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An old-school relationship is about two people putting in their best effort, because what they see on the other side of the picture, is promising.

The best thing about love is choice. We get to consciously, deliberately choose who we fall, and stay in love with. Sure, there are scenarios of unrequited love, or inevitable heartbreaks, but the subject matter here are the lucky few, who have found themselves a partner worth working-hard for. These are the ones who landed in the lap of love in their first attempt, or experimented with the other fish in the sea before finally deciding that this is where their peace comes from. And no, let’s not belittle their feelings to something juvenile and fleeting, they do exist.

When we are representing the modern student community, who are educated in ways and forms far beyond their years (in a quantitative sense) we cannot not talk about concepts like Hedonism, or happiness of the self. Another way of looking at it would be realising that for old-school romantics, pure, undiluted love is where most of their happiness originates from.

While knowledge is, arguably, the most precious possession of a human, unnecessary knowledge from corrupt sources could be detrimental. There are a hundred different shows online exhibiting to you how fickle modern-day love is, and how every form of emotional attachment results in heartbreak. Some of us have had first-hand experience of, if not betrayal, just falling out of love. And then there is Tinder staring us in the face, perpetually drilling into us the need to swipe right.

What I am trying to propagate here is that social media, combined with peer-pressure has made us fall into this unforgiving loop of believing that love does not exist, whilst constantly making it a social compulsion to be associated with someone.

Love can be a beautiful feeling, provided both the individuals involved are on the same page. It should not be one person looking for a non-serious association (absolutely no derogatory undertones here) and the other shoving effort down their partner’s throats. Experimenting is essential, life is not a Disney movie. You need to educate your mind and familiarise your body around the concept of love. Be it looking at the emotional provocations, your connection with the person, or the gender that you prefer, discover yourself!

But then I am acting as a mouthpiece for those, who, with or without trying, have found a person they identify with on romantic grounds.

Love, in any which way, is a gamble. Any given day, it could stop working out. But you trust the other person, regardless. It is not an anxious, obsessive feeling of fear of loss, rather an almost homely feeling where you are safe in the knowledge that there is a person you can fall back to when everything else falls apart.

To put the idea in very simple terms, an old-school relationship is like an extended version of the best part of love – courtship. Where you are building emotional intimacy, rather than physical intimacy. One does not change the other person in a way that they are morphed into a replica of theirs. But there is room for improvement for both as they grow together in love. There is mutual effort, a two-way exchange of approval and forgiveness. They don’t leave the relationship when the slightest of inconveniences comes their way. You see, that is the easy thing to do, but it does take away all of the beauty.

Most importantly, the two men, the two women, or the man and woman involved, do not complete each other, no! They are not hemispheres that need their counterparts to become whole. They exist as two separate entities looking for companionship that is deep-rooted and pristine.
Love does not have to grow old, or be limited to a day.

Image Credits: wellsanfrancisco
Image Caption: Old-school love is difficult, but rewarding.

Maumil Mehraj
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The feeling of love is immediate. It cannot be forced. But even this feeling becomes a choice. A choice to act upon.

In ‘Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows’, Dumbledore told Harry, “Do not pity the dead, Harry. Pity the living, and, above all those who live without love.” The emotion, and the attached exclusivity and essentiality of love is not entirely unjustified. A powerful emotion, that balances in a spectrum of joy and heartbreak, love is an exquisite feeling. And in turbulent times like ours, this feeling is a welcome respite. But despite the power of love, is it justified when it crosses the limits? Is it justified when it becomes uncomfortable for the object of one’s affection? Everyone feels the emotion of love, in fact, everyone wants to feel it so. In this conflict, could we claim that love is an active choice?

The initial response to a good experience is that of being in awe of it. We come to appreciate and elevate the experience or the person. Sometimes, this awe or appreciation solidifies into a strong connect. Love, then, is a very natural ‘process’. It is instant and gradual, at once. The realisation takes time. But once registered, the follow-up action in the process is to act on the instinctive emotion. The question then becomes: “How do I seek the validation for my emotional soaring?” or “Will I find a reciprocal of my emotions in the object of my affection?” Falling in love is not the difficult part. It is a great fall. And like every fall, what matters is really the resilience to carry on, to rise up and seek. Or to act on the love felt.

“Essentially, seeing as how we seek a reciprocative response to our emotions, and also that our generation is in a fix about the idea of commitment, love is really a choice,” says Apoorva Singh, a third-year student at Hindu College. She adds, “It is a choice because over time, it becomes a practice of your own volition. Your emotional responses can change, for one. And so, as the time goes by, love becomes increasingly a choice.”

