R E L A T IO N S H IP S

FOR LOVE’S SAKE

Have your partner oryou done somethingvery thoughtful or special for

each other? These couples have. Read their stories and takeyour cues

this Valentine’s Day to feel warm and fuzzy once agai n. byANKITAATALWAR

“Two years before my wedding, on Valentine’s Day, my then boyfriend

(now husband) secretly filled my room with heart-shaped balloons

and kept a book of love poems there. I had no clue he had planned all

this, and was, in fact, feeling guilty because I had no plans for the day

myself. Later he took me out for a romantic dinner too. Though it was

extremely mushy, it meant a lot to me as he was in the Merchant Navy

and a surprise like this helped me feel connected to him.”

—Sapna Bhagat,38, Delhi

All for You

“ For an enti re year my h usband saved

money and asked all his relatives/

friendstoonlygifthimcashonhis

birthday and festivals. On my birthday

the next year, he gifted all that money,

and more, to help me with some

charity. I wanted to give school

suppliestoaslum in Dwarkaand didn’t

have enough money. It was really

special as he did not spend any money

on himself justtosupport my dream.”

One o f a Kind

“O n m y w edding, I w anted to g ift m y husband

a re a lly sp e cial gift. So w ith a co up le o f h is

frien d s, I th re w h im a su rp rise b ach e lo r party,

replete w ith a b e lly dancer, lots o f food and

booze. H e s t ill says that I m ust be the o n ly w ife

to give a fiancé su ch a gift.”

—Anu Singh,

29,

Pune

48

FEBRUARY2011 BETTERHOMESANDGARDENS

PHOTOGRAPHS: (LEFT) MATTHEW BROOKES