Celebrating Valentine's Day is now a common trend and has become a cherished tradition worldwide. This day also marks the arrival of spring.
Valentine's Day is primarily associated with romantic love, although in some parts of the world, it is observed as a day to express love among family members and friends.
The creation of Valentine's Day stems from a human episode. We celebrate the day by exchanging cards, enjoying special meals, or even staying in luxury hotels. Sometimes, we give flowers as gifts on this day to symbolize our affection and appreciation.
On the other hand, spring is a result of the Earth's evolution and brings an enchanting atmosphere with it. In celebrating Valentine's Day, short-term romance often appears through the path of luxury, with the rare exception when people find and share their true love. In contrast, spring evokes nostalgia and takes us back to the past. It presents us with delicate simplicity and ethereal scarcity, embracing us with its scattered luster, which removes the chains of artificiality that suffocate us.
Valentine's Day offers love in a limited capacity, refreshing individuals with new motivation and spirit. Spring, however, offers a boundless love that transcends the individual, reminding us of our shortcomings and mistakes while allowing us to rectify and deepen our commitment to serving humanity.
To truly savor the essence of spring, we need a deep understanding of nature. In spring, our minds dance with the sway of green leaves and flowers lifting us to a height that allows us to sense fragrances in the air, even in the absence of flowers.
People in today's world have become highly materialistic. The advancement of technology rarely fosters the creation of world-changing theories; instead it offers various attractive recreational devices and facilities that become the latest trends or styles, only to be deemed outdated or obsolete after a certain period of time. Self-worth, the pursuit of status, endless desire, and instant gratification are becoming ingrained in human mindset.
These factors are impacting true love in relationships, creating a significant setback in human life. A kind of race is evident among people, where serious perplexities are found at almost all stages of society.
Once, there was a time when girls chose their life partners by prioritizing academic excellence. Recent practices show a completely different trend, where wealth and power are prioritized. This has become a serious societal crisis. The diminished value of love is leading grown-up children toward a materialistic world.
We often observe a significant lack of emotional connection in love, which is gradually diminishing, with a few exceptions of those who still embrace romance and strive to understand humanity through the lens of true love from the heart.
Music and Poetry help us enjoy the true essence of spring. In songs, spring is often celebrated for its beauty, warmth, and the joy of new life. The sensations associated with spring can evoke extraordinary feelings, creating a heavenly atmosphere. Tagore's songs "Aha Aji E Basante" and "Madhur o Basanta Esechhe" serve as excellent examples of this aspect.
Due to its soft nature, this kind of song has lost its appeal for many of us amid the fast-paced, remix, and DJ genres. However, there are certainly some Bangla songs about the seasons, some of which feature a rock style while others are based on sweet lyrics and melodious tunes. The songs "Melay Jaire" by the once-famous band Feedback and "Boshonto Batase Soi Go"by the Baul Samrat (The Baul King) Shah Abdul Karim are great examples.
In contrast, poetry often explores spring more metaphorically, using it as a symbol of renewal, hope, and personal transformation. Poets frequently delve into the emotional and philosophical implications of spring, making it a rich subject for deeper reflection.
Two excerpts from different poems can effectively illustrate this further.
O happy living things! no tongue
Their beauty might declare:
A spring of love gushed from my heart,
And I blessed them unaware.
Poem: The Rime of The Ancient Mariner Written By: Samuel Taylor Coleridge
In this poem, 'spring' is used metaphorically to represent an abundance of love. This metaphor signifies a spontaneous and overflowing emotional response, highlighting the poet's deep admiration for the beauty of nature.
The trumpet of a prophecy! O Wind,
If Winter comes, can Spring be far behind?
Poem: Ode to the West Wind
Written By: Percy Bysshe Shelley
In this excerpt, "The trumpet of prophecy" signifies an urgent announcement of impending change and renewal. Winter and spring serve as metaphor for hardship and hope, respectively. While 'Winter' represents struggle and despair, 'Spring' symbolizes renewal and new beginnings.
Spring rejuvenates our hearts and heralds a new chapter in our lives. Through the blooming of flowers, spring encourages us to strengthen deeper connections with true affection. Unfortunately, unlike the natural beauty of spring, love in humans faces a quandary due to many reasons, some of which may include unending desire, chronic dissatisfaction, and, in some cases, an abundance of wealth and power. Now the question is whether we should ultimately regard love as an illusion that can never be attained. In that case, Tagore's song "Era Shukher Lage Chahe Prem" would be a perfect fit. The song reflects the complexity of love that people often struggle to understand. Featured in his dance drama, "Mayar Khela," the song describes the enduring essence of love that humans frequently fail to perceive.
The song reminds us that we often do not find true love due to our tendency to pursue love for happiness, which leads to the deception of illusion. This ultimate perplexity brings sadness and uncertainty
The writer is an engineer, industrialist, and science & literature enthusiast
