Valentine’s Day is associated with love, especially romantic love. Over a period of time, the day has grown into a week-long “candy floss” festival around the world, which includes days dedicated to roses, to propose, chocolates, hugs and kisses. All in the name of celebrating love and publicly displaying affection.

As human beings who love to love and be loved, it created the space for “the business of love”. The intimacy industry which includes cards, gifts, chocolates, and many other things, has been successful in exploiting the “market”.

In India where around 60 per cent of the total population is under the age of 35, there is both hope and growth potential for the business of love and its stakeholders.

Modern-day love is often “born” on social websites and “grows up” at coffee shops. New-age lovers, specially the “post reforms” generation, don’t shy away from public displays of affection. They are the “priority customers” of the intimacy industry. The industry has various “offers” and “schemes”, a kind of “annual sale” during the “love week” of Valentine’s Day. No wonder “V-day” is actually “D-day” for them.

There are a few fringe voices who oppose Valentine’s Day in the name of protecting Indian culture from Western influence. As we are a democratic nation, every individual or group has the right to hold a view on every issue but nobody has the right to force it on others by cultural policing and the politics of fatwas.

As I said earlier, human beings love to love and be loved. They don’t feel “emotionally exploited” even when an industry is “exploiting” their “affection” and “emotions”.

PS: The tax authorities should seriously explore the option of imposing a tax on “the business of love”.

(Arvind is studying to be a Chartered Accountant and Company Secretary in Kolkata.)

Related Topics