Truly, in its initial or even in its later stages, love becomes a choicely celebration. If you do not feel the urge to act on an amorous feeling, you can always sideline the same, hoping that it will ‘pass on’. Simply because love cannot be enforced, nor imposed on the other. It is an inherent feeling. But the subsequent acting on it, is a perfect model that works out and calls upon our awake consciousness. So love becomes an active choice, doesn’t it?

Feature Image Credits: NBC News

Kartik Chauhan

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A gentle reminder that every import from the west carries with it complex implications for a society as diverse and traditional as ours.

Among other things, Delhi University (DU) students very often boast about the kind of diversity their respective colleges enjoy. In every section of every course, there will be those who attend classes and those who don’t. Keeping the simplistic distinction aside, a safe assumption would be that all of us have known people across religions, states, and economic and social classes. Hence, Valentine’s Day too is a messy affair in this diversity of possibilities and options.

In the Indian context, the warring ideas emerge as that of hyper-capitalism and traditionalism which ultimately result in a rather interesting scenario. The whole week leading up to the 14th of February becomes larger than life, as we’re bombarded with manufactured images and products that define love in the 21st century. The capitalists controlling us carefully create customised needs and, through the course of the week, manipulate us into believing that we needed those things in the first place. Friends who are in relationships are aware of this manipulation and yet feel compelled to take part in it.

Capitalism scheming functions in such efficient ways that the expenditure is almost always considered directly proportional to the amount of love. To extend this scheme of manipulation beyond their target market, marketers are now also dictating how single people should spend this day. Quotes expressing the importance of self-love are splashed across hoardings leading you to believe that your consumption will instantly solve all of your problems and you will live “singly-ever-after”.

This complete rejection of Valentine’s Day, owing to its hyper commercialization, is increasingly becoming a dominant perspective. As students are becoming increasingly aware of the pressures influencing their consumption habits, they are becoming more immune to its effect.  How many actually make the effort to exist outside of this system is unknown, but the realisation of the fact that it’s happening is growing. While this understanding is necessary in the long run, it also springs from a very specific group of people. For this group, the idea of Valentine’s Day itself is very ordinary. It’s in a way suggestive of their privilege, which allows them to go beyond the idea of V-day and focus more on a larger global trend.

However, this idea of freely expressing love is extraordinary and even exciting for some. When you look beyond Delhi and into smaller towns, more specifically smaller towns with saffron skies, Valentine’s Day becomes much more significant. These are places where young people are regularly morally policed and not given spaces to freely interact and behave like young people with will and desires. In suffocated environments like these, you can see why Valentine’s Day would stand out as special. It’s almost an invitation for rebellion. Despite their circumstances, to keep the spirit of the day alive, young people venture out to spend their time in public spaces. Claiming to save our country from western influences and adding communal flavor in the form of Love Jihad, extremist groups inflict violence year-after-year on these youngsters.

The real story of the commercialisation of this day can be traced back to the time when it reached the same small towns. Year-after-year, more coffee houses and shopping complexes were being decorated with heart-shaped balloons. The extremists couldn’t multiply faster than the capitalists and, in the end, they were outnumbered. There were too many balloons to burst and the religion of profit-making became more lucrative than the rage of vigilantism. This is not to suggest that capitalism will solve conservatism, but is just to lend to a more rounded idea of Valentine’s Day and the significance it holds in parallel India’s narrative.

Image Credits: Bustle

Pragati Thapa

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Loving in a culture where all love outside marriage is forbidden is taxing. Read our Editor’s take on it.

Love is the common language spoken across the world. Stories of love have existed in every society that ever told stories. When we remember how fundamental romantic attachment is to human beings, how common and natural, our society’s desire to stop people from loving, it seems toxic and selfish. Our parents don’t accept the fact that we could or would want to experience dating, companionship, or love. Most of us aren’t “allowed” to date, not that it means we don’t. We don’t tell our parents about our love life and significant others, caught in the fear that they may never approve. We don’t seek love advice from them, introduce them to our significant others, or share the details of our whereabouts with them with honesty. And if, by chance, our love strays from the hetero-normative narrative of love between a female and a male, the discomfort and fear of acceptance increases manifold.

