Did you know Delhi's Hindu College students worshipped 'Virgin Tree' on Valentine's Day, decorated it with condoms?

The male students of Hindu College had been worshipping the Virgin Tree on February 14 (Valentine’s Day). As part of this highly controversial sexist ritual, male students used to organise a 'puja' where they worshipped the V-Tree and also decorated it with condoms, posters of Bollywood actresses and balloons.

NEW DELHI: February 14 is celebrated around the world as Valentine’s Day or the Day of Love. On this day, people, especially youth, give gifts to their lovers. This week-long festival of love is celebrated in different parts of the world in a very beautiful way.

But you would be surprised to know that the male students of Delhi’s famous Hindu College had been holding a sexist ritual on this very day for several decades despite huge opposition from the female students of the college.

Yes, that’s true.

The male students of Delhi's Hindu College had been worshipping the Virgin Tree on February 14 (Valentine’s Day). The Virgin Tree Puja involved a male student dressing up as a priest to perform religious rituals while others sang hymns in praise of ''Damdami Mai'' or some leading Bollywood actress.

On this day, hundreds of male Hindu College students used to gather around the Virgin Tree and offered prayers for good luck and to increase their chances of finding their true love.

For some, ‘V-Tree Puja’ was also meant to help students enter relationships and lose their virginity within six months. It was believed that those who participate in V-Tree Puja will enter into a relationship within six months and lose their virginity soon.

As part of this highly controversial sexist ritual, male students used to organise a 'puja' where they worshipped the V-Tree and also decorated it with condoms, posters of Bollywood actresses and balloons.

However, after female students of the college objected to this ''misogynistic'' ritual as it encouraged the objectification of women, the male students started worshipping a male Bollywood actor, calling him a ‘Love Guru’’.