Friendship is eternal. But savouring it on Friendship Day is still a rite that everyone cherishes.
No wonder the enterprising are out to milch this occasion, which falls this year on August 5. Shops are cashing in on the fervour and custom-made products, heavily priced, are being grabbed by youngsters. But ask those who have been thick friends for years together and they will tell you that it's not expensive gifts that have kept the bond going for many years, but trust.
Metrolife catches up with a few people and asks them what it takes to keep their friendship alive and kicking.
Sayed Javid and Runcy Oommen studied together and even after the two of them have gone their separate ways, they still make it a point to meet each other. Their families bond well too. Runcy recalls that similar interests brought them together. "There's a lot of trust that we share and I slip into a comfort zone when I am with Javid," says Runcy. And Javid doesn't feel very different, saying, "In college, Runcy was most enthusiastic and he would always be on an exploration of sorts and would inspire the rest of team to do the same."
Harikrishnan and Deepu Suresh, both IT professionals, have been friends for a long time.
They say that more than common interests, it is understanding that they share. "Our interests are quite different. We have our little fights but we patch up in no time. We are on the same wavelength on a lot of issues," says Deepu.
Harikrishnan pitches in, "It's nice to know that you have a friend you can count on in good and bad times. I value what Deepu and I share. He's trustworthy and reliable, which is hard to find in people these days."
Arun Ramakrishna, a businessman, and Arun Padaki, a banking consultant, have been friends for more than 30 years.
"We played, studied and ate at each other's homes. Everyday was Friendship Day for us. Common interests during our growing up years only strengthened the friendship," reasons Arun Padaki. Arun Ramakrishna adds that he first calls Arun whenever he's in need.
He says, "Our strength is that we can count on each other in good and bad times. As children, we played and ate together and played all the pranks we possibly could."
Manoj Kulkarni, a software engineer, says that he never expected Manohar — who is quiet but quarrelsome — to be a friend for life.
"We met 12 years ago in college. What's interesting is that we bonded after a fight. We share some great interests like photography, music and long rides. And most of our weekends are reserved for this," concludes Manoj.