History Of Valentines Day And Its Growing Acceptance In India

Why would we only celebrate Valentines Day on February 14 to express our Love

? Well, it was Pope Gelasius I in 500 AD who first named the day as the Valentines Day, after one of the early Christian martyrs called Valentine, if only to replace the Roman pagan festival of Lupercalia which was associated with fertility. However, there were many Valentines in Christian history and none of them had romantic connections. There was Valentine of Terni in 197 AD whose relics are at the Basilica of Saint Valentine in Terni and there is one Valentine of Rome in 269 AD whose relics are at the Church of Saint Praxed in Rome.

Later, Valentines Day was struck off the calendar of saints in 1969 by Pope Paul VI but people could still celebrate it as a religious observance. In the early medieval period, Legenda Aurea talked of a St. Valentine who was interrogated and persecuted personally by the Roman Emperor Claudius II as a Christian. He was sentenced to death as he denied converting to Roman paganism but before his execution, he miraculously healed the blind daughter of the jailer.

Geoffrey Chaucer was the first one to associate Valentines Day with romance in Parlement of Foules (written in 1382) in which he wrote: For this was on seynt Volantynys day; Whan euery bryd comyth there to chese his make (which meant For this was Saint Valentine's Day, when every bird cometh there to choose his mate.)

The romantic touch to the historic legend was added only in the modern times, and it was alleged that the Roman forbade marriage of young men to raise good soldier for his marriage. Valentine was executed because he defied royal orders by continuing to solemnize marriages for couples in love. The Golden Legend on History.com even claims that Valentine even wrote first Valentine card himself for his beloved before he was executed. Whether true or not, romantic legends related to Valentines Day are so sentimental, so melodious that they tug at the strings of our hearts.

The Indian society, being a relatively conservative culture has only recently and reluctantly started accepting Valentines Day as a mainstream occasion. With growing affluence, exposure to western culture, and influx of NRIs, it is no longer considered taboo to celebrate this day with ones loved one. Indian colleges certainly wear a festive look on this occasion, and the day is celebrated with great fervor, college-bans notwithstanding!

Moreover, Indians have started accepting that on this day, one can declare love not only to ones paramour, but also to close relations like Father, Mother, Grandparents, et al. The occasion gains special importance for those who are newly-weds, or in their courtship period, as one gets complete social sanction to celebrate Valentines Day in India with gusto! Such couples typically resort to using some online portal to sending Valentine Gifts to India if distances play party-pooper. This year Valentines day is on Monday, the 14th of February 2011, and it promises to bring Indians closer than ever, with the promise of love and celebrations.

by: Priya Jain

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