This Valentine’s Day, My Kolkata went on a journey of love guided by Kolkatans from various generations. Here’s what they had to say when asked, ‘what is love?’
Love is different every time
Love is an emotion, and it is different every time. It is said that you fall in love three times in your whole life, but I don’t think so. Love comes at its own pace, automatically and you don’t really think about it. There’s no definite reason to love a person, at least according to me.
— Debarpita Mandal, 24, Student
Love is belonging
Love for me is like a cosy winter evening, ending with a cup of hot chocolate, your favourite novel resting on your lap and the company of your favourite person. It’s the warmth of home, embodied in another person. Contentment, joy, and happiness fill the air whenever you’re together. Love is hope and pure joy, but above all, it’s the profound feeling of belonging to one another.
— Moumita Ambett, 26, teacher
Love is about balance
Love is about balance, but not in a strict 50:50 way. It is knowing that both don’t have to be equally strong all the time — one can be vulnerable while the other steps up. Some days, one carries more weight, and that’s okay because it evens out in the long run. Love isn’t about always being in sync; it’s about having the patience and understanding to fill in the gaps when the other needs it.
— Sanchita Nambiar, 30, assistant marketing manager
Love is putting in effort
Love is a constant act of putting in effort by both individuals, be it in a friendship or a relationship. Someday it is 100:0 and other days it might be 50:50 or 70:30. It is also appreciating the good in someone and accepting their flaws. ‘Perfect’ is a myth and accepting the same is key to a happy bond forever.
— Snigdha Roy, 34, assistant manager
Love is an investment with the biggest returns
To me, love is growing together in life — when the butterflies-in-your-stomach is still there, even after years. Love is the overwhelming urge to do everything in my power to put a smile on my wife’s face. And yes, love demands sacrifices and adjustments along the way, but honestly, it is a small price to pay for the incredible joy and happiness that comes with it. Love an investment that yields the biggest returns and one that I’m grateful to make every day.
— Mrinmoy Sarkar, 36, medical representative
Love is patience
Love is patiently waiting, yet aching to share every story. As if every moment apart is a page left unread. Love is the quiet fear of loss, and the unwavering desire to never let go.
— Siddhartha Nandy, 39, statistician
Love is passion
As a home chef, food enthusiast and media personality my passion for food defines my love for all senses. So for me, love is the secret ingredient that makes any meal extraordinary. The food fills the stomach, but love fills the soul — and sometimes, both at once. Love is the perfect recipe for happiness. To be happy, keep spreading love baked with trust, seasoned with care, and garnished with mutual respect.
— Arijit Mandal, 46, home chef and media professional
Love is in the little joys of life
Love is companionship, trust, respect and growing old together. Cherishing moments like stargazing in the middle of nowhere, impromptu travel plans, welcoming the birth of children, cuddling fur babies, and caring for each other when life gets tough. I am grateful for having found a partner for life.
—Anurita Nehra, 59, insurer turned foodpreneur
Love is reminding each other about medicines
Love means a quiet evening, watching a web series, planning a holiday and reminding each other about medicines. Love is a fight to the finish!
— Amrita Ghosh, 61, retired teacher
Love is the remedy to agonies of life
Love is like opium, which helps you forget all the agonies of life. True love is mixed and mingled with the best melodies of life.
— Bulbul Ganguly, 65, finance director and elocutionist
Love is a cosmic connection
Love is when you can hear the music of someone’s soul and be in tune with them even in the midst of silence, like a cosmic connection. Love is finding oneness and identifying with your chosen person
— Abhijit Lal Roy, 66, HR consultant
Love is like jhalmuri
Love is a strange combination of feelings — a bit like the jhalmuri of Kolkata. The mix must be just right — not too hot, sour or soggy. Love is about being happy simply because your special someone is near you. Love is being able to give all without hesitation. Love is, without doubt, the elixir of life.
— Sudeshna Chakraborti, 73, teacher
Love is friendship
Love for me is spending time with three of my roommates in Peace (an old-age home in Dakshin Gobindapur). One of them is quite younger than me but as we spend our time here, we have become the closest friends and I love them. Love for me in my younger days was music. I still listen to music on YouTube. So that’s the love that has stuck with me.
— Mandira Sen Sharma, 86, homemaker
Love is nurturing a hobby
Love for me is reading. I have always loved to read books. But because of my vision problem, the doctor has advised against straining my eyes. I am waiting for my son to come to India. He will take me to a surgeon for surgery. Maybe after that, I will be able to resume reading.
— Kanti Ranjan Dasgupta, 90, retired government employee
