It's raining cards on Valentine's day eve in Delhi
by Pritha Roy Choudhury

    New Delhi: "Love has nothing to do with what you are expecting to get, it's what you are expected to give--which is everything." the anonymous quote appears meaningful especially when one looks at the young and the not so young thronging various gift outlets in the Capital to buy gift for their beloved. And to cash in on the occasion, the gift and greeting card outlets are gearing themselves to be the perfect host this Valentine's Day (February 14). Having introduced a new range of valentine cards, popular outlets like Archies and Hallmarks are attracting buyers of varying age groups. "This year in the greetings' card range, we have got our extra special, extra large greetings' card with special fabrication in them making it inviting for people to buy and gift their loved ones. We introduced a new range for the first time of noisy valentine cards," says Youhan Aria, Head of Corporate Communications, Archies. With special fabricated cards on display, the outlets are trying out all possible methodologies to attract maximum number of customers. From the favourites of the last year--musical cards-- to the latest fascination-cards having flashy lights-all are appealing the young brigade. And the shop owners are having the best of their time attending these youngsters. From teachers to young lecturers, from students of colleges to schools, all are rushing in to pick up the best and exclusive card. And the rich are taking extra interest in buying jewellery pieces for their beloved with brands like stupid cupid introducing elegant designer jewelleries for the first time. "This is lovely, I am planning to buy this for my girlfriend this Valentine," says Sandeep, a customer. Contrary to the general belief that it's a lovers' day, the number of individuals looking beyond this definition is also growing rapidly.

    As there are many who believe Valentine's Day is a special moment to express love regardless of whether the other person is one's parent, children, spouse, sister, brother or best friend. "For me, the Valentine day is not restricted to a boyfriend or a girlfriend or a lover. It's like anybody you love. You buy gifts for them," said Nita Chopra, another customer. Meanwhile, the fever of Valentine is catching up fast with the aged-group too. It's a moment to share and celebrate love. "Today, the event has gone beyond boyfriend and girlfriend. It's got into a larger age group as well. We are looking in for people in their late 40s as well celebrating Valentines' day. It's a relationship. So, you have a loved one and you celebrate with the loved one," says Youhan Aria, Head of Corporate Communications, Archies. With the growing popularity of events such as Mothers' Day, Fathers' Day, Raksha Bandhan and similar occasions, outlets are happy about the boom in their business. The gift items range from as low as Rs 10 to RS 9,999 quenching the thirst of each and every strata. There has been a 15 to 16 per cent growth in business on the occasion of Valentines' day alone. Besides cards, gifts particularly made of crystal have been selling like hot cakes. Earrings and copper jewellery are also picking up good sales on gift shops as the girls prepare themselves to look the most fascinating and cheerful woman around.

Dukhtat-e-milat warns against Valentine's Day celebration
by Bilal Butt

     Srinagar: Members of separatist outfit Dukhtan-n- milat today warned shop owners and people here not to give a way to Valentine's Day. Unleashing their anger over the publication of caricatures of Prophet Mohammed by a Danish newspaper and reprinted in other European countries, members of the outfit led by its chief Asiya Andhabi, shouted slogans and raided several greeting card shops and warned the shop owners against selling Valentine's Day greeting cards. "We are not going to allow any shop owner to sell any Valentine's Day card here. And we also deter people to celebrate the occasion," said Asiya Anhabi. The protesters barged inside the shops and torned off the cards and burned them down. Valentine's Day was being celebrated by youngsters in the valley from last two years without any objection from any quarters. But with protest and warning from the outfit, this year it remains to be seen what will 'love birds of valley do'.

Chocolates favourite with Valentine shoppers

    New Delhi/Mumbai: With Valentine's Day just couple of days away, shoppers in New Delhi thronged confectionaries buying their loved one's gifts of sinfully rich chocolates and cakes packaged especially for the occasion. February 14, better known as Valentine's Day, which honours a third-century martyr, believed to be the patron saint of lovers around the world, has gained much popularity with the youth in big cities. Attractively wrapped chocolate hampers, heart shaped cakes and sugar-coated delicacies were a favourite with people selecting their choicest expressions of love to gift the special people in their lives. Elizabeth, who was out shopping for Valentine gifts, said that chocolates were the perfect present for anyone, be it friends, family or your valentine. "Chocolates and cakes are universal gifts, everybody likes it, you can gift it to your friends, family and valentine. It is a very special day," she said. In order to attract customers, the confectionaries get in to the swing of the mood with special offers and cakes of all shapes and sizes sending out messages of love. "Chocolates...basically couples like chocolates and we can say that chocolates are very famous on these days and we have a special chocolate truffle heart shaped cake especially for Valentine's Day and it's doing very good," said Sandeep, Assistant Manager, Nirulas. Saint Valentine's Day has become increasingly popular in the country in recent years, led by retailers selling red balloons, velvet pillows and teddy bears to mark the festival. But the growing popularity of the day has in recent years sparked sometimes-violent protest by the hardliners who see it as against the much conservative Indian traditions.

   In commercial capital Mumbai, dozens of Shiv Sena activists took to the streets waving red flags and chanting slogans marched and raided small shops selling Valentine's Day cards and gift items. The group of protestors also burnt Valentine's Day cards. Bala Kasaelkar, Shiv Sena Head, South Mumbai, said that their protest is against the adoption of western culture in the form of Valentine's Day. "We won't let our society adopt the western culture in the form of Valentine's Day. We are not against love and lovers but we don't want anyone to celebrate Valentine's Day," he said. The hardliners condemn Valentine's Day as a day of shame and lust. The vandalism has become an annual affair to prevent which unprecedented security arrangements are made at restaurants and cinema halls each year.

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