Tag: valentines day

  • University of Peshawar to remain closed on Valentine’s Day

    University of Peshawar to remain closed on Valentine’s Day

    The University of Peshawar has announced an official ‘off day’ on Valentine’s day for seminars and workshops, reports The News.

    The management has released a notification that states, “It is notified for the information of all concerned that the University of Peshawar will observe a closed holiday on Monday, February 14 in lieu of February 5, Kashmir Day, for keeping the university open for arranging talks/discussions, seminars and workshops. Schedule of examination, tests and interviews, if already announced, will remain unchanged.”

    In 2018, the administration took similar steps to prevent students from celebrating the day. They arranged a seminar, “Faculty Development Workshop on Quality Assurance” and also cancelled the classes because of it.

    In the past, violent clashes had been reported between groups on February 14 over the celebration of Valentine’s Day.

    In 2014, activists of the Pakhtun Students Federation (PSF) and Islami Jamiat Tulba (IJT) turned the campus into a battlefield when they opened fire on supporters of the day which resulted in several injuries of students.

    Many conservative groups in Pakistan mark February 14 as “Haya Day” and often arrange walks to prevent western influence on young minds.

  • Valentine’s Day: Five Bollywood movies that shaped the idea of love in the 90’s

    Valentine’s Day: Five Bollywood movies that shaped the idea of love in the 90’s

    We have all grown up watching Bollywood movies and we have learned about our ideas of love and romance from those movies. I mean, we all remember: “Hum ek baar jeete hai, ek baar marte hai, shaadi bhi ek baar hoti hai … aur pyar ek baar hi hota hai,” dialogue by heart. We all took inspiration from those movies about what a perfect relationship should be like. Our idea and thoughts about love are still a reflection of the conditioning we received from watching them.

    However, the movies we grew up watching were not really progressive and reinforced pre-defined gender roles and stereotypes. So, here is the list of five Bollywood movies that despite being problematic, we still love.

    Kuch Kuch Hota Hai

    The film included Shah Rukh Khan and Kajol, one of Bollywood’s most legendary on-screen couples, Rani Mukerji’s amazing performance, Karan Johar’s magnificent visuals, Salman Khan’s guest appearance, the typical Indian mother like Fareeda Jalal and some very memorable characters like Anjali, among other things. The songs from the film are still very much fresh in our minds as they simply refuse to age. If you ask someone to share their favourite dialogues from the movie, they will reply without skipping a beat. Though it’s hard to choose one, as there are many iconic dialogues in the movie.

    “Pyar dosti hai … agar woh meri sab se achchi dost nahin ban sakti, to main usse kabhi pyar kar hi nahi sakta … kyun ki dosti bina toh pyar hota hi nahin … simple, pyar dosti hai.”

    “Kuch kuch hota hai Rahul, tum nahi samjhoge.”

    Hum Aapke Hain Kaun

    Without a doubt, Hum Aapke Hain Kaun will always be a romantic comedy that 90’s kids will associate with our childhood and Sooraj Barjatya, who has always endorsed love in his films. The chemistry between Nisha (Madhuri Dixit) and Prem (Salman Khan) was loved by many. Their love boomed in a family setup and like every clichéd love story, they saw some obstacles but lived happily ever after. From entertaining dance numbers like Didi Tera Devar Deewana and Joote Do Paise Lo to sad ones like Mujhse Juda Hokar, the movie had songs for every mood.

    Dil To Pagal Hai

    Dil To Pagal Hai made us all think that someone, somewhere, is made for us. It was a film full of dancing, drama, romance, and some of the most iconic songs that we still sing today. Shah Rukh Khan was India’s favourite loverboy at the time, who made us fall in love with him again with his character. The movie was relatable for many people as it discussed the character of Nisha (Karishma Kapoor) whose love isn’t reciprocated, and Nisha too wonders if she’s so bad that her friend is not loving her back. The scene that was loved by many was how his friend Rahul apologised to her for not loving her back and did everything to comfort her. It’s quite rare to see one-sided love treated with such delicacy, which is the reason this movie is still fresh in our memories.

    Dil Se

    The movie was full of endearingly romantic moments. The movie taught 90’s kids to confess their feelings before it’s too late and when it comes to matters of the heart, one should not wait for the moment. The film does not follow the conventional “guy meets girl, they fall in love and live happily ever after” plot. This was a film about battle, trauma, loss, and sadness. While it is a serious political drama, there are also wonderful moments that celebrate love. Amar and Meghna’s romance has a poetic beauty to it, like a divine connection that brings their love to life. If we talk about Dil Se and do not mention the beautiful songs, that would be unfair. The song Dil Se depicts the true meaning of love and the lovely melody by A R Rehman stole everyone’s hearts and it is still engraved in our hearts.

    Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge

    It’s the best modern love story that India has to offer. DDLJ is the longest-running film in Indian cinema history, and it made SRK and Kajol the most popular on-screen couple in Hindi cinema. Raj and Simran became #CoupleGoals for 90’s kids even before social media. The film has managed to touch millions of hearts because of its unforgettable characters, intriguing narrative, and legendary music. The movie had some problematic scenes, like Raj making advances towards Simran when she was clearly not interested. However, the ending scene with Simran sprinting towards Raj in a moving train brings a grin to many people’s faces.

  • Valentine’s Day: Gift ideas for your partner to make them feel special

    Valentine’s Day: Gift ideas for your partner to make them feel special

    Valentine’s Day is the ideal opportunity to express your love for your partner or friends by giving them thoughtful gifts. If you are confused about what to purchase for your partner, here are some gift ideas for both men and women.

    Vintage card and envelope:

    We all can agree that handwritten customised cards are one of the most thoughtful gifts, and you can never go wrong with a card. You can order a vintage card with a cute envelope from surajmukhiii. Both the card and envelope are handcrafted.

    Polly Gift Card

    If you are not sure what to gift to your partner, then gift cards can save you. You can gift a Polly Gift Card as a token of love. Polly & Other Stories have a wide variety of items ranging from paintings to stationery and from wallets to jewellery. They deliver countrywide.

    Lunch Box Cake:

    Food is a way to anyone’s heart, and a cake definitely goes straight to your heart. A Lunch Box cake saying “I Love You”, or anything you want to say to your partners can be a perfect gift. You can order one from Binge Baking by Misha.

    Inappropriate Gifting pk

    You can find countless gifts from their Valentine’s Day collection. You can order mugs, candles and many more things from their website.

    Embroidered Hoops:

    Embroidered Hoops can also be a good gift for your loved ones to make them feel special. You can get a quote written, or can get something special for your partner embroidered.

    You can order one from here: The Embroidery Hoop

    Conatural’s Valentine’s Day bundle:

    Conatural is a skincare brand that has organic products. For Valentine’s Day, they have introduced “Heart to Heart”, special baskets customised for both men and women.

    All their products are cruelty-free! You can place your orders on their website.

    Scented Candles by Honey I’m Home.

    Scented candles are undoubtedly the best gift one can receive. When it comes to scents, there’s a world of options, so you can choose the one according to your partner’s choice. Moreover, scented candles are fantastic mood boosters because the aroma activates receptors in the brain that make us feel good, and what could be a better way of expressing love than making your partner feel positive?

    Check out scented candles from Honey I’m Home.

    Hand-painted organza sari or dupatta:

    Fresh floral prints on organza saris are in trend these days, so if you have not found something to gift to your partner, you should definitely consider buying from ‘Shahkaar By Adila’. Breathtakingly beautiful saris are on display throughout their Instagram page.

    Beard Grooming Kit from Dari Mooch:

    We can all agree that when it comes to gifts, it is very to difficult to make a choice. If you are struggling to make a choice, then Darhi Mooch’s Beard Grooming Kit can come to your rescue.

    You can also check their other products here.

    Gift them a plant:

    Giving flowers on Valentine’s Day is very common but for a change, you can give plants as a gift too. Every plant is lovely and has its own way of touching our emotions, but some are particularly romantic.

  • ‘I won’t fall in love… will marry as per my parents’ choice’: Video of oath at girls college goes viral

    About 40 students at a girls college have pledged to desist from love marriage besides giving or receiving dowry, a 2020 video going viral a day after Valentine’s Day has revealed.

    As per the details, the video was recorded at Mahila Kala Vanijya Mahavidyalaya in the Indian state of Maharashtra

    The oath was administered by teachers during a National Service Scheme (NSS) camp, which was attended by 100 students.

    The college is run by an educational organisation, Vidarbha Youth Welfare Society, founded by late Ram Meghe, Congress leader and former state Education Minister. It offers undergraduate and postgraduate courses in arts and commerce.

    WATCH VIDEO:

    The oath administered to the students was, “I take the oath that I have complete faith in my parents. So, considering the incidents happening around, I will not get entangled in love and will not do love marriage. Also, I wouldn’t marry anyone demanding dowry. If my parents marry me off by giving dowry due to some social compulsions, as a future mother, I will not take dowry from the parents of my would-be daughter-in-law and will not give dowry for my daughter’s marriage. I am taking this oath for a strong and healthy India.”

    Indian media reported that the oath was optional.

