[srikat]

I remember a newspaper article where a couple were fined for kissing in a park.

[Sam Kapasi]

Originally Posted by srikat

I remember a newspaper article where a couple were fined for kissing in a park.

Oh I'd like to go to court for kissing in a park. I'd love that. I'd like to stand up and say I'm guilty and I'd love to make a fuss about it. I'd get it to the papers. Honestly!

Seriously? My girlfriend and I kiss in public all the time. It is a natural display of affection and I enjoy it. IN front of policemen, , 5 feet away from them - 2 weeks ago at the departure gate of the Airport (while saying goodbye, as she was returning to Germany) - for quite a while. I saw no trouble, no stirring.

If I get pulled up for displaying affection, I'd make a fuss enough for newspapers to get involved. I'm a marketing person remember?
I may not win the case against the authorities, but I'd love to kick up a fuss. I'd pay the fine, but go down fighting.

I believe affection for a loved one is a natural action and as long as the display is well within the limits of decency, it should be encouraged and accepted. Prudishness is something I cannot tolerate.

If I can kiss my child in public, I should be allowed to kiss my partner in public. I love them both equally.

[mclaren1885]

Originally Posted by Sam Kapasi

I believe affection for a loved one is a natural action and as long as the display is well within the limits of decency, it should be encouraged and accepted. Prudishness is something I cannot tolerate.

If I can kiss my child in public, I should be allowed to kiss my partner in public. I love them both equally.

You certainly hit the nail on the head. But limits of decency is again interpreted in a lot of ways. To some holding hands is indecent. To others hanging out with a girl/guy (unmarried) alone be it in a restaurant or else where is indecent. To others girls wearing western clothes is indecent.

Do you know that T-shirts and jeans for girls are banned in most colleges in Bangalore? Apparently their argument is that guys get distracted and tend to misbehave thinking the girls are open-minded to issues such as dating and other western culture (based on them wearing jeans etc). Besides it also apparently portrays indecency in the sense that it reveals their curves. I mean, where are we heading to?

[vikram18]

Originally Posted by mclaren1885

and I was feeding her rice from my lunch box.

HOW CUTE! You li'l schoolkids, you! They were an offshoot of the riot police, the DIET police. They were simply advocating a low-carb diet, you RICER boy.

No jeans and Tees in college? No wonder you Bangy boys fiddle with your cars . Looks like this is where the Taliban has moved to.

[esteem_lover]

Originally Posted by vikram18

HOW CUTE! You li'l schoolkids, you! They were an offshoot of the riot police, the DIET police. The were simply advocating a low-carb diet.

No jeans and Tees in college? No wonder you Bangy boys fiddle with your cars. Looks like this is where the Taliban has moved to.

rofl, good one vikram.

[Sam Kapasi]

Originally Posted by vikram18

HOW CUTE! You li'l schoolkids, you! They were an offshoot of the riot police, the DIET police. They were simply advocating a low-carb diet, you RICER boy.

No jeans and Tees in college? No wonder you Bangy boys fiddle with your cars . Looks like this is where the Taliban has moved to.

That is bloody hilarious!! ROFLMAO!! Bravo!

[manziee_crusier]

Originally Posted by speedzak

Oh! So, you were the one with the torch!
I was so damn *#it scared.

LOL.Now you can explain why you ran awaycheers:

[devarshi84]

It's ok to show affection is public as long as its acceptable. The definition of what's acceptable in public are the limits we will go to in front of our elders. other elders outside the family too command equal respect.

While many are criticized for being closed minded people, there are also those who think that sab kuchh chalta hai. I dont really blame the cops. A park is not exactly the place to enjoy your pre-marital honeymoon. It's good to talk openly about sex but nobody asks for free demonstrations.

[Sam Kapasi]

Originally Posted by devarshi84

A park is not exactly the place to enjoy your pre-marital honeymoon. It's good to talk openly about sex but nobody asks for free demonstrations.

Agreed. But the discussion here is neither about having sex nor having a pre-marital honeymoon.
Public sex is something that almost no country accepts and rightly so.

We're discussing sitting in parks, holding hands and kissing. Natural displays of affection. Like I said, something that you are allowed to do with a child.

