Valentine’s Day is an occasion for the couples or the people to express their love to each other or the people they love. This day is celebrated as a festival worldwide even Nepal cannot escape it. The trend of celebrating Valentine’s Day in Nepal is increasing every year with the concept of modernization and westernization getting the strong hold of the country. Known as Pranaya Diwas in Nepali, it is celebrated with equal excitement and joy in Nepal as it is in other parts of the world.

The day meant for the couples to express their undying love to each other has also been commercialized with the hotels, cafes, discotheques and even shopping malls giving various offers and packages to the couples on this day. The entire city of Kathmandu is filled with the color of love on this day and even the weather turns out to be romantic (it had snowed in Kathmandu few years ago and that had happened after more than six decades). Not only Kathmandu, but most of the major cities of Nepal are filled with the color of love on this particular day. The gift shops are filled with teddies, cards and chocolates along with flower shops decorated with red roses for the occasion. Also the stores are decorated in such a way that even looking at it gives you the feeling of falling in love. This not just happens on the particular day but the cities turns in the mood of love as soon as February starts.

Everywhere, mostly the restaurants, cafes, movies theatres, amusement parks, parks and public gardens are filled with couples spending some quality time with each other. Also the increase in the tradition of exchanging gifts has made this entire month fruitful for the gift shops which are filled with variety of options to offer to your loved ones as gifts. Along with that, new proposals and promises are made on the occasion of Valentine’s Day.

However, it does come with some drawbacks, one of the major problems being the students bunking their schools and colleges for the purpose of going on dates with their partners. Also, sometimes boys are found harassing girls to make them accept their proposals. Another problem that is arising because of freedom of expression practiced too freely is that many couples tend to ignore people around them while they are too busy expressing their feelings and affections to the each other which, in a country like Nepal that is still guided by the traditional values, is taken as a serious offence and misbehavior in public. Nevertheless, the laws are formulated to prevent such things from happening.

All in all, the trend of celebrating Valentine’s Day has increased in Nepal and people have found a way of expressing their love to the loved ones in a country which is said to be guided and united by the feeling of unity and love among the diverse population.