  • Last-minute Valentine’s Day gift ideas

    Valentine’s Day is just around the corner. While celebrations will be slightly different this year given the pandemic, it doesn’t mean we shouldn’t celebrate the day of love. If you have not yet bought any gift for your loved one(s), then do not fret. The Current has compiled a list of gifts you can still buy or order online before Valentine’s.

    For Book Lovers

    If your partner is into reading then you can buy a very nice book for him/her and complement it with some flowers and chocolates. You can either order books from Readings or Liberty Books.

    For Foodies

    For food lovers, frozen food packets are the best gift they can enjoy while watching their favourite series or a movie. You can simply deliver get them at their doorsteps via Cornish Meat (if in Lahore) or from Naheed.pk (if in Islamabad or Karachi). In any case, most big department stores across the country are offering home delivery now.

    Perfumes

    A perfume is perhaps the easiest and quickest gift ever and one that is actually a great one too. Buy a good cologne/perfume for your beloved with a cute handwritten note to make them feel special during these tough COVID days.

    Gullmit can deliver in Lahore and if you are in Karachi you can buy perfume from Chase.pk.

    Customized Basket

    Head to your nearest flower shop for a customized flower basket on Valentine’s Day. You can always accessorize the basket with some of their favourite chocolates.

    Wrist Watch

    Watches are durable and long-lasting. They’re one of the only gifts that can be worn on a daily basis.

    Jewellery

    The right necklace, bracelet, earrings or other piece can brighten up any big day. Check Tesoro or Limelight for some pretty jewellery designs.

  • ‘What nonsense are you doing here?’: Professor dodging wife’s kiss on Zoom goes viral

    ‘What nonsense are you doing here?’: Professor dodging wife’s kiss on Zoom goes viral

    Valentine’s Day is just around the corner and love sure is in the air…

    The video of an Indian professor dodging his wife’s kiss while on a Zoom conference has gone viral over the internet.

    The man, who was seen talking about GDP in the video, then calls his partner’s romantic move as “foolish and nonsense”.

    The wife in the clip seems unaware that the husband is in the middle of a conference.

    Visibly in distress, and with the striking response, the professor quickly pulls himself away. “What nonsense you’re doing here?” he can be heard as asking his wife.

    WATCH VIDEO:

    While the video has gone viral with netizens widely sharing it over the internet, it comes weeks after a prominent Indian doctor was caught getting scolded by his wife during a live session, for receiving the COVID-19 vaccine without his family.

    The said video had also gone viral.

  • Pakistani Love: Love in Expected Places

    Pakistani Love: Love in Expected Places

    I was 23 years old when I met my husband for the first time. After a whirlwind courtship of gorgeous flowers and overseas calling cards, we were married a short eight months later. By the time I was 28, I had three beautiful babies.

    Becoming a mother was the most momentous and profound turning point of my life. I realized with every sleepless night, with every poop call, every gurgle of laughter, the resilience I was capable of. It seems trite to say, but for the first time, I knew what it felt like to love unconditionally; blindly and completely. To know that forevermore, I will think of others before even beginning to consider myself.

    As the children’s demands grew, date nights were few and far in between, travelling seemed overwhelming, showering appeared to be a luxury and doing anything for myself, an unnecessary and guilty indulgence. In these years, I YouTubed fervently, teaching myself how to do my own hair. I researched to figure out the shortest and most effective forms of exercise at home and to keep my separation anxiety at bay, googled how to make my own candles while the kids were at pre-school.

    Juggling being a mother, a wife, a daughter and daughter-in-law occupied all of my time and my life was full to the brim. Occasionally, my husband and I would go out with friends. Out at dinner or to a party, in the midst of the fun and revelry I would realize that as much as I was glad to be out, I would much rather be doing something else.

    In 2014, we moved to Dubai. Being a pakka Karachite, it was emotional suicide. Outside my comfort zone, it was also when I realized I had stopped having an opinion. I began to wake up to the sudden thought that while living for others is a natural by-product of being a mother and wife, forgetting to think of yourself is not.

    But old habits die hard, and I continued delaying everything I wanted for the benefit of the greater good. It was always about what other people expected of me, what I needed to be doing, what I had to be responsible for. I seemed to be guided completely by the wants and needs of everyone around me.

    It took losing my father this year to absorb something multitudes of books and thousands of songs push on repeat: learn to love yourself.

    No one really explains how losing a parent changes you. For me, it made me reevaluate everything I have ever believed in. It’s almost as if something tangible breaks inside of you, and you have to put yourself back together again, piece by piece.

    Except now, you can decide what to put back and what not to.