For most Indian kids, love begins with lies. “I am going to meet Neha,” we say as we dash to the farthest end of our street for a sneaky ice- cream, and walk with someone who is certainly not Neha. These cloak and dagger games can be exciting initially but, as we grow up, we realise they are something far more sinister. Most families hold different beliefs regarding dating and love. Some might want their children to keep away from relationships “to keep them focused on academics” while others have far more rigid ideas about the same, like believing love and sexual experiences are reserved within the institution of marriage. It is in these households where young adults who are actively dating are, at best, at the risk of parental disapproval and, at worst, of losing their freedom, agency, as well as independence.  The punishment of love in India without parents’ approval can range from having one’s phone taken away, to being made to quit the pursuit of education and, in extreme cases, to honour killings as well. Our culture has intertwined love with marriage, with controlling ideas about monogamy, togetherness, and “purity”. The impact on women has been undeniably worse since the “punishment” for loving has been known to be far more unforgiving on them than on men.

We don’t grow up with the right ideals of love.  We live in a country where a common experience of all our peers is telling their first big lie to their parents with regard to someone they were dating. We couldn’t talk to our parents openly, or ask them questions about love, sex, relationships, boundaries, consent, and respect  because we could never anticipate if it would be met with disapproval or punishment. We hid under our blankets sneakily texting our 9th grade crush, or sneaked out for study sessions with our boyfriend/girlfriend, and came to college and talked to our parents about everything in detail, except the person we loved.

Love, in itself, is capable of inciting fear. We invest our time and energy into someone who could one day casually walk up to us, say that it isn’t working out, and walk away, leaving us to deal with the walls crumbling around. But aside from the natural insecurity, in families, cultures, and communities where love is taboo, people are more likely to confuse love with and abuse. After all, they were never taught the difference between the two.

The approval of our parents is important. Running home after a star in our notebooks, or winning a match, a debate, a rangoli competition, and hearing them say, “I am proud of you, beta” is immensely precious for many of us, and nothing really beats that, not when we were ten and not now as well. It is sad therefore, that our parents don’t say it enough, and sadder perhaps that the approval they reserve for academic and extracurricular achievements, isn’t extended to forming  beliefs systems which make us healthy, happy, fully-functioning human beings. Our parents will not tell us they are proud of us for breaking away from a toxic partner. Most of us would never have our parents sit down next to us, and comfort us with a cup of chai and a heart-to-heart conversation about heartbreak, like they did after every bad result, lost match, public failure.

I wish, like all the kahaaniyan (stories) our parents told to put us to sleep when we were children, the ones that taught us how to be brave, how to be kind, how to have compassion, also told us how to love, how to be respected and respectful in love, when to stay and when to leave, when to hold on and when to let go. Perhaps, we would have been kinder to ourselves and those we have loved, then. For Indian parents, who claim to do everything for the well-being of their children, do one more thing – give them the freedom to love, whomever they want and however they want.

Kinjal Pandey

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Love and infatuation, in the beginning, feel like the same emotion, which leads to many complications.

You are walking in the corridor with your friends and suddenly, your gaze falls on that cute guy standing next to the pillar with not within a group of friends, and your world trembles. As filmy as it sounds, this actually happens with many of us. Another day, you are sitting in that boring lecture while the professor is hurling out his discourse, and all of a sudden you happen to rest your eyes on that sweet girl you’ve already given your heart to as she flicks her hair and refocuses her attention to the lecture and it makes you wonder if the drop in your stomach is a symptom of love.
Whether you have just come into college or have spent here a couple of years already, it doesn’t really matter, what matters are your feelings. They may develop anytime – on the first day of college or much time after you’ve already graduated. What is important here, is to develop the capability to determine whether what you feel is love or simple infatuation. Love is a magical sensation. It works on a level that lies way beyond the physical motives. Hence, if what you feel is a physical thirst, then, my friend, I’m gonna stop you right there. It’s lust. As a feeling, to love and to be loved is one of the best feelings on this universe. The simple realisation that there is someone in this life who means more than anything else to you, and that the feeling is mutual, is enough to lift your mood, no matter how upset you are.
Infatuation, on the other hand, is a fancy term for the physical attraction that occurs at regular intervals. Thus, when
we fall for someone over a feature like their “cute smile” or that “beautiful face”, there is a fair chance it is merely
infatuation. When you’re in love, you do crave the physical presence of your beloved but it is not as intense as in the case of infatuation. There’s a saying that “If you love someone, let them go. If they return, they’re yours, if they don’t, they never were”. Infatuation, on the other hand, being the physical attraction that it is, has got little to do with feelings. Love is longer and much more comfortable, while infatuation is intense and short-lived. Thus, that rush of adrenaline when you look at your crush is most probably infatuation, for when you’re in love, you feel comfortable in the presence of your lover, and not shaky. Also, note here that infatuation makes our thought process a bit more irrational. In this perspective, “chaand-taare tod lana” (getting someone the moon and stars), sounds a bit resonating with infatuation, isn’t it? If what you’re devoting most of your thought to is your crush, it means that you’re obsessed with the person, which is a clear sign of infatuation. This stand gets further established if there’s an eruption of jealousy if you look at your crush diverting their attention to someone other than you, for true love is understanding and full of trust.
Love always grows with friendship. If you find yourself comfortable and friendly with the person you think is your “lover”, it is a sign of being in a healthy relationship. However, if your desire for the person makes you want them more and more, you’re headed to a dead end. There are chances that what you’re feeling is infatuation,
rather than love. Thus, the outcome is that there exists a very thin line of demarcation between love and infatuation, but this thin line carries the potential to make or break a relationship. If what you feel for your better-half is physical, immature, materialistic, obsessive and mistrustful in nature, then it is pretty sure that you’re merely infatuated rather than in love.
True love is a pure opposite of what one faces in infatuation. It is totally devoid of lust, immaturity, jealousy, obsession, and mistrust and offers growth, real happiness, and contentment.

