The day of love has finally arrived, painting the city in all shades of red. And while today will be special for all the lovers in the city, it will be especially significant for Indore 's LGBTQ+ community. That's because the city will be celebrating its first Valentine’s Day after the decriminalisation of Section 377 last year, and one that will show the path ahead for inclusive celebrations in the city. While the battle for social acceptance is still on, this won't stop the LGBTQ students from wearing their hearts on their sleeves. And their allies are standing besides them, firm as rocks, helping them make their day more special by going on shopping spree with them or by planning double dates to keep them company.*Anagha Sharma, a Master of Social Work (MSW) student, has planned a day full of little gifts for her partner *Neha. She says she'll be keeping the celebrations low-profile and private, but special nonetheless.“The decriminalisation of 377 was a huge step, no doubt, but we are still testing waters in Indore, in terms of social acceptance. I don’t want to jeopardise my beautiful relationship with my partner. Hence, we are having an intimate celebration at a friend’s house,” she says.She says that she has only come out to a few friends so far, as many people in the city still don't understand what it means to be LGBTQ. “Only a few close friends know about it, and we are yet to tell our parents. We really hope that by next Valentine’s, we will be able to celebrate more freely,” sums up Anagha.As a fan of all things romantic, *Tarun Kumar, a third year mass communication student, is going all out to pamper his boyfriend *Sagar. After going through a tough time during his first year of college here, he remained confused about his identity until he finally found love about six months back. “It took me time to understand why I felt attracted towards boys, and not girls like my other friends. A friend suggested I speak with a professor on campus, who counsels students on homosexual relationships. After numerous sessions with her, I finally found myself, and was able to come out to my friends and siblings. I think my parents have somewhat figured out, but I have to still come out officially to them,” he says, recounting his journey.Representational pictureThis Valentine’s Day, he will be using grand gestures to pamper his first love Sagar. “He is a commerce student in the same university. We met during a college fest, and there was an instant connection. So, we’re quite excited to celebrate the day together. We’re actually going on a double date, so we don’t draw too much attention to ourselves. My friends on campus helped me plan all of it, and they are actually more excited than us about this celebration,” he adds. Mass communication student Akshay Soni too is supporting his friend in a similar way. “My girlfriend and I have planned a double date with our friend *Tarun and his partner, so we all can have a good celebration, and he can have a day to remember.”Even the single students are hoping they're struck by cupid's arrow this time around. However, she is hoping that her current attraction turns into something more serious. “Finding love is not that easy for us, as trust issues keep cropping,” says *Harshita Agarwal, an MSW final year student. Harshita, who identifies as a bisexual, has gone through a series of heartbreaks, where the partner either refuses to acknowledge her orientation or has trust issues. “Currently, I’m seeing a girl who I met during one of the LGBTQ activities in the city. She seems nice and understanding. This Valentine’s Day, I’m thinking of asking her out officially and to see how it goes” says a hopeful Harshita.*Names changed on request

Stay updated with all the Latest Indore headlines here. For more exclusive & live news updates from all around India, stay connected with NYOOOZ.