The more cold, the more warmth. How? This contradiction is deciphered in the book of Bollywood. Romance ensues when our handsome hero and his demure heroine escape to the landscapes of thick sheets of Swiss snow. The colder the weather, the cosier the couple.
From Amitabh-Rekha snuggling in a shawl in Silsila to SRK-Kajol frolicking in a snow clad vale in DDLJ, we see how passion runs high when the temperature dips in our desi films.
Reel isn’t real. Agreed. These larger-than-life dreamy couple goals are nowhere close to actuality. Understood. But even as ordinary as we are, why do we just endure and not live the season that I call the Whimsical Winter.
At our place, even God fails to drive winter blues away. Snowfall and complaints run parallel. Cribbing goes on non-stop. Our rants reverberate in cold air. We fulminate against the government in slumber. Suffering becomes the talk of the town.
Our protests are bottomless. Why not? We have genuine reasons. White outlined picture-perfect scenery is a cliché. Decorated alpines and blanketed plains is not the only side of snow. Sounds good to outer ears; ask the ones who dwell within. Frigid temperature, numbing cold, chilly snow, frozen life- this is winter here. The cold cacoon is crippling.
Seasons impact psychologies. Our Wandde is no exception. The ubiquitous impact of snow on human psyche is real. Snow brings stillness; stillness rewrites the saddest episodes on the cold thump of flesh inside our chests.
With the first snowfall, the atmosphere enters into a no-rush-more-hush zone. That strange silence stings. Life is a marathon we take as a sprint. Since snow slows down life, we long for some rush.
We are not used to a patient pace. Snow phenomenon takes its time- falling down, accumulating, absorbing and melting away. Do those asymmetrical flakes ever compete or race? Don’t they descend with all grace and gravity?
Snow is dominating and dictating. It decides the course of our affairs. Before it arrives, it turns a powerful waterfall into a cascading tower of icy spires; when it arrives it stops the flow of time; when it leaves it absorbs a greater part of the unreachable.
Snow multiplies distance and divides speed. It trims connections. Snow creates visible blockades and invisible walls. It restricts us to our shells. We feel helpless under its command. Obedience is difficult-snow tells us.
With the sight of swirling snowflakes, we gradually lose patience. Unexpressed anxiety builds up. Why? Because we realize we are caged. Snow puts unseen shackles around us.
The fluttering birds are fettered. The sketch of sunless sky brings the memory of our losses and heartbreaks. Impatience grips us. Restlessness piles up in the marrow of our bones.
Sky is all dead-grey and monotonous. We long for a blossoming spring, light filled summer and a flamboyant autumn. We shun winter. How shall snow charm us then?
Thus, amidst this twinge of unpleasant wintry emotion, can such an unforgiving season be a catalyst for passionate emotions? Actually winter is the only season when love warms both figuratively and quite literally. Snow is cold but associated with warm feelings.
Falling snow is a mush. Siberian mornings, foggy air, fluffy blankets, arctic evenings, hot meals and a cuddle buddy around. Why is it necessary to have a wonderful autumn colouration or a spring breeze to feel love in the air? The lovey-dovey side of winter is often unappreciated.
Snowmance is criminally underrated here. How difficult is it to crunch along a snow-covered trail, hold hands, dive into his/her eyes and speak the language of love. To manage a long snow walk and express the unsaid requires the least of all efforts.
Cafes are passe; restaurants are capitalistic. Cooking a meal together at home rejuvenates relations. Innovate small activities that can add spark. Winter is a lazy season.
Lazing around in the company of your loved one is the best form of relaxation. Doing ‘’nothing’’ is fruitful sometimes. Cherish your coupleship; rest can wait. Be the screenwriters of your own personal film. Be the hero-heroine in your own fairyland. Rekindle Ishq Waala Love.
Snow brings time to notice what goes inside a blossom when it bears the weight of snow; the littlest of chirping birds and their survival mechanisms; the intricate patterns illuminating from the hanging icicles; the minimalist backdrop of snow to allow nature’s colours to pop; the first-born snow dotting the creation with magic; the balmy effect of snowflakes on unseen burns and wounds; the knitting of forests with frost; the willow trees as grey soldiers longing to march back to springtime; the green pines bent with snow showing wisdom in hardship; the dormant wilderness waiting for ice to melt; the lost trails defying destination; the pristine act of God in response to the greed of man.
These are expressions of love, light and luck. The blank state of winter is an opportunity to reacquaint oneself with one’s imagination. Winter is a living world and snow is a breathing episode. Sit back, observe details and contemplate!
DISCLAIMER: The views and opinions expressed in this article are the personal opinions of the author.
The facts, analysis, assumptions and perspective appearing in the article do not reflect the views of GK.