Dilli, will you be our Valentine?

dil-rubā tujh sā jo dil lene meñ ayyārī kare

phir koī dillī meñ kyā dil kī ḳhabardārī kare

These verses by poet Abdul Rahman Ehsan Dehlvi tickle when spring kisses Delhi. The love for the city can be seen blossoming in myriad colours. The hues of love make the Capital that has the word dil (heart) in its name a sight to behold, especially when it’s Valentine’s Day. It’s here that three city-based couples declare their adoration for everything from monumental sagas to impeccable floral lawns, which the city has in abundance. There’s nothing that can go unnoticed from the romanticism etched in the walls of Delhi’s beauty, and this is something that these young couples wish to witness forever.

“Sunder Nursery has a charm that cannot be described. Amid its joyous vibes, whenever we walk along the lake or have a cup of coffee by its bank, it truly feels amazing no matter how difficult our day has been. Actually, we have never been the fancy pub kind of couple; it’s the balmy weather and the lush greens of the city that excite us the most,” says Shikha Khunteta, a Delhi-based chartered accountant, who met her beau, Sachin, at a humanitarian and spiritual workshop that the two attended as students. In the five years of their romantic journey so far, the two share a bond not just with each other but also with Delhi. “We keep exploring Delhi, which acts like an invisible force in our relationship.”

While Shikha remains in love with the manicured lawns and the Mughal aura of Sunder Nursery, Sachin, her beau and a Delhi-based engineer, has a cupid heart for Purana Qila. He shares, “The romanticism of the Old Fort is so much alive even after years! We used to visit this place in the initial days of our relationship, and I still travel all the way from Mehrauli to come here even now because no matter how many people might be here, we are still able to find the peace that we require to be with each other. Though of course, the guards are bit tricky to dodge (laughs).”

As spring strikes the chords of Lodhi Estate, Delhi-based software engineer Litika Kakkar can’t help but stay in love with the floral scenes at the Lodhi Gardens. After 11 years of being in a relationship, she has still not run out of love for the city that she admires. “Since college days, I’ve loved to explore the city. I met my love back then, and am married to him today, but still the one place where I always drag him to come is the Lodhi Gardens,” confesses Kakkar, adding, “What I admire about the place is a fusion of old-age ruins and impeccably hedged flower lanes of portulaca and roses that provide a perfect set-up to my idea of romantic walks.”

Kapil Gupta, Litika’s husband, and a businessman by profession, finds the route from his home in Shastri Nagar to the India Gate as a voyage in search of sublime that culminates in witnessing the well-crafted and recently renovated lawns and walking paths appeasing his liking. “India Gate is like a childhood memory. A plate of rajma chawal on a bedsheet spread out, used to be the weekend and that I still continue to live, and I’m glad that Litika gives me company. Our long drives over ice creams have often brought us here, but since the renovation, this feels like true Delhi. Why would we go anywhere else!”

The spring palette acquires new dimensions of fascination when viewed with the historical ruins in the backdrop. Often out and about to explore this perspective are love birds, Akshay Sharma and Namrata Singh. “Namrata’s college used to be close to Hauz Khas Fort, and with a lake view that came from the fort, this used to feel like a perfect place for us to hang out in those days. A lot has changed now, sigh,” states Akshay Sharma, a product manager.

The college romance tailed the lanes of marriage but the strolls around the fort are still young in romance, says Namrata Singh, a dietician, adding, “This place in the city actually feels comfortable in all seasons, but spring lends it a perfect sight as it acquires an all green shade. Some flourishing flowers at a distance also catch our attention, compel us to chase them. This is true love for us, which is never satiated.”

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