Japan Today: Japan News and Discussion

This is a true story from CNN
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Couple court, marry, go to court

In some areas of India, it's best not to kiss your bride

Thursday, September 22, 2005 Posted: 0639 GMT (1439 HKT)

NEW DELHI, India (Reuters) -- An Israeli couple was fined 1,000 rupees ($23) after an Indian court found them guilty of obscenity for kissing during their marriage ceremony in a Hindu pilgrim town, newspapers reported Wednesday.

The couple had decided to have a traditional Hindu marriage while visiting Pushkar town earlier this month in the temple-studded desert state of Rajasthan, The Times of India reported.

But they infuriated the priest as they started to kiss and embrace while he was chanting vedic hymns.

The priest, along with other Hindu holy men, complained to police, who filed charges against the couple. The court in Pushkar gave its verdict Tuesday.

The Asian Age newspaper said Hindu priests were outraged.

"We will not tolerate any cultural pollution of this sort," Ladoo Ram Sharma, president of an organization of Hindu priests in Pushkar, was quoted as saying.

Pushkar has a famous temple dedicated to Brahma -- the Hindu god of creation -- and is popular with foreign tourists who come for its desert ambience, camel safaris and annual camel fair.

India has tough obscenity laws and kissing in public is frowned upon in the largely conservative country.

Last October, local residents in the western state complained to authorities that a group of Israeli women had danced naked near Pushkar.

Japanese could use a few lessons eh?　　Look what kind of foreigners it attracts, when convenience stores have porno magazines in plain sight.

point taken

Yeah, I also read this in the news. Well, the $23 fine isn't that much, and it makes a funny honeymoon story

What does a convience store have to do with what he posted? Yeah, Japanese could use a few lessons...at the next hindu wedding in Japan they better refrain from any display of affection while the hindu priest is still chanting.

Funny story!



I think they were already there as tourists, and only then did
they decide to have a wedding there.

I blame Madonna.

Only $23...I guess it wasn't too painful


anyway I bet the wedding meal was tasty!!!!!!!!!

love that curry and Naan!!!!!!

yeh

only $23 and you too can be famous!

I wonder if the priest stopped his chanting and was like (read in an indian man's voice) "No No No! You cannot do that kind of thing here! You take that trash outside!"

How awful![:(]

why do some people get so wound up with affection/sex??

if the preists parents didn't have sex/affection he wouldn't be here!

Strange is`nt it coming from the country that wrote the Kama Sutra[:)]

They should respect local rules.

*venus takes notes for her 2006 India trip*

[8D][8D][:D][;)]

Hindu priests are famous for getting all riled up over little things like that.
most likely because they're not getting any[:D]

ok but it was a wedding

And that makes a difference because....you believe they should?
I think the couple were stupid to start with, if a guy is chanting probably not a good idea to interupt and if they were gonna do something like a foriegn wedding maybe they shoulda figure it all out.

$23 = 1000 ruppies
tell me - what makes the avarage indian man
these days in rural india?

well everyone know they kiss at weddings

wake up!

I do not know what this article is doing on a Japan based forum.

If the idea is to publilcize how un-forward looking are the peoples minds in India, then why not take a trip there... you;ll realize that this is hardly the top most problems that are there.

No you wake up. Apprently they dont, or they wouldnt get fined, especially not before the priest isnt finished.

India is not working on their cloning technique..?

[:D][:D][:D]
good one Indojin[:)] of course this story has been blown out of proportion. india is an intense place for controversy, and it doesn't stop to look at little instances such as this.

but as far as this being a japanese forum... well, we know that kissing is seen different from culture to culture. public displays of affection are acceptable to different levels in different places depending on the situation etc.
Japan has really come a long way though. People didn't use to be seen touching each other much at all 10 years ago. Now couples will hold hands in public and that is beyond okay (not even noticed) and even cuddle a bit in public. For example, along the Kamo River in Kyoto are many couples, touching each other playfully yet tastefully (no, not tasting each other[:)]). Still, though, I rarely see public kissing in Japan... although I do believe it is alright at weddings, at least the Western style ones. Anyone else know?