Random thoughts on Feb 14th

I remember last year when I stepped out on Feb 14th friends teased or greeted a “Happy Valentine’s day”. But this year was different; friends passed a word of caution before greeting/mocking. There were many scared faces on street than the happy ones I saw year ago. The streets seemed more vacant than the usual Saturday. When I returned home and switched on the news channels, I was horrified. A couple was forced to marriage, a bro-sis was mistaken to be a couple and beaten up and a guy was married to a donkey since he was out with his girl.
I am not a volunteer for Valentine’s Day. But I don't feel it's a crime if couples celebrate it. The incidents in the recent past like the girls beaten up in the pub, apposing beauty contest and now the Valentine’ s day havoc scares me if talibanism is creeping in India in the name of culture/tradition. Do we have any code book for culture? Culture/tradition is the values we have inherited from our ancestors for the betterment of our lives.
If we look back, our ancestors were once the barbarians/nomads who lived even without the basic cover ups. The event of suppressing women came in as she needed protection from the leaders/kings/foreign travelers. My grand mom once said that only during the system of rulers, women were not allowed to go on streets or participate in public activities. This was to save her from the king and king’s men. Visit any palace in country, the guide will surely show you an area where the “queens” lived or the anthapuram.
In our democratic country who are the activists to decide the code of culture. If they are the rule makers, which era do these activists consider for their code of culture? Is culture only of women?
I feel culture/tradition should help in the betterment of our livelihood not a hindrance. We are singing the song of culture and tradition for 21 centuries now. But, what have we gained from it. A little appreciation from the other countries is the best I could think of. I am not against customs/traditions, but I feel it’s high time now that we break our shield and look at the other countries and adapt a few qualities that can make our lives better.
I hope these new born talibanism doesn't hold us back from opening up to the millions of myth we have imagined about the rest of the world and help us move forward in our lives. Also hope that government/ we the people prevent these maverick activities.