    What tiny bit of yourself to leave out and what to glue back. There is also the huge piece of you that will remain forever missing, and you have to learn to factor that in too. With grief, you are irrevocably changed, in a way no motivational talk can achieve.

    Losing my father taught me that life is fleeting. You will never find the right time to be or do what you want- except now. So in the midst of my turmoil, I am learning to fall in love with myself again. To give myself time to heal, to be myself, to say no, to say yes. To teach the people around me to give me space; to learn it myself.

    I still have a long way to go, but I no longer accept invitations that I feel I have to. When I’m mired down in a conversation about clothes and jewelry, I feel no guilt in zoning out. When I really should go to that dinner, I stay in to watch Netflix. I stand up for what I believe in and no longer apologise for what I don’t. When I’m exhausted but bored, I force myself to get dressed up and go out. I make time for yoga, I order in that burger and when I get a strong feeling, I trust my instincts.

    But when my journey began to feel a tad too self-indulgent and a bit rebellious, one recent Sunday night the whole family was sitting and watching Jurassic Park. I got up to check why my seven-year-old wasn’t back from the bathroom. When I saw her peacefully coloring in her room, I asked her why she wasn’t watching the movie with the rest of us. What she said was a validation of sorts:

    “I don’t feel like watching Jurassic Park again, mama. I just want some me-time and do what I feel like”.

    I felt like clapping, loving the fact that I was teaching my daughter to love herself.

    I have learnt, until I am as giving and kind to myself as I am to others, I can never really love completely. No one will look after you, except you.

    This Valentine’s Day, let that be a priority. Today, I hold my loved ones close and pray that of all the lessons I teach my children, I really, really hope they always remember this one.

    Read the other ‘Pakistani Love’ stories here:

    Pakistani Love: The Story of Survivors

    Pakistani Love: They wanted to dream

    Pakistani love: The Pleasure Quartet and Black Ships

  • Looking for recipes to cook for your Valentine?

    Looking for recipes to cook for your Valentine?

    It’s not like any of us needs an excuse to eat hearty and heavy, but if you do, cooking for your loved one(s) on V day is a good one.

    Here are three tried and tested recipes that taste amazing and are at an intermediate level of cooking. They are a mix of different recipes: A Paula Deen and Yossy Arefi mix of a decadent and super easy lava cake, a Mark Bittman and Tyler Florence potato gratin (fancy name for potatoes with cream) and a variation of Melissa Clark’s Chicken Parmesan with Marcella Hazan’s tomato sauce (All of these chefs are brilliant but need a bit of a variation to meet Pakistani palette standards.

    Chocolate Lava Cake

    250 grams of cooking chocolate (Dairy Milk and others work too but don’t put in too much sugar then)

    10 tablespoons butter

    1/2 cup flour

    1 cup icing sugar

    3 large eggs

    3 egg yolks

    1 teaspoon vanilla extract

    Directions

    Heat oven to 220 degrees C.

    Grease Four baking/ custard cups with butter (Muffin tins also work).

    Melt the chocolates and butter in the microwave/double boiler/low heat stove top. If you choose to microwave, don’t micro them in one go but stir it after every 30-40 seconds. Add the flour and sugar to chocolate mixture. Stir in the eggs and yolks until smooth and stir in the vanilla extract. Divide the batter evenly among the cup and place them in the oven and bake for 14 minutes. The edges should be firm but the center will be runny. Don’t be worried about taking it out too early. It tastes so good, it wouldn’t matter if it has ‘too much lava’. But definitely don’t take it out too late. It’s not a lava at all if it takes too long in the oven. Let it cool slightly and then run a knife around the edges to loosen and take out, upside down, onto plates.

    Potato Gratin

    8 medium potatoes, peeled and sliced paper-thin

    4 tablespoons butter semi melted

    2 cups heavy cream

    15 garlic cloves, split in half

    Italian herbs seasoning

    3 tablespoons chopped green onions, plus more for garnish

    1 cup grated Parmesan cheese (if you cant find this, try a mix of mozzarella and cheddar)

    Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

    Directions

    Preheat the oven to 195 degrees C. In a large bowl combine all the ingredients, and toss around to make sure all are coated. Season with salt and pepper. Put the potato mixture into a baking dish, flatten it out with a spatula, and bake for 40 minutes, until the potatoes are tender and the gratin is bubbly. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving. Garnish with spring onions.

    Chicken Parmesan

    1 kg boneless chicken cut into strips

    1/2 cup flour

    3 eggs

    3 cups Panko breadcrumbs

    12 large tomatoes

    5 tablespoons tomato paste

    6 tablespoons of butter

    One large onion

    12 garlic cloves (peeled)

    1 cup grated Parmesan cheese (if you cant find this, try a mix of mozzarella and cheddar)

    Salt and pepper

    Oil for frying

    Directions

    Heat oven to 204 degrees.

