During the days that Valentine was imprisoned, he fell in love with the blind daughter of his jailer. His love for her, and his great faith, managed to miraculously heal her from her blindness before his death. Before he was taken to his death, he signed a farewell message to her, "From your Valentine." The phrase has been used on his day ever since.

* Fade back into today *

Love. THAT’S what its all about. Not cheap tawdry commercialisation of overblown sentimentality commemorated by the purchase of half wilted flowers and tacky cards.