A safe haven for lovers

Temples are becoming lovers? favourite haunts where they enjoy some private moments, writes Utpal Parashar.

Updated on: Feb 14, 2006, 16:34:00 IST

None | By Utpal Parashar, Dehra Dun

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Don't be surprised to find young lovers making trips to the city’s temples on Valentine’s Day.

These religious places are becoming lovers’ favourite haunts where they can enjoy some private moments without bothering about the "moral cops’ interference".

The Shiv temple on Mussoorie Road, Buddhist Stupa at Clement Town and Rajpur’s Sai Baba Mandir are some of the new meeting points of those struck by Cupid’s arrow.

Some daring lovers, however, can still be seen snatching lovey-dovey moments at popular haunts like the Malsi Deer Park and Rajpur’s public park.

On Tuesday, these destinations, considered to be lovers’ favourite, are expected to be swarming with hundreds of couples from the state capital.

This may not be a very happy prospect for the city’s restaurants and florists, who look forward to cash in on the Valentine’s Day celebrations.

Unconcerned by this new trend, the Shiv Sena has decided to place nearly five-six members from their local unit outside flower shops, restaurants, hotels, gift galleries and public parks to foil attempts at "destroying Indian culture".

This could be the reason why no hotels and restaurants in the state capital have announced any special plans for the day.

The police have decided to stay alert to prevent harassment meted out to couples by the anti-Valentine’s Day protestors.

"We have decided to place police teams at select public places and also keep mobile units ready to thwart any move by such protestors to disturb peace," said SS Gunjyal, senior superintendent of police (Dehra Dun).

While "moral cops" are on guard here, some lovers have decided to go off to Mussoorie, which is located nearly 30 km away, to make the day special.

"Why take a chance with these anti-love activists? I have decided to enjoy a bike ride to Mussoorie with my girlfriend. No one would dare touch us in the popular tourist site," says Varun, a mass-communication student.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Utpal Parashar
A seasoned senior journalist, I have nearly three decades of experience across print, digital, and online platforms, covering political transitions, insurgencies, environmental issues, and development stories in India and Nepal. I am skilled in breaking news, leading editorial teams and launch of newspaper editions. I am adept at leveraging digital trends and social media to expand global reach, with a strong ethical foundation and a reputation for impactful journalism. An alumnus of Asian College of Journalism, I joined Hindustan Times in New Delhi as a trainee reporter in May 1997. Over the years, I have been posted in Dehradun, Kathmandu (Nepal) and Guwahati. Currently, as Senior Assistant Editor at Hindustan Times, I lead a team reporting on India’s northeastern states. My work involves in-depth analysis, and engaging multimedia storytelling across formats, including text, photo, video, and interactive content. I am skilled in producing timely, shareable content, leveraging digital platforms and social media to engage global audiences. Throughout my career with the Hindustan Times, I have led diverse editorial teams, designed capacity-building activities, and supported reporters in developing strong story ideas, ethical reporting practices, digital skills, and fact-checking techniques. As Senior Assistant Editor for Northeast India, I have been responsible for guiding correspondents through complex political, humanitarian, and community-level stories using multimedia formats. Earlier, as Foreign Correspondent in Nepal, I produced extensive reporting during Nepal’s democratic transition and the 2015 earthquake and its aftermath.Read More

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