Feature Image Credits: Karen Rosetzsky

Aashish Jain
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I would have loved to say that I woke up this Wednesday at the crack of dawn, with birds singing their melodies and dewdrops on the grass refreshing my soul. But sadly, that wasn’t true.

It was 8:46 a.m. and I had to be at the Jama Masjid for the Eid Namaz scheduled to commence at 9 a.m. Getting out of bed at once, I analysed the situation. I had fourteen minutes to get ready, which was doable, considering I had planned my outfit weeks in advance. The dress was beautiful. Coloured in deep orange, it looked good on me, although I did not particularly look like I had a certain flag draped over my body. One last look in the mirror and I was ready to go. All went well and I met with my relatives and neighbours. They are generally happy people with little to disturb their peace. But today, the customary hug, hug, hug of Eid was dutifully accompanied by a tsk tsk tsk for me. How dare I not follow tradition?

At home after praying, I was greeted by the ‘Adonis’ of my area: the butcher. He had a jawline sculpted by the Gods and mannerisms that could put a gentleman to shame. Sadly, he had not stripped his shirt (or anything else) as is custom. “Handsome and not following the dress code! He too, like me, must be an outcast,” I thought. The black-skinned animal was readied for sacrifice by the ‘Adonis’. It reminded me of the nursery rhyme ‘Mary had a little lamb,’ except its fleece was black as coal.

Why do Muslims sacrifice animals on Eid? I am reminded of the story which I have repeatedly heard since my childhood. The Friday sermon before Eid talks about Abraham, the Prophet of God, and his willingness to sacrifice his son Ishmael for the sake of his creator. Ishmael was said to be so obedient that he didn’t think twice before setting out with his father for being sacrificed. Assuring his father that he won’t scream, Ishmael had remarked, “You will find me patient.” The sermons and the story talk about how God was merely testing His beloved Prophet and how he later commanded him to sacrifice a lamb. Abraham’s love and loyalty towards God and Ishmael’s unflinching obedience towards his father always fascinated me. It was equally fascinating to me that Muslims, Jews as well as Christians all believe in this story of selfless oblation. And yet, they choose to fight over the differences rather than celebrating the similarities and shared beliefs.

Muslims, on the occasion of Eid, sacrifice an animal in the memory of Prophet Abraham and his son Ishmael. As is mentioned in the Islamic scriptures, the sacrificial meat is divided into three parts and one of them is to be distributed among the poor. Eid is the festival of happiness and so donating to the poor is one of its most important pillars. However, I sometimes fail to understand why people have to ruin every beautiful thing that we have. Some use this occasion of Eid to show their wealth off by over-spending on sacrificial animals and flaunting the price tag. Eid is supposed to be a day when people meet and hug each other, forget their differences and pray for forgiveness. I hope that it still remains the essence of Eid.

In the afternoon, my rich uncle greeted me with an exuberant smile and a thick wallet. Handing me a hundred rupee note, he advised me not to spend it on one place. I felt at once responsible. The men of the family talked of love and peace which, on any given day, would have taken me by surprise. But today had been full of new things. In the end, as is custom, I did have a plateful of mutton biryani!
Feature Image Credits: English Almanar

Maumil Mehraj

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The evolution of relationships and the concept of love marriage has led to people fearing arranged marriages. Arranged marriages have now turned into an outdated concept and an un-cool thing. But is it really that frightening?

