It's easy to be cynical about humankind's oldest emotion, especially in an age when the wonderwoman has been replaced by the wonderbra, and the wonderman by a wonderpill. Especially after the feminists had warned all intelligent women that it begins when you sink into his arms and ends with you arms in his sink. But love it, or leave it, there's just no getting away from the l-word in these stock-market driven times when everything, from gold trinkets to grandmothers, is up for sale.

In case you are one of those who thinks it's all getting mush too much and much too mush, think of what this, humankind's greatest fix, this gossamer creation, this wellspring of all desire and fount of all fantasy, thissimple four-letter word that leads to great complications of the heart, this word love, is doing to the economy. It is the foundation on which babies are made and cars are sold, colas are promoted and condoms pedalled. It brings sparkle to the diamond and to the eye, words to the poet and music to the soul, appeals to the agony aunt and revelry to the wedding feast.

Now, before we go to the next part of this column, it's time for a short commercial break. Please bear with us:
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Yes, where were we? Ah love, that phantasmagorical state of mind, that very heaven that inspired Mahakavi Kalidasa to harness a cloud to bear its language. That caused Shakespeare to weave a wondrous love story on a fairy-tale balcony with immortal lines to match: ``Romeo, Romeo! Wherefore art thouRomeo!'' ``Call me but love, and I'll be new baptis'd....With love's light wings did I o'erperch these walls; For stony limits cannot hold love out....''

And now for a short commercial break. Stay with us:
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And it's not just Shakespeare. That kuch kuch hota hai feeling has been ringing the tills of the box office ever since the days Auguste and Louis Lumiere came up with the cinematographe, that device that wrought its magic in the darkened interiors of the movie theatre and gave rise in time to that other great discovery of lovers everywhere -- buttered popcorn. Courtship rituals on celluloid have, however, moved on from the days when K.L. Saigal warbled to the moon, or when Shammi Kapoor yahooed like a puppy in the snow. Today, to make the grade, you'd require apelvis that can swing like a metronome at 60 times a second and still not require the services of an osteopath. Plus, of course, biceps and busts to match. No one knows better than our filmmakers that pure love often means pure hormone and little else.Time for a commercial break. But don't go away: This part of the column is brought to you by Park Royale, which promises you a One Night Stand. Couples can check in to one of our splendid rooms on Saturday the 13th and kick off the kootchi-kooing. Since love and fresh air may not suffice, the offer includes dinner at any of our speciality restaurants and a champagne breakfast in bed on Valentine's morning. Money can't buy you love, but at a heartwarming Rs 5,000, the Park Royale Valentine's Weekend sure helps set the tone.

But the greatest love story of humankind, a love that pre-date the Taj Mahal and the Songs of Solomon, that has endured like a rock over the ages, and which has remained truly blessed, truly good, truly pure, truly constant, is thelove that every man or woman has for himself/herself. This love of self, this love at first sight, this love that exists in the `I' of the Beholder this, ultimately, is the truest love of them all.

The last part of this column was brought to you by Levi's: Pair Up and win two minutes to grab all you want, at the Levi's Store. Limited edition Women's Valentine's Tees. Surprise her with an anonymous gift. Get your surprise for her delivered free. Speak your heart. Leave her a message. No mush. No sop. Just a cool Levi's way to do Valentine's....