Just when your bank balance is recovering from the long Republic Day weekend, you begin to feel Valentine’s Dandiya exert pressure on your wallet.
Now before you chuckle, and point a finger, saying “Dandiya, that’s a typo,” let us clear it out. That’s not an error, and I mean what you read.
Have you ever wondered how similar Navratri and Valentine’s Day are?
One is a nine-day long festival which culminates in the worship of a goddess. The other is an eight-day long festival which also involves worshipping a goddess (read: girlfriend, wife).
The desi festival celebrates nine colours, which extols the many virtues of the goddess, whereas the videsi festival involves the giving of eight gifts which celebrates the many virtues of your partner.
So this Valentine’s Dandiya, let’s dance to the beat of coochie-coo and introduce an entirely new vocabulary for gifts. This will definitely save you from doing garba in every shop, hunting for that perfect gift.
Day 1: Gulabo Day
The festivital of love begins with the colour red – depicting action, vigour and warmth. Let her heart do the dandiya when you gift her a bunch of roses and see how your love blooms through the week.
Day 2: Propose Che Day
It’s the day when your goddess epitomises power, prosperity and grace. That’s why dear friends, it’s called Propose Day. So, gear up and do it right! Else you may face divine wrath.
Day 3: Sabudana Kheer
Day
Our sanskari parampara has taught us that before beginning something auspicious, we must bite into something sweet.
So as part of Valentine’s Dandiya, we have re-christened chocolate day Sabudana Kheer day. After all, sharing is caring.
Kyu bhai, kuch meetha ho jaye?
Day 4: Bear Hug Day
Oh boy, oh boy, oh my soft toy...
The corniest lines could be the wildest fantasy for men. So instead of gifting a teddy bear to your girlfriend, why not become one for her?
Day 5: Promise Kare Che
Jo vaada kiya woh nibhaana padega!
Exactly bro! Whether it’s garba night, a fafda date or a long drive, if you’ve promised your bae something you better keep it. Otherwise, it won’t take long for her to turn into goddess Durga that your baa also cannot save you from.
Day 6: Jadoo Ki Jhappi Day
Aye Mamu ... jadoo ki jhappi de daal aur baat khatam.
It’s as simple as that.
Day 7: Pyaar Ki Pappi
So you’ve decided to go public, but only if Bajrang Dal and the Vishwa Hindu Parishad allows you to. It’s the day when the true colours of your prem-leela will come to light.
Day 8: Valentine’s Dandiya Day
It’s D-Day! Your week-long tapasya has come to an end. You are no longer the lone guy sipping on your coke at a corner. All colours seem red and you are officially labelled Joru Ka Gulam. From this day on, your goddess will make you do the dandiya raas to her tune.
Happy Valentine’s Dandiya Day to all!
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