Valentine's Day in Nepal
Valentine’s Day is celebrated on February 14 every year. Valentine’s Day is a Christian holy day,
Which is observed to remember a saint named Valentine. However, in recent years it has taken universal character as “Love Day”.
Especially in Valentine’s Day, the word valentine represents love.
“From your valentine” is substituted for “From your love” on the Valentine’s Day.
It is celebrated as a day of expressing love for each other by gifting flowers, candies and exchanging greeting cards.
Many young people are waiting for this day to come to put a new love proposal to his/her love.
The day is named after earlier Christian priest named Saint Valentine. It is said Valentine was a priest who refused to follow the law imposed by Roman Emperor Claudius II. The law was to stay young men single. The Emperor did this to grow his army, believing that married men are not good for soldiers. The priest Valentine disobeyed his law and secretly performed marriage ceremonies for young men. When Claudius found it out Valentine was arrested and thrown in jail and later killed off.
Valentine day is seen as symbol of celebrating love and affection between intimate companions.
Modern Valentine's Day symbols include the heart-shaped outline, doves, and the figure of the winged Cupid. Cupid is Roman God of desire, love and affection. It is all about Valentine's Day in general. Now let's see what people do in Valentine's Day in Nepal.
How people celebrate Valentine's Day in Nepal
Valentine's Day is called Prem Diwas (प्रेम दिवस) or Pranaya Dwas (प्रणय दिवस) in Nepali. People in Nepal started celebrating Valentine’s Day from late 90s, when the international media entered Nepal in the form of television channels. The development of media, especially TV and Radio started in early 90s in South Asia.
People who are in schools and colleges generally celebrate this day with much interest. Other takes it as a good refreshing day as it comes. Most of the people in Nepal still see Valentine’s Day as a day for young people and kids.
However, now with the increase usage of social media and internet, people in Nepal started getting some feel of Valentine’s Day and began to recognize its presence. However, there is no official celebration in the country. Valentine’s Day is not still able to establish its celebration pattern as it is recently imported it. It is at a kind of growing process.
There are TV shows on Valentine’s Day, newspapers and magazines are filled with Valentine’s news. Some valentine’s messages and wishes are also seen printed on Newspapers and Magazines. Few started giving wishes and greeting on TVs too. However, these activities are not significant comparing to other festivals in Nepal.
Couples are seen in the restaurants and in the parks. Godawari, Balaju, Nagarkot, Dhulikhel, Sauraha, Pokhara, Manakamana are the places visited by lovers on and about Valentine’s Day. However, until now, Valentine’s Day in Nepal is recognized and celebrated only in cities and towns.
Valentine’s Day falls about the beginning of tourist season and at the start of spring. Therefore, in Pokhara and Thamel they have special events to attract tourist for Valentine's Day. In some places, they have street concerts and festivals for tourists.
Valentine’s Day is good business day for Small hotels in Nepal. Some couple do night out this day. However, most of people celebrate it home, with televisions, watching the celebration of Valentine's Day around the world.
Valentine’s Day is very important for those people, who are staying away from their family and loved ones. We Nepali have the “Karma” that we are working in foreign lands, thousands miles away from our family and home.
This day can be a very important day for us to communicate our love and care to our beloved who are away from us.