Stupid cupid

While the world celebrated that much awaited day of love, dedicated to one Saint Valentine, the world wide web was abuzz with anticipation over a Valentine's Day competition that was taking place in the Far East, in a land known for its amorous hook-ups, wild parties, fabulous beaches and in the case of lots of Bollywood babes and starlets-a place for designer rip-offs at throwaway prices ufffd Thailand.

At a Valentine's Day contest in Pattaya, Thailand, a country which prefers Hom Gam (sniffing cheek, Thai equivalent of kissing) to smooches, a couple was kissing for a marathon ufffd 46 hours, 24 minutes and nine seconds (phew!), breaking the Guinness World record for the longest continuous kiss.

The winning couple, Akekachai Tiranarat (42) and wife Raksana Taranarat (31), beat 13 other couples and went on to win 100,000 baht in cash and a diamond ring worth 50,000 baht from the organisers of the event.

But as the Bard of Avon said, 'They do not love that do not show their love' or 'The course of true love never did run smooth'

Closer home, in the city famous for its monument of love, a young couple met their end for daring to commit the crime of falling in love. In the city of the Taj Mahal, 18-year-old Fauzia was strangled to death by her family who opposed the relationship while her young lover, 19-year-old Sonu shot himself in grief. His suicide note gave away their fate, telling a tale that has become routine across the northern parts of a country which is fast on its way to become a global superpower. That marked Valentine's Day in Agra.

But surprise of surprises, there were no reported incidents of violence against young lovers coochie-cooing in other parts of the country by our so-called moral guardians.

However, they say India is a land of contradictions. In that same confused land, a lot of youngsters are now questioning the futility of marking a day for love. Not known to be communists or fundamentalists, these same people are raising questions as to why a day which has been turned into a money-spinning commercial extravaganza should be dedicated to a feeling as sublime as love.u00a0u00a0u00a0

But as the Bard of Avon said, 'They do not love that do not show their love/The course of true love never did run smooth/Love is a familiar. Love is a devil. There is no evil angel but Love.' So media went into an overdrive instructing people how they should celebrate love. Youngsters all over the country spent all their savings on gigantic cards and tacky heart-shaped gifts, some blew their salary on five-star dates and vacations. Love, like life, goes on it seems.

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