Festival of love

HYDERABAD: On Wednesday Satish and Nitya, blissfully married for two years, will spend the evening dancing and cruising on the Hussainsagar to celebrate Valentine's Day. This is no filmi couple boasting of love beyond caste or class barrier. This is true love that has transcended the most feared pandemic of our times. Satish and Nitya are HIV positive.
For the first time, the AP State AIDS Control Society (APSACS) is organising events for AIDS infected couples in Hyderabad, Visakhapatnam and Vijayawada on the festival of love.
The festivity in Hyderabad, to be held at Lumbini Park, will include a late-evening trip on the launch 'Bhagirathi'. About 30 HIV affected couples and 100 children will enjoy mimicry, magic shows and games in the park followed by a laser show. Celebrities like badminton champion P Gopichand and film couple Raj Sekhar and Jeevitha will grace the occasion. While in some couples, both partners are infected with the virus in others only one is HIV positive. "All the couples are aware of the consequences of living with Aids but they wish to enjoy life together. I believe this is the highest form of love," said G Ashok Kumar, Project Director of APSACS.
G Kanna and G Subhashini are a different couple, Kanna being HIV positive. "The fact that my wife chose to stay with me in spite of my being HIV positive for 10 years, is something I celebrate everyday. This Valentine's Day is important because others will know it is possible to live a decent life even if you are hit by Aids," Kanna said. "The moral support my wife and I can give each other, and the life we lead has convinced me Aids can be handled," said Satish. "People living with HIV/Aids need to join the mainstream and an event like this is an effort in that direction. The awareness this will create will reduce stigma and help us in getting better statistics," said Kumar.
Deputy Director of APAPSACS K Padmavathi said, "The message that love is not lust must reach people, especially the youth. It is the right time for this to go across".