The photograph by Jibon Ahmed.
Being a 90’s kid I always find myself in the middle of a plank on the boulder of time, balancing the modernity and the traditions, altogether. Few days before, I saw a picture of a couple kissing each other, sitting on the stairs in a mild rain. The picture was taken by a photographer/journalist Jibon Ahmed from Bangladesh. The person saw it as a “symbol of pure love” and asked his editor to get this piece of art, published. When the editor denied printing the “obscene” photograph, he posted it on the social media. Lately, he paid prices for the act by getting beaten up by his own colleagues and shot out of the job, later.
- A Take:
I admire this as an act of bravery. The photograph is beautiful. It represents the love that cherishes the weather and is unaware of the worldly things. The lovers are too much engrossed into something pure and divine. The photograph won’t make you cringe or feel awkward because the love between the two is visibly serene.
- ‘That’ Kind of Love:
One can neither blame the society, nor the young blood for the situational disparities. The old and new generations have been fighting over validations on almost every topic, for centuries. Love is one amongst them. Although, the generation back then, do not discard love to be a natural phenomenon but they have clasped it with the concept of ‘socially-approved’ relationships. ‘That’ kind of love is only allowed for ‘potential’ and ‘certified’ husband or wife. This is orthodox but every custom has come out of some incidents from past. Every rule is made for protection of an individual at emotional, mental and physical level. This may sound advocacy but let me tell you, that’s the truth.
- The Time Lapse:
A person born in mid 80s and 90s understands and knows the depth of clashes that are being faced between these two subsequent generations. We have been through this time lapse. We have experienced the magnetic field between the two repelling generations. They never came on the same ground and went with ‘meri murgi ki ek taang’ every single time.
- ‘One True Love’:
There was a time where love was an ultimate feeling. People fell in love without even seeing each other. The innocence, the voice, expression of humanity and a look, merely, made people fall. There was a time, where the personality and appearance mattered, a little. Majority of love stories came out of arranged marriages. “Can you imagine what an adventure it is, to know a person, bit by bit, everyday, over years? Married people, eventually, fall in love and this love comes from helping each other out in carrying the responsibilities, together” my mother told me, once. We never figured out, when did that ‘one true love’ changed to ‘love comes and goes’.
- Modern Love:
Earlier, people stuck to a single person and passed their lives living for them. In today’s world, love depends on preferences. Attraction and infatuation are also mistaken for being love. There is no concrete definition of ‘what love is?’ Experimenting and experiencing the truth by self is a part of the market economy. Choosing the best out of potential ‘love-interests’ is a freedom of choice. Live in relationships, breakups, hookups, extra marital affairs etc are nothing but a part of this process. When the perfect match is found, people get settled for it and if not, this series of trial and errors continues.
- The Unappreciated Rescue:
But, this is actually damaging to the human race, emotionally. The changing of love prospects, very often, is making us shallow. Most of the time, we fake emotions and get indulged in actions, counter to what we feel. This is where the society-rules come at our rescue. They save us from this unnecessary jumping over relationships and getting hurt, throughout the process. No doubt, why socialist and capitalist approaches have a never ending war, going on?
- The Terrifying Cause:
The problem occurs where the traditional and the modern generation refuse to come on a common platform and try to understand each other. We need a mixed society and arrive at equilibrium with our ideas and feelings. This can only be attained with thorough heart to heart discussions, negotiation, compromises and adjustments by both the generations. First of all, the Indian cinema that is raging with over-ambitions needs to be put at peace. It is very mean to say but it is not keeping pace with the speed of societal development. Showing the target is easier than guiding to achieve it.
- The Bridge Impossible:
The next time you find yourself amidst this debate, again. Just talk about it with your children and parents. This can be better implemented if you start this at an early stage. Most of the times, it has been observed that both the generations are never ready to understand each other’s problems. If this will be the scenario, there will be a huge problem in near future. This silent struggle may take shape of humungous revolution. This doesn’t only stick to the issue called ‘love’ but other areas also. Something is needed to be done a.s.a.p. to bridge this gap between the generations before it’s too late.