The concept of falling in love and relationships is not alien to our society. Relationships are quite common and college students are well aware of it. It is great that people are quite open to the concept of falling in love and this has pretty much led to the notion where individuals have started to think that love marriages are the only way one is supposed to get married. But are arrange marriages really that frightening?

India is a country where more than 85% of the marriages are arranged. A report published by Maps of India in 2013 states that the divorce rates in India are as low as 1.2%, in contrary to 53% in the United States of America. This data is also the result of many differences between the two countries and the way marriages are seen, but the difference reflects that there is mutual consent between two people to continue as a married couple.

It is no less than an achievement to see people having love marriages and it is great that people are becoming more receptive towards this concept. But as budding individuals, it is not right on our part to develop a mentality where we start opposing arranged marriages as a possibility. There are some legitimate lines on which arranged marriages are questioned. When asked about an opinion on arranged marriages, Shreya Singhal, a student of the University of Delhi said “I feel that arranged marriages are ridiculous. How can we expect two random individuals to live together for the rest of their lives?”

The concept of arranged marriages has been working since a long time, and to question it is to refute the many success stories of the prevailing generation of parents whose marriages were arranged when they were young. Something must be going right to make these marriages work. We are at an interesting phase where we can witness both kinds of marriages. We as burgeoning individuals should learn how these differing kinds of marriages work and figure out what’s best for us.

The other “problem” with arranged marriages is that it is seen as an outdated notion and people associate the preference of an arranged marriage with being conventional. In a report published by Medium in 2016, 75.4% women prefer having arranged marriages. The number is lower than the previous statistics but it still signifies that a large chunk of women are still affirmative towards the concept.

The idea of the piece and all the statistics is to not be conclusive about what is happening with both kinds of marriages. We are in a transitional phase where love marriages are becoming more and more socially acceptable which is a great sign of progress in the mentality of the society. But at the same time, opposing arranged marriages and being judgmental about it is not the way to go.

 

Feature Image Credits: Identity Magazine

Karan Singhania

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Being in a relationship has its own complications–there are a hundred things that stress us. But, with sheer will and understanding, things can be sorted.

What a beautiful moment it is to reminiscence of the time when the person you liked said “yes”, and you certainly thought “this is the one”. To be together with someone we have always wished, is a blessing. However, it is only with time that we realise that the initial stages of forming a relationship and being in one for a while are two very different scenarios, where the latter is the more difficult one.

Relationship stress is a gradually increasing process. The initial phase is marked by the stress we experience due to being possessive and worrying about not doing anything stupid. It is the most amateur phase when the two people involved start integrating each other into their lives. We fume at the sight of our partner texting another person. We try hard to avoid acting or saying anything silly.

After entering the second stage, our compatibility is put to the test. All of us say that one of the factors for coming into a relationship is that we are compatible with the other person. This is the time we start having arguments. We quarrel over petty things. We have these so called “fights” every day and sit in a corner of the room trying to make ourselves fine. A major reason for the occurrence of such fights is that we start disagreeing with our partners. All this while the relationship seems to be a roller coaster ride. After a point, we start putting our opinions above theirs and start feeling a bit dominated. And, not to mention, neither of the two are ready to accept other’s opinion.

The third stage is when we have been into the relationship for quite a while. But with the aging relationship, the issues amplify as well. This stage puts the mettle of the relationship to the test. Issues such as time, truth, and commitment start cropping up. Not being able to talk every day or giving the other person adequate time puts both the people in a huge state of bother. This is followed by doubt over whether our partner is entirely true or has started keeping secrets. And the most ground-shaking issue is when our commitment is questioned. We start questioning if the relationship is even worth it or if the person we chose is really the right one?

The stress is natural and there are a few ways to combat the issue. They are:
1. Act as if it’s the first day – Counting the number of years we have been in a relationship doesn’t really help during fights. We should take a deep breath and start as if we are in the first day of our relationship. How precise and full of promises we are. Doing so will put our ego beside and make it easier for us to convince our partners.

2. Know that we are in it for a reason – Whenever things aren’t going fine and our relationship woes just don’t seem to end, we need to always remember that we came into the relationship for a reason. We knew that tough times would come. But we chose our very partners to go through all the ups and downs. So why back out?

