August 4, 2013
(Friendship Day)
“Best friends are those rare people who can understand all your troubles by just looking in your eyes can soothe your fears with a simple hug, can make you laugh when all you want to do is cry.” Friendship Day is a day devoted to this set of people in each individual’s life.
Friendship is the most beautiful relationship of humankind. A relationship made without any oppression or bondage and is truly unconditional. Friendship Day celebrates has been celebrating this amazing bond for more than 75 years now and this year in India it will be celebrated on the 4th of August, the first Sunday of the month.
The idea of Friendship Day was initiated in USA and as the popularity and success of Friendship Day become known several other countries adopted the tradition of dedicating a day to friends. Today, Friendship Day is enthusiastically celebrated by several countries across the world, but where it all began is still a mystery.
One of the many stories says that “In the year 1935, the USA government killed a man on 1st Saturday of the month of August and the next day which was a Sunday, his friend committed suicide in his memory. Thus the USA government decided and declared the first Sunday of every August as Friendship Day as a tribute to their friendship.”
Another source claims, “The United States Congress, in 1935, proclaimed first Sunday of August as the National Friendship Day. Since then, celebration of National Friendship Day became an annual event.”
It has also been said that Friendship Day was originally promoted by Joyce Hall, the founder of Hallmark cards in 1930, who intended to celebrate Friendship Day as a commercial gimmick to promote greetings cards, and if that's true, this promotional strategy has definitely turned out to be the most successful one till date.
Globally, Friendship Day is acknowledged as an annual event, whereas in terms of India if we have a closer perspective there is a mixed response on the celebration of this day. The younger generation in the Indian society are keen towards welcoming such celebrations from the west while there is a certain amount of constraint from the elders comparatively. A few political parties having strong traditional ideologies also do not approve of such celebrations.
Despite imposition of limitations by a certain set of people, the popularity and enthusiasm of celebrating such days has remained unshaken. Friendship Day is celebrated mainly by tying a friendship bands and have a good time with close friends.
Friendship Day may have begun for any reason, but the success of the day validates this marvelous relationship between friends. This Friendship Day, let’s dedicate this one single day to our friends who have been there for us and make them feel precious.
Happy Friendship Day!!!