Valentine at Country Home

It was thought that birds chose their mate for the year on February 14. Doves and pigeons mate for life and therefore were used as a symbol of "fidelity." European Valentine

Valentine's Day is a relatively new concept in Bangladesh which has been embraced by the increasingly westernised youth. This year, private television channels targeting more liberal, young Bangladeshis aired special valentine-themed programmes.

Bangladesh, surprisingly has evolved in technology too. Caught up in the spirit of valentines, I actually went to work this valentine in a cab with a DVD player in it showing Bollywood love songs.

As soon as I got to work, our office mail announced a “blackout holiday” the following day. It was office shifting day into a new building, so all we had to do was pack our belongings in boxes provided to us and clear out for the day.

Happily, I went to lunch with my colleagues at work and a friend. At home, more surprises lay waiting. My mom took me out shopping for a perfect valentine gift for my dad. She ended up piling up the shopping cart with chocolates for all of us. She also bought a nice card(see pic) and a special gift for dad. I called up my friend Farhana in amusement and she informed me that her parents were actually celebrating valentines in style too; with flowers and dinner invitation for all her aunts and uncles.

I had dinner with an old friend from school to reminisce school days. It was a very relaxing evening; we talked about how our lives took us through the last 15yrs ever since we were kids. So, special tip for all, if you don’t have someone special to celebrate valentine with, try being with close friends for a change. It’s worth more than being alone on valentine. I realised that life was indeed, full of love if we just, like farhana said “looked around”.

Thanks to media and publicity. Valentine day in Bangladesh is not just for those special couples anymore. We can all enjoy valentine now in a more casual realistic way!

As legend foretells, the bishop, Valentine didn’t realise what he had started in Rome when he wrote that letter to his lady love and signed it “From your Valentine” in 270AD, on the 14th of February.