3. It is okay to accept we are wrong – When there is a conflict of interests, we fight to prove that we are the right ones when there is no need to. It’s okay to tell your partner that you are wrong and that you’re sorry for it. Now we have things like self-respect coming up in our heads, but it absolutely okay to be the wiser one and be more understanding. Maybe we can respect ourselves for that.

4. Listen – This is probably the basic rule to end quarreling and resolve issues. The other person might be fuming upon us for a small reason or even no reason at all. We have questions like “Why should we hear so much from someone?” But we need to understand that there is no harm in remaining quiet. They do that in the first place because we are the only person they can talk that way. And we should responsibly ensure that we make our partners feel better, shouldn’t we?

 

Feature Image Credits: iStock

Karan Singhania
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India is a deeply homophobic nation, with not only rampant homophobia in mainstream society, but also policies that deny the LGBTQ community basic human rights and access to laws regarding equality and privacy. In such an environment, it is difficult to stay optimistic about love and support. However, the LGBTQ community in Delhi offers several events to combat the negativity that we face on a daily basis.

In the second week of December, Harmless Hugs and Love Matters organised the Delhi International Queer Theatre and Film Festival. While the turnout here was quite low, one of the most exciting events that the community looks forward to each year is the Pride Parade.

Taking place on the last Sunday of November, the Delhi Queer Pride Parade draws a huge crowd, including both members of the LGBTQ community and allies. The Parade kicks off each year on the crossing of the Barakhamba Road and Tolstoy Marg, and members marching until Jantar Mantar, where there is a stage for anyone who would like to perform. The Parade is characterised by banners, both heart-wrenching and hilarious, eccentric personalities, and smiling faces. The two years that I have attended Pride have ended in me going home with an aching jaw, tired from all the smiling that was the result of an environment of confidence, defiance, and happiness.

While the Parade misses out on a chunk of syllabus-cramming students due to its time of year, it never fails to garner publicity from major media outlets. Last year, renowned activist Laxmi led the Parade. This year, NDTV and the online portal Youth Ki Awaaz were some of the coverage partners at the event. While the most obvious cause of the Parade is the demand for LGBTQ rights, the march also focuses on contemporary issues. For example, the violence in Kashmir and the discrimination against Dalits were some of the topics this year.

For anyone looking to gain a sense of home, Pride is the perfect place to fit in, even among strangers. Despite 2016 being the worst, at least Delhi is keeping alive the culture of love in these awful times.

pride

Two boyfriends at the Delhi Queer Pride Parade, 2016

 

Image Credits: Vagabomb

 

Vineeta Rana

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A long-term relation, dozens of dates, making new friends or just a chat with like minded singles – mobile dating apps can help you succeed! With a myriad of like-minded users available,  it shouldn’t be hard to get what you want!  Here are some apps available on Android and iOS devices for free, to help you in your endeavors!

Krush – The dating app (Android)


Krush is a unique dating app that uses your Facebook account to provide you with lists of viable partners, which are generally your ‘friends of friends’ on Facebook!

By matching your interests, hobbies and preference You will receive a list of 10 suitable users everyday. You  may “Like’ or ‘Skip’ them. If you ‘like’ a user and get a positive response from the other side as well, both of you would be informed about the match. And if you don’t get matched, the other user would never know your identity and will remain a crush! The app gives you complete privacy and your contact details aren’t shared, unless you want them to. Go, find your krush(es)!

Tinder (iOS & Android)

Tinder is a simple app that connects to your Facebook account to access your basic information.
It finds you suitable partners near your locality, from which you can select users by going through their profile pics, choosing the one that meets you eye! If you get a positive response you can then start a private chat and take it further and if not, you atleast showed your interest!. It has a game-like interface which makes it fun to use and can be addictive!

Twine (iOS & Android)

Twine enables users to interact with one another in a safe and non threatening manner. Your user identity is kept completely anonymous. It connects with Facebook and accesses the basic information along with your  interests. Based on your location, you will be suggested users according to the ‘Twine juice’ that you have. You can interact with them on a personal chat  straight away with the profile pics blurred. You may reveal your name and pic later using the ‘Reveal Now’ button. It also showcases some unique features such as ICE – Intelligent Conversation Enhancer that allows one to initiate the chat using by generating questions!

So if you are having trouble finding a date in a traditional manner why not use your smartphone?

Go ahead and use these apps to enhance your love life!

Happy Dating!  <3<3

Sidhant Malhotra
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