Friendship day losing its charm; celebration limited to schools and teens

Mekhola Mukherjee

NP NEWS NETWORK 

Pune

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Friendship is a bond shared by two people irrespective of caste, creed, age, gender.  It is teasing each other, and despite all smiling and being with each other in times of need. It’s such a bond, which cannot be replaced by any other relationship because it is special. To signify this, friendship day is celebrated every year on the first Sunday. This year it’s on August 5. But, the scenario seems to have changed in the last two years. Youngsters believe in leaving a short, sweet text message on Whatsapp or Facebook wishing “Happy Friendship Day”.

There was a time, when children, teenagers and students of schools, collegian youth had no boundaries to their excitement and happiness on this day. There was a time when school children bought friendship bands for their beloved and crappy friends, but this craze is gradually vanishing from among the children.

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One primary reason is the existence of social media, now, the teens and youngsters prefer wishing each other on ‘watsapp, facebook’ and other social media sites. Those times will be missed soon when the teachers used to prohibit students from bringing friendship bands and accessories to school. And, used to seize them, if by chance found from the school bags.

Npnews24 did a survey on a few of the shops in Pune to know about the latest trends in the market on this friendship day:

According to Mukesh Vyas, who is a shop owner of Rangoli store, Tathawade, Pune, told the reporter of npnews24 that, “the market for friendship bands has decreased over the years. The college-going students rarely come to buy bands. Only the crowd which buys such bands and bracelets are the school going students.”

He also added that “the ‘minion’ is the talk of the town among the youth now, and for men, leather bands are mostly in trend.”

While according to Amit Vora, the shop owner of Ashok Embroidery Home, Dastur Meher Rd, Camp, Pune, “huge amount of crowd visits our shop every year, especially the school children. The college-going students prefer to celebrate friendship day by going on outings rather. Hence our sales are only limited to the youngsters in schools.”
The school kids are the most excited ones, right from Friday to Sunday. Selection of friendship bands starts from Friday. But this year, the students seem to be lucky as the friendship day is on Sunday, and they need not hide their bands from the school authorities.

But also, it is a negative point for the students as the ultimate meeting destination of all the children is the ‘school’, tying bands on friend’s wrist in school overcoming all the risks has its own fun.

While talking to a few governments school kids of Pimpri Chinchwad Mahanagar, we came to know the definition of friendship that is ‘innocence’ which is missing nowadays.

The friendship day has just become a mere day now. Because college students believe in going on treks these days and chilling out together rather than tying bands on each other. But, that sweet celebration of the day by buying gifts and bands for friends is vanishing with time!

With the modernization of time, will the bonds fade away completely? Let the time decide!