    First make the tomato sauce. Cut the tomatoes into four pieces and cut the big onion in two halves. Place the tomatoes and onion and garlic on a deep frying pan with the butter. Add the tomato paste and let it cook on very low heat for 30 minutes. Add salt and pepper

    Place flour, eggs and panko into three wide, shallow bowls. Season meat generously with salt and pepper. Dip a piece in flour, then eggs, then coat with panko. Repeat until all the meat is coated.

    Fill a large frying pan with oil Place over medium-high heat. When oil is hot, fry cutlets in batches, turning halfway through, until golden brown. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate.

    Spoon a thin layer of sauce over the bottom of a baking pan. Sprinkle one-third of the cheese over sauce. Place half of the cutlets over the cheese. Top with half the remaining sauce and repeat the process. The final top layer should be of the cheese.

    Transfer pan to oven and bake until cheese is golden which is about 40 minutes. Let cool a few minutes before serving.

  • Posters we love on ‘Haya Day’

    Posters we love on ‘Haya Day’

    As the world celebrates Valentine’s Day today on February 14, Pakistanis are calling for the day to be celebrated as ‘Haya Day’. A group of people started this to boycott Valentine’s Day because they think that it is against our norms and culture many people joined them in the cause.

    Here are the posters we love for ‘Haya Day’:

  • Pakistani love: The Pleasure Quartet and Black Ships

    Pakistani love: The Pleasure Quartet and Black Ships

    There are only four things in life worth chasing:

    Serotonin, Dopamine, Endorphins and Oxytocin.

    Belonging. Reward. Achievement. Trust. Release. Butterflies in the stomach. Warm blankets. Enveloping hugs.

    Every feeling worth having is borne upon the backs of those little molecules of the Pleasure Quartet.

    We’re all addicts, because to be otherwise would be to be inhuman, or no kind of human worth being.

    Read more – Pakistani Love: They wanted to dream

    We throw ourselves off cliffs with oversized rubber bands attached to our waists, we bankrupt ourselves in games of chance and dice hoping for that jackpot cascade, we consume drugs of every size, shape and nature, hoping for the magical brain-fairies to work their happy wonders. (Or so I hear).

    Of these intoxicants, the most widespread, arguably most dangerous, certainly most sung-about (followed closely by heroin) is love.

    And like all intoxicants, it comes in a great many shapes and forms and ingenious varieties.

    That special burst of laughter that signals the moment you become inseparable friends. The nearly imperceptible but utterly unmissable flush on a cheek before a kiss. The soft shrinking of the world to a warm room with the sounds of rain outside. The sudden relief in the eyes of someone who’s been waiting to see you – a partner, a parent, a pet.

    Most of us try to fill our lives with people that pour us some combination of the Pleasure Quartet, whether we know it or not.

    And if you stumble into someone who inspires all four? It hits your brain like a cocktail stirred by lightning.

    There are a great many experiences that can be called “love”, just as there are a great many experiences that can be called, say, “sadness”.

    But there are times where you feel something with such an outsize intensity that it can hardly be called the same emotion. A Black Swan that, by its appearance, upends your idea of the world because heretofore you had never believed such a thing possible.

    Read more – Pakistani Love: The Story of Survivors

    For me, love was a pleasant, powerful but ultimately controllable phenomenon. I cherished it in all its forms, and it was worth chasing and worth mourning, but never more.

    My wife’s appearance in my life and impact on my idea of love was not just a Black Swan, it was a Black Ship like those that had steamed up to the bay of Edo in Japan, changing in an instant – and forever – how they saw the world.

    She would laugh and the sun would rise in her eyes and the world would lose its weight.  

    She dared me to chase her, with a look and a raised eyebrow, as she drove off into a night full of stars.

    She dismantled a wayward motorcyclist with linguistic savagery that would have made Shelly proud and sailors blush. Not coincidentally, that was the day I decided to marry her.

    None of this, most likely, means anything to you. It’s not supposed to.

    The Pleasure Quartet is True with a capital T whereas love, like art, is subjective. No two people experience it quite the same way.

    For some people, that intensity of feeling, that lightning cocktail, comes packaged within one person.

    For others, it comes from success, children, friends, meditating in the mountains – whatever. I promise you, where the Four Ingredients come from isn’t nearly as important as finding them. 

    Life is short. Don’t spend it agonizing over what SHOULD make you feel a certain way, find out what DOES.

    And if you find all the passions of your life to be pleasant, powerful yet ultimately controllable, pray for a Black Ship.