In a departure from the controversies surrounding Valentine’s Day celebrations in various parts of the country, the Mizoram Government is spearheading celebrations by organising a “Valentine’s Special Barbeque and Dinner” at a picturesque hill resort about 53 kilometres from the state capital, just one of several planned events scheduled for that day. Besides issuing a statement announcing the event on Thursday, the government also put out advertisements measuring a little less than one quarter of a broadsheet in daily newspapers through the state on Friday to draw crowds to the event at Hmuifang, a hilltop village which hosts a vast meadow, a lodge, resort and several restaurants that is less than two hours’ drive through hills south of Aizawl. The Tourism Department’s celebrations of V-day is just one among many events being planned for the day of romance, with private players organising live concerts in and around Aizawl, one on Friday evening itself to usher in the annual affair. Others also plan to have couples-only entry parties on Saturday evening, while the Association for Voluntary Blood Donation and the state’s AIDS Control Society will as always organise “Blood for Your Valentine”, a resounding success that saw almost 1000 units of blood being donated last year. This year, thanks to the state football team’s gold medal at the National Games in Kerala, one more event is to be organised to usher in the day for lovers – the Mizoram Football Association has invited football lovers to welcome home the team at Lengpui airport and for a victory lap at the Lammual, the state’s most famous football field. The MFA has dubbed the planned ceremonies “Valentine’s Day with Gold Medal Winning Football Team”, perhaps an apt christening given the game is many Mizos’ first love.