[devarshi84]

while I totally agree with your viewpoint, all I am pointing out is the fine line between what's acceptable and what's not.

Once upon a time in Ahmedabad people didnt go to the parks because they were infamous for shameful acts. Hence the reason I wrote that. It's only under cop control that the parks have regained their dignity. And couples come to the parks too, where else will appartment owers go? I wouldnt mind kissing my girlfriend in public either. It's a different case that we prefer a cool cafe to the hot perspiring public parks. :P

[manziee_crusier]

Originally Posted by vikram18

HOW CUTE! You li'l schoolkids, you! They were an offshoot of the riot police, the DIET police. They were simply advocating a low-carb diet, you RICER boy.
.

May be one of the most creative joke I have heard!

[snaronikar]

This happened a couple of months ago in Basavanguid park in BAngalore. A married couple was sitting on the chair in evening and all of a sudden the 2 constables came and started harassing them. They informed them they are married and are sitting their for some fresh air. Constables did not even heed to them and they took them to police station and started their usual harassment. This had become a big issue and all the tv channels (CNN-IBN) and newspapers (TOI) covered this issue. It was a truly embrassing to police commissioner that they have to suspend the constables who took them to police station from park. This all happened as there was a hue and cry over this incident on the behaviour of the police constables. It appears that they have not learnt the lesson.

[phamilyman]

@Sam: Appreciate the kinda values you espouse.

@Mclaren: Good stuff. But what you say is typical of maamus and the average eunuch/arbit no-gooder.

But in this regard, I recall a friend's pearl of wisdom: First earn an independent income, then practise virtue. Food for thought!

[Mayavi]

Originally Posted by himanshugoswami

we should not forget that this blind aping of western practices does not always work in our culture, and no matter how educated and well travelled we get, deep down most, if not all, Indians (Asians?) are conservative.

my 2 cents.....

I totally agree with Himanshu... we should stop aping western culture.

We should start teaching Indian culture right from school age. I recommend making Sri Krishna leelas and Kamasutra a mandatory reading from class 8 onwards and a 'cultural tour' to Kajuraho in class 10. That oughta wean away the young minds from western influences and put them back into the fold of Indian culture.

So Himanshu, when are you going to take the tour?

All kidding aside, this blaming western culture things has been taken too far. Sad part is that a lot of people cannot differentiate between what was truly Indian culture (the one that existed for 1000's of years sans any influence) and the present culture that has been heavily influenced by Afghan, Persian, Turk and the British. Those influences in the last 1000 years and have been assimilated, so why is the new resistance to this 'western culture'. We are in a confused state now, we just accepted what is given to us without a question and we are prosecuting those of us who are questioning. Why are we against a cultural evolution? If going from Kamasutra to erotic poses on temples to purdah is evolution, then purdah to jeans to mini skirts to kissing in public is evolution as well.

Originally Posted by snaronikar

This happened a couple of months ago in Basavanguid park in BAngalore. A married couple was sitting on the chair in evening and all of a sudden the 2 constables came and started harassing them.

I read a report that of late PDA has increased and in parks and dark corners it is going beyond the accepted levels of decency. The report also found that most people who are doing it in parks and in dark corners are actually married couples!! What is the reason for married couples having sex in parks rather than bed rooms? Increasing population, unavailability of housing (India has 1 room for every 2.3 persons), married couples sharing home with parents and other married siblings, resulting in zero privacy for intimate moments. Many couples share their bed room with kids and the less fortunate ones share it with their parents as well, the only place they can have time for themselves is in public places.

[srijit]

We are to be blamed for aping western culture. India was far ahead of the west in terms of sexuality. Just look at Khajurao or the Kamasutra. Then came a period where sex became a taboo and we Indians were a repressed lot.
I dont really know what happenned. All I know is that now we are trying to emulate everything western, without even thinking about it. We are doing things that dont make any sense, just because a westerner does it. We do not think if it is right or wrong for us.

My philosophy is to listen to new ideas and accept them if it fits my principles.

Coming back to topic somewhat, what is the state of sex education in schools these days? I didnt get much from mine