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The Hindu : April Fool’s Day or All Fool’s Day occurs annually on April 1. The day is generally observed by playing a practical joke on a gullible “victim” who soon becomes the “April Fool”. There is much debate surrounding the origin of the custom. However, most believe that the tradition started in France during the 16th century. Supposedly, April Fool’s Day involved changes in the calendar. While the custom has survived the centuries, the kind of pranks played has changed considerably. From sending the unsuspecting on pointless errands to pinning “monkey” on a friend’s back, April Fool’s Day is one that is packed with humour the world over.Bogus calls from kidnappers and hospitals are some of the typical types of pranks played. But now, with the entire globe banking on the media for the latest news updates, television channels, radio stations and even newspapers have their share in fooling millions of people with a mere ‘out of the box’ headline!“The whole idea is to have the right spirit and to be sportive,” says Kousthub Raj, a businessman. He narrates how he once received a phone call that made him think he had hit the jackpot.Apparently the caller told him that he had won a one-crore contract with a company he hadn’t heard of. He was even given the address of the company. Before setting out to meet his “partners”, he bought himself a new suit and even booked one of those classy cars, only to realise that the company was non-existent and at the given address, his friends had congregated to shout out “April Fool!”Many people, however, think that All Fool’s Day is quite a juvenile custom and that it loses its charm among adults. Gopal Krishnaswami, an engineering student, recalls a time in school when they had poured drops of water on the teacher’s chair before she sat down.The end result was obvious. They were all…More