Betty with her husband’s photo. —DC

When millions of youngsters across the world exchange red roses on Valentine's Day as an expression of their love, Betty Karun, a business woman in her late sixties here celebrates her love with a museum built in memory of her late husband and coir exporter Ravi Karunakaran.

The Valentine’s Day, which is celebrated as a symbol of immortalised love, has been given a new definition by Betty by constructing a huge museum comprising over 3,500 pieces of Ivory carvings, antiques, paintings, crystal pieces, and other objects having artistic beauty.

Betty Karuna, who is the chairperson of the William Goodacre and Sons company, says the museum is the result of the love and respect she has for her great husband. “I got married to him at age of 18 and lived with him happily for more than four decades.”

"Following his death in 2003, at age 73, I was keen on remembering his greatness. I was a great lover of art. Identifying my taste in arts, he had brought home thousands of pieces of art works from across the world. I thought it would be better to preserve them under one roof. The museum cost me about Rs 2 crore," she said.

"I have an attachment with February as it was the month that my marriage with Ravi was held. It’s a coincidence that the Valentine's day is celebrated in February,” she said.