VALENTINE WITH A DIFFERENT -MY VALENTINE-MY MOTHER LAND -WRITTEN BY: Praveen Khandelwal

VALENTINE WITH A DIFFERENCE
MY VALENTINE – MY MOTHERLAND…

13th Feburary saw terrorist strucking again with a bomb blast in Pune….and on 14th Feburary, the Valentine Day, the citizens in Delhi came out in huge numbers to say ONE INDIA – STRONG INDIA…the message is loud and clear that we will not bow to terrorism and also the love towards our motherland is supreme than any other love.

At a unique and conceptual Valentine Day event called ` My Valentine-My Motherland’ held at premier commercial market of Karol Bagh in New Delhi today, the cross section of people comprising of Traders and professionals like Doctors, Chartered Accountants, Lawyers, Artists, Media persons, Engineers, IT experts etc. joined hands together and made the Motherland as their Valentine and pledge the safety and integrity of India and also to inject love towards Motherland among people of the Country.

The Valentine event was organized by the group One India-Strong India, a group of friends of social networking site Face book in association with the Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT), an apex body of the trading community of India. They met on the Face book and joined hands under this group after discussing the issue on their community website and pledged to take on the nationalist agenda amongst the people of the Country.

Amidst the reverberating tunes of patriotic songs sung by country fame singer Pankaj Jeswani, the endurance and extraordinary greatness of our national heroes culminated, rich tributes in the form of tri-colored flags and flowers were paid to a tall picture of Bharat Mata showcased at the venue and also remember the great martyrs. The members of the group were offering Indian Tricolor and a rose flower to each passerby in Karol Bagh market urging them to make the Motherland also as their Valentine and reminded them who so ever may be your Valentine but the Motherland is always a Valentine for each Indian.

The scene at Karol Bagh was awesome and with the streets filled with tricolor and the crowd got aroused with the feeling of patriotism. For hours together, the Indian tricolor was in each and every hand in the crowd and danced on tunes of ` Mera Rang De Basanti Chola’.

One can imagine the feeling of a Blind man who driven by highest sense of patriotism kept holding the Tricolor in his hands and sat on his toes for more than two hours on the road just to listen the patriotic songs. The small kids, females not only from the affluent class but even from the poor section were equally enthusiastic about the level of patriotism. There was absolutely no distinction between `have’s’ and ‘ have nots’. The people riding cycles or travelling in luxury cars were enthusiastic enough to hold the Tricolor in their hands with utmost dignity. That speaks the real patriotism which can be witnessed only when your come on streets. Its a feeling which can not be spelled out in words.

It is true that western Valentine Day has made inroads in India in last few years when particularly the younger generation has adopted it as a prime day for depiction of love. Therefore,n the group has made an attempt to generate a feeling of patriotism in love by observing the day in Indian culture for reminding the countrymen that beside any Valentine, the motherland is the natural valentine of each citizen. We can not forget the contributions made by the great martyrs and they all needs to be remembered”

The friends who were present at the event could well understand what really they got from such an event. Thanks to all friends including those who could not make it due to their own reasons and to those friends as well who are sitting miles and miles away from New Delhi yet their good feelings and commitment to the patriotism made the event a well successful. Of course, this event may be held in a small manner but certainly with a big object which stands successful.

Let us join hands friends for patriotic cause in future as well.......Our tributes to those great martyrs who lost their lives in protecting the Country and certainly great regards to their proud families..We bow our heads with humbleness to express our deep and unflinching gratitude towards them and Salute to each one of Indian Forces.......Jai Hind...