[Reader-list] Gujarati origins of Valentine's Day

[M Javed]

Dear Kshmendra
So, you have caught me red-handed. I apologize for any unintended hurt
my forwarded message may have caused to the Gujarati men or women. My
only evidence for the "well-known fact" is that this message came to
me forwarded from at least 3 sources (so its already doing the rounds)
- I wish I had included the original list of email addresses attached
from previous forwards, so that you could accuse many more people of
this misconduct.

Let me know what my punishment would be for a pathetic sense of
humour. I am sure this humour is still less traumatic than what those
dating couples went through who were forced to tie rakhi and so on on
valentine day.

Javed


On Sat, Feb 14, 2009 at 3:06 PM, Kshmendra Kaul <kshmendra2005 at yahoo.com> wrote:
> Dear Javed
>
> You are hereby accused of 'misconduct' under the List's 'Rules of Conduct'
> because of your racist remark:
>
> """""" It is a well known fact that Gujarati men, specially the Patels,
> continually mistreat and disrespect their wives (Patelianis) """"""
>
> You might like to evidence this claim of 'well known fact' and 'continually
> mistreat and disrespect'.
>
> You are also accused of posessing a pathetic sense of humour.
>
> Kshmendra
>
>
> ________________________________
> From: M Javed <javedmasoo at gmail.com>
> To: sarai-list <reader-list at sarai.net>
> Sent: Friday, February 13, 2009 9:13:41 AM
> Subject: [Reader-list] Gujarati origins of Valentine's Day
>
> In spite of what you have been told by everyone,
> the truth is that Valentine's Day originated hundreds of years
> ago, in India, and to top it all, in Gujarat !!
>
> It is a well known fact that Gujarati men, specially the Patels,
> continually mistreat and disrespect their wives (Patelianis). One fine
> day, it happened to be the 14th day of February, one brave Pateliani,
> having had enough "torture" by her husband, finally chose to rebel
> by beating him up with a Velan (rolling pin), also called belan.
>
> Yes....the same Velan which she used daily, to make chapattis for
> him....only this time, instead of the dough, it was the husband who was
> flattened.
>
> This was a momentous occasion for all Gujarati women and a revolt soon
> spread, like wild fire, with thousands of housewives beating up their
> husbands with the Velan.
>
> There was an outburst of moaning "chapatti-ed" husbands all over
> Anand and Amdavad. The Patel men-folk quickly learnt their lesson and
> started to
> behave more respectfully with their Patelianis.
>
> Thereafter, on 14th February, every year, the womenfolk of Gujarat would
> beat up their husbands, to commemorate that eventful day. The wives having
> the satisfaction of beating up their husbands with the Velan and the men
> having the supreme joy of submitting to the will of the women they loved.
> Soon the Gujju men realised that in order to avoid this ordeal they need
> to present gifts to their wives....they brought flowers and sweetmeats.
> Hence the tradition began.
>
> As Gujarat fell under the influence of Western culture, that day was
> called 'Velan time' day.
>
> The ritual soon spread to Britain and many other Western countries,
> specifically, the catch words 'Velan time!'. Of course in their
> foreign tongues, it was first anglicized to 'Velantime' and then to
> 'Valentine'. And thereafter, 14th of February, came to be known as
> Valentine's Day!
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