Cupid reigned supreme as young and not-so-young couples kept their date with the Valentine's Day on Sunday even as the Pune bomb blast cast its shadow on the celebrations in Maharashtra.
Romance was in the air as lovebirds exchanged gifts, red roses and flocked to popular hangouts and multiplexes as cops stood guard to prevent some right-wing outfits from donning the role of moral police.
"We are not for moral policing. We will not allow anyone to take law into their hands. We have deployed adequate number of police to ensure that there is no violence and harassment of couples," a police officer said in the national capital.
Unlike last year when the saffron brigade tarred faces of cuddling couples and married some of them, the Lovers' Day was peaceful this time across the country barring protests by a few Bajrang Dal activists in Orissa. The Pune blast on the eve of the V-Day cast its shadow in Maharastra where the celebrations were subdued. Elsewhere in the country, the towns were painted red as youths thronged malls, pubs, hotels and restaurants ushering the God of Love.
Red ribbons adorned entrances of beautifully-decorated shops which offered special Valentine's Day accessories. At many places, the V-Day celebrations were a mix of the traditional and the contemporary.
Heart-shaped chocolates, crimson red-rosed bouquets and deep-brown vintage wine jostled for attention with e-Valentine Day cards, SMS love messages and e-mall offerings. PTI
