Velantime's Day

In spite of what you have been told, Valentine's Day actually
originated hundreds of years ago in India, and to top it all,
in the state of  Gujarat.

It is a well known fact that Gujarati men, specially the Patels,
continually mistreat and disrespect their wives (Patelianis).  One
fine day, (it happened to be the 14th day of February) one brave
Patelani, having had enough "torture" by her husband, finally chose to
rebel by beating him up with a Velan (rolling pin used to prepare
chapattis).
Yes....the same Velan which she used daily, to make chapattis for
him.... only this time, instead of the dough, it was the husband who
was flattened.

This was a momentous occasion for all Gujarati women and a revolt soon
spread, like wild fire, with thousands of housewives beating up their
husbands with the Velan.  There was an outburst of moaning
"chapatti-ed" husbands all over Anand and Amdavad.

The Patel men-folk quickly learnt their lesson and started to behave
more respectfully to their Patelanis.

Thereafter, on 14th February every year, the womenfolk of Gujarat
would beat up their husbands, to commemorate that eventful day - the
wives having the satisfaction of beating up their husbands with the
Velan and the men having the supreme joy of submitting to the will of
the women they loved.

Soon the Gujju men realised that in order to avoid this ordeal they
needed to present gifts to their wives....they brought flowers and
sweets.  This is how the tradition - Velan time - began.

As Gujarat fell under the influence of Western culture, the ritual
soon spread to Britain and many other Western countries, specifically,
the catch words 'Velan time' !!!  In course of time and their foreign
tongues, this got anglicized to 'Velantime' and then to 'Valentine.'
And thereafter, 14th of February came to be known as Valentine's Day
and now you know the true story of Valentine's Day.