We indians are not from Mars. So, like the rest of humanity elsewhere, the way we conduct our lives — moored as it is in what we call traditions and mores — is in a slow but constant state of flux. Whether it be a society that once found it hard to shake off caste identities or found it disconcerting to leave ‘home’ for ‘greener pastures’, Indians have been slowly but surely breaking set patterns erroneously trademarked as ‘Indian’. We had poured wax over our ears to block out any news filtering in about Valentine’s Day. Despite this measure, we could not help but notice how a day of celebration — ostensibly manufactured by the greetings cards industry — was readily greeted by a large number of Indians, many of whom won’t be even aware (or care) that St Valentine’s is not a desi devta.
Beyond the brisk sales of cuddly soft toys, flowers and Valentine’s cards, however, there’s been another phenomenon that may have been missed by many social commentators including Shiv Sainiks. India’s youngsters, across the board, are less insecure than their parents about showcasing amorous affection. In the recent past, it wasn’t the moral police — either in the form of lathi-wielding police personnel in Meerut or decadence-busting authorities in Calcutta or raucous Shiv Sainiks across the land — that stopped a boy and a girl from creating their own private space in public or otherwise. Instead, strong societal pressures emanating from parents, neighbourhoods, hand-me-down habits etc. would make youngsters — refrain from claiming their private moments.
While it would be easy to plonk the new spirit of amorous freedom in the basket of ‘outside influence’, the real issue here is that Indians are becoming more aware of themselves as individuals rather than components of a mass. And that can only be another virtue of the love that’s in the air.