Lovers love a challenge

Mona

The special day of ‘love’ is here. But it also happens to be a Sunday implying that educational institutions, including tuition centres where love generally blooms, would wear a deserted look. Geri route that turns into a police bastion on the day would be sans its regular crowd, boys and girls stepping in and out of temples of learning, and love! We took a geri on the famous route pre-Valentine’s Day whose history, geography and sociology are nicely chronicled in Wikipedia to check onto the mood of the ‘love lanes’.

The geri route lived up to its fame, with swanky bikes and cars zipping past; others going slower than bullock carts admiring the girls getting out of colleges. We found a forlorn looking Rajmeet, BA final year student at Post Graduate Government College-11, standing next to Post Graduate Government College for Girls-11 boundary wall; we broached the topic and he just took off, “Din hi mare chal re hain ji (days are going bad),” says this guy whose girlfriend is in the hostel and Valentine’s being a Sunday it would not be easy for her to go AWOL.

But Rajmeet isn’t the one to give up so easily, “Kuch ta karna paoga ji, ikko baar din aata hai (have to do something, the day comes only once in the year),” says Rajmeet getting back to brooding mode and thinking hard for that perfect bahana (excuse). Excuses are what school kids are best at if we go by class 12 student Aprajita’s confession. She is rather relieved it’s not a school day, “Carrying gifts to class is way more risky as at school the authority is super vigilant.” Parents here are the best bet. “We are adept at making excuses. Exams or no exams, those who want to go out, would do so and parents are also chilled now knowing fully well it’s not that big a deal.”

If schools are not ‘cool’, nor is Panjab University, Girls’ hostels. Mecca for campus lovers, these would ban entry of boys on this particular Sunday in the lawns and visitor’s rooms.

We find Arsh and Ashutosh sipping tea together who have planned to get away from the campus on the day, “Isn’t it bad? We spend the entire year here and on Valentines’ Day we have to find places to be together. Close by are law students Manisha, Aastha and Tanveer. “Our exams are approaching, so we have no option but to study but since Tanveer cannot come here that day so we have plans to hit the park with books and see live actions of the people in love,” giggles the inseparable trio.

This gang of guys, standing at the usual spot outside Hostel No 3, is equally unhappy, seeing the girls they wished to propose leave carrying bags for the weekend.

For those looking for love, Sunday means a spoiler, “Last year I spent Valentine’s Day locked up in the MCM hostel, this year there would be no college only,” rues Bhavana, MSC student at PGGC, her friend Daman, however, has her plans set. “I am going to sell flowers and use the money for the NGO I am working for — Teach a Child. Sunday or no Sunday, the die-hard romantics would celebrate,” says the girl who managed to sell 100 roses and earn Rs 10,000 on Rose day that fell on Sunday too…Lovers gonna find a way!

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