As we move
on with life with its various mesmerising manifestations like love , fear ,
hope , despair , phobia , attraction and more , we are delighted by some of
them and disgusted with many others. Well , without beating around the bush any
further let me clarify what I am hinting at. Abbreviated as PDA , ‘Public
display of affection’ has undertones that might induce a feeling of discomfort
and embarrassment to the onlookers , especially when the couple engrossed in
the same acts irresponsible and oblivious of the surroundings.
In a country
like India, where all things to do with sex are discussed in a hush-hush tone
and kept under the wraps , PDA comes
across as a cultural shock without doubt.
Well let me
start from the very beginning , it is about last Saturday , 15 august..when we
decided to have our breakfast at Macdonald ‘s.
It is supposed to be a kids friendly place with a perfect setting for a
family’s day out. It being the Independence day , we decided to take some
liberties and have great fun. As we entered the place , aromas of fresh and
mouth watering stuff engulfed us .The place was smug and clean and the staff
wore a servile smile to serve some real good English breakfast.Post some
ordering as we settled down to have the treat my eyes fell on a young girl
still in her pyjamas ,sipping some coffee and pouring over a national daily
kept there .
A host of
thoughts crossed my mind like the Independence today’s youth have , the
calmness she would be experiencing in the midst of a bustling public place
(given that such moments elude me post marriage and two kidsL ) and so many more. It was
encouraging to see how women today have really found themselves and are so
comfortable in their skin that they are no more looking for validations from
the society for all the things they want to have...including the quintessential
ME time!
But all these empowering thoughts about independence
, women empowerment , global thinking & their taking charge were shattered
soon. There arrived this young man in his exercise gear and the two shared an intense
smooch. Not that I have anything against being in love neither do I belong to
any anti –love moral brigade but I do
believe that Love in full public glare should know its limits .Culturally , we
talk and walk so much of Indian values with our kids that such acts of random
intimacy can unsettle us anytime.
Accompanied
by a son who is yet to turn 8 Yrs and a daughter who’s embarking on the verge
of early adulthood , this PDA – from intense smooch to hugging and caressing
oblivious of the world around was too much to handle. We felt as if we have
entered into somebody’s bedroom. It was
shocking , embarrassing and disgusting.
Freedom or
Independence is one liberating thing but misusing it and forgetting one’s
limits is at an another tangent altogether. While all love birds have every
right to be together in their own way , acceptable of course(goes without saying!) , we refuse
to give them liberties to infringe on our rights. I wish to rest my case with an
open appeal to all those engaging in PDA at the drop of the hat, It would go
something like this-
“Love is an
amazing feeling but draw the line , exercise restrain and ensure that you do
not breach the freedom of others in the vicinity. It is not a favour you do to
them but it’s a moral obligation and all the more a responsibility towards all
those young people around you because they look up to you as their future role
models. Inspire them to think globally but act locally .And better still leave a few things to imagination only.”
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