Another Valentine’s Day has just gone by. The beginning of the end of an unusually frigid winter seems imminent. The sights and sounds of spring are here too.
Ahead of the day, newspapers were full of Valentine’s Day promos, opinions, advices, and stories trying to evoke the special feeling of love. Newspaper and magazine articles range from the ridiculous to the sublime. I see advertisements purveying smut, and pundits professing cure-alls for distressed love-relationships. Commodities ranging from love potions, perfumes and chocolates to trinkets are offered to rekindle the bygone romance.
The emotions and extremes of love are depicted in many songs we know, but these two songs repeatedly played in my mind (“What’s love got to do with it” by Tina Turner, and “To all the girls I’ve loved before” by Julio Iglesias) epitomising this Valentine’s Day. Tina sounded more practical, a bit cynical, and retracted. Julio, on the other hand, sounded like a dreamer, and a wishful romantic. However, once out of the college, and into realities, most of these Romeos become the epitome of boredom: a bit aloof, and unromantic according to women who married them. Their wives sadly acknowledge that their wilted Romeos’ usual question is, “What’s love got to do with it?”, followed by a cool comment: “it’s all in the mind”.
Whatever happened to that warmth, flame, spark, twinkle, and the Omar Khayyam in you. It looks like the realities of life turned the passionate one into a grouch.
What to doLet’s see what we can do to morph the stale romantics back to a cupid at least for a day. Let’s bring back the energy and enthusiasm, rid the grouchy mindset, and put on at least a façade for a day that radiates passion, affection.
The pundits recommend traditional Valentine’s Day gifts such as chocolates, flowers, and lingerie. Then there is a whole lot of other stuff including a romantic walk in the park, a fancy dinner at a restaurant, movies, theatre shows and so on for the mundane Romeos.
Here are a few of my sure-shot ways to win back your love life. Play that old Saigal song once more. Also, stay away from the “To all the girls I’ve loved before”.). Sing with passion Saigal’s, “Jab dil hi toot gaya, hum jeeke kya karenge” followed by “Tere mere sapne abb ek rang hain” (Mohammad Rafi), and then “Tere bina zindagi se koyi shikwa to nahi” (Kishore Kumar). At the crescendo, kneel down and close it off by singing, “I’m a Lover, not a Fighter” (“The Girl Is Mine” by Michael Jackson), followed by the moonwalk, or perhaps a few Kathakali steps after Mohanlal in Vanaprastham .
According to a new survey, 46 per cent of women prefer men who cook; only 44 per cent opted for good physique. Hence, may I suggest you to take the art of cooking as seriously as possible and try to whip up a few fusion dishes combining French haute and nouvelle cuisine techniques using foie gras, escargot, brie de melun, shallots, escarole, and champagne. If you are not into French, follow PETA’s advice, “Vegans make better lovers”. Concoct a dish with an eclectic mix of Kale, Quinoa, Freekeh, berries, and nuts with a pomegranate reduction and try to win her heart back.
Love is the foundation of all relationships that bond and keeps us going. Again, love is all about sharing, caring and counting blessings, and leading a life of equanimity together. Thus, there is nothing wrong in having a special day to reiterate, celebrate love.
se.kumars@gmail.com
