HT City

DENIZENS PLAN MOMENTS OF LOVE, AWAY FROM THE MADDING CROWD!

This year, couples in Delhi-NCR are opting for road trips and heritage walks to celebrate V-Day

- Mallika Bhagat mallika.bhagat@hindustant­imes.com

Planning the perfect Valentine’s Day can be daunting, especially amid a pandemic. Couples in Delhi-NCR are, therefore, trying to make the most of today while ensuring safety and privacy, by opting for road trips or historical walks at less-crowded nooks in the city. Ditching the dine-in scene, many are even venturing out to explore Nature.

Take for instance Harish Kumar. This Gurugram-based corporate is taking his wife for hiking. “People think romance dies after marriage, but that’s so not true,” he says, adding, “We’re adrenaline junkies, and love hiking and running. So, we’ll do that first at Aravalli Biodiversi­ty Park, followed by a nice dinner date.”

To escape the hustle and bustle of city life, many couples are heading to nearby places for a calm evening.

One such Delhiite is Sheel Agarwal, a data analyst, who plans to drive down to Alwar, Rajasthan, with her boyfriend. “We both love road trips, and Alwar is where we’re headed. It’s a short drive, so we don’t have to take leave the next day from work, as we’ll be back on the same day,” she says.

Also on the V-Day itinerary for some is exploring Delhi’s heritage. “My husband Aniket and I are major history buffs! He’s planned a day-long heritage walk at Mehrauli Archaeolog­ical Park. We also plan to go to Rahim’s tomb, known as Delhi’s monument of love, which has recently been restored by the Archaeolog­ical Survey of India (ASI). Between

work and other responsibi­lities, we rarely get time to explore our city or spend time together. So, we’re trying to do both, this time around,” says Payal Solanki, a Noida-based teacher.

For those waiting for Cupid’s arrow to strike, meeting prospectiv­e partners away from crowded places is a priority. “I’ve been talking to this guy on a dating app for a few months now. We’re finally planning to meet today,” says Akanksha Sharma, a Delhi-based UPSC aspirant. “Meeting in restaurant­s is very clichéd and honestly, not too safe right now. So I suggested we go cycling around the city, considerin­g we’re both regular cyclists. Thodi privacy bhi mil jayegi aur initial awkwardnes­s bhi nahi hogi!” she adds.

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 ?? (PHOTOS FOR REPRESENTA­TIONAL PURPOSE ONLY) ?? PHOTO: ARUN SHARMA/HT
(PHOTOS FOR REPRESENTA­TIONAL PURPOSE ONLY) PHOTO: ARUN SHARMA/HT
 ?? PHOTO: PARVEEN KUMAR/HT ?? Couples are choosing to spend the day in the lap of nature
PHOTO: PARVEEN KUMAR/HT Couples are choosing to spend the day in the lap of nature
 ?? PHOTO: BIPLOV BHUYAN/HT ?? Some are opting for cycling dates when meeting prospectiv­e partners
PHOTO: BIPLOV BHUYAN/HT Some are opting for cycling dates when meeting prospectiv­e partners

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