Love is in the air. The week long celebration of love has begun and affection is blooming every where. The Valentine week begins on February 7 every year and is celebrated as Rose Day. Well, what more poetic and smooth than a floral gesture of love and affection? But every year do you also wonder why is rose day celebrated?
There is no one event or one story that defines the establishment of Rose Day. Flowers, since eternity, have been associated with a gesture of love, affection, peace. It is all things lovely. The beauty and fragrance of flowers has been used as symbolism in literature defining love in its bloom.
However, one theory traces the associations with Roman traditions. Reportedly, in Rome, centuries ago roses were accorded as symbols of “mystery and passion”. Roman Goddess of love and beauty, Venus, is associated with roses.
In several other traditions, sweet scent, vibrant hues of rose is symbolic of love. But some reports hint that Victorians were the first ones to actually use rose as representation of love and romance.
Significance
Floral motifs have been used as an optimistic symbols of love, hope, desire, happiness and everything around that. Roses, particularly, express these emotions. Truth be told, even today, flowers are great conversation starters, aren’t they! (iykyk)
This makes roses an ideal gift that expresses feeling without words. Red is the colour of love afterall.
The rite of passage entails evolution, change in interpretation too. Once all about love and romance, today this week is about love in every relationship -platonic or not.
Rose Day marks the starting of Valentine’s week. Chocolate day, teddy day, propose day etc lead up to February 14, Valentine’s Day. A day that honours the sacrifice of a Christian priest, Saint Valentine, who used to execute secret love marriages.
Happy Rose Day!
