२ नोव्हेंबर, २०२०

"But many of our relatives accused us of aping the West. They phoned us to ask what was the need for this? They said, have you forgotten our culture?"

Said the bride, from "A young Indian couple, whose intimate post-wedding photoshoot went viral on social media and attracted vicious trolling, have told the BBC they will not take down the pictures as it would mean giving in to their bullies" (BBC). 

If you put coy, posed photographs of yourself up on line and people make fun of you, are they "bullies"?

Click through to see the photographs. There's no nudity, just a couple acting playfully loving while swathed in big white comforters. Is that "aping the West"? Does anyone around here — this half of the globe — do wedding photos with giant expanses of comforter? 

२८ टिप्पण्या:

Hammond X. Gritzkofe म्हणाले...

"If you put coy, posed photographs of yourself up on line and people make fun of you, are they "bullies"?"

If you put anything "on line" you can expect comment of all kinds, from anywhere on the planet.

buwaya म्हणाले...

A sillier but much more entertaining POV -

Bride & Prejudice - Aishwara Ray
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0361411/

tim maguire म्हणाले...

As wedding photos, there’s nothing Western about them. But as exhibitionism—that seems pretty Western.

Darrell म्हणाले...

Of course, you could be severely beaten in India for a public kiss. But that's OK because it's their culture. Here you get snarked--much worse according to the BBC. Did you see the new Anne Boleyn for BBC's new drama, coming in the next year? A Black woman gives the story of Henry VIII a whole new spin, and explains why the Pope objected to the marriage. It was hard for a Black woman to keep ahead in those days, however you slice it.

Fernandinande म्हणाले...

Those dot Indians sound like narrow minded scolds. Not all of them!

"Many [relatives] asked them to remove the photographs and Lekshmi and Hrushi were dropped from family WhatsApp groups."

^^ are they "bullies"?

Next Adventure म्हणाले...

Another case of quarantine fatigue - she didn't even post the original photos, the photographer did to promote the business. People are just looking for any reason to fight, around the world.

Ron Winkleheimer म्हणाले...

India is very conservative when it comes to sexual mores. Remember a few years ago when Richard Gere kissed an Indian actress on the lips at some sort of ceremony and there was talk of prosecuting him? So, to the average Indian the photos are salacious. And since salaciousness is what the West is associated with to an Indian, then in that sense they are "Aping the West."

Political Junkie म्हणाले...

Cute photos of a happy couple. The photo where she flashes him and his reaction might be unsettling to some traditionalists.

Sydney म्हणाले...

Those photos were a little too much.

Ron Winkleheimer म्हणाले...

"There's a joke that it's okay to "piss in public but not kiss in public" in India. Unfortunately, there is truth to it! While you may think nothing of holding your partner's hand in public, or even hugging or kissing them, it's not appropriate in India. Indian society is conservative, particularly the older generation. Such personal acts are associated with sex and can be considered obscene in public. "Moral policing" does occur. While it's unlikely that, as a foreigner, you'll be arrested it's best to keep affectionate gestures private."

https://www.tripsavvy.com/indian-etiquette-donts-1539435

MayBee म्हणाले...

Nobody wants to see you making an orgasmic face while you are naked in a comforter with your husband. That's for you.
If my friend posted that, I would laugh at the poor taste. If my sister did that, I would question her about it. That wouldn't be bullying.

Temujin म्हणाले...

Looks more like aping Bollywood.

Birkel म्हणाले...

Is this story aimed at Kamala Harris because of her subcontinental Indian heritage?
She's not "black" so is this an attempt to hold her to cultural norms?

readering म्हणाले...

I attended one day of a multiday wedding in Mumbai. Lavish indeed. I can imagine the disappointment that led to this kinda silly photoshoot.

William म्हणाले...

I clicked on it in search of refuge. Something that isn't about politics. Here's a direct quote from the bride: "Ours was an arranged-cum-love marriage".....She pretty much invites Beavis and Butthead to the wedding. I would have preferred that she use a bed sheet as opposed to a comforter during the photoshoot.

Maillard Reactionary म्हणाले...

She's a cutie, for sure.

Reminds me of a Bollywood movie. But yeah, India is different. If a couple is spotted alone, holding hands, it's shotgun wedding time (so to speak, I don't think people are allowed to have shotguns there).

Bilwick म्हणाले...

A few years ago I read how many of the younger generation Indians were gravitating toward the values of the Enlightenment--chiefly reason and individualism--much to the consternation of their hidebound elders. It was ever thus.

Earnest Prole म्हणाले...

Three words; Yummy Love-Dumpling.

Dude1394 म्हणाले...

I thought they were lovely and certainly less skin that any western advertisement. They are correct in telling the nags to **** off.

Sally327 म्हणाले...

It's aping the West to be self-indulgent and oblivious to the effect your actions may have on others.

daskol म्हणाले...

They mean "the west" in terms of democracy/whiskey/sexy, but in particular the bold flaunting of female sexuality. You're supposed to pretend you don't want it if you're a woman, outside "the west."

Joe Smith म्हणाले...

The girl...cute, but she's going to balloon as she gets older unless she lays off the nan.

The guy...he's going to need a weed-whacker for the ear hair...


Overall just two people being goofy...so what?

Magson म्हणाले...

@ William "Here's a direct quote from the bride: "Ours was an arranged-cum-love marriage".....She pretty much invites Beavis and Butthead to the wedding."

Indian English still commonly uses the Latin "cum" in its original meaning "and" with the connotation of "becoming." So her quote in "American English" is more properly understood as "Ours was an arranged marriage that became a love marriage."

No Beavis and Butthead at all in that.

Greg The Class Traitor म्हणाले...

Wait, the place that gave us the Kama Sutra is calling pictures of sexuality "Western"?

Narr म्हणाले...

I see some unfamiliar commenters here . . . William's wit is sly, and dry as a mummy's cough.

Yah, goofy kids is all I saw. "Western" is the basis of "Modern," and if a lot of Indians and others don't like it, let 'em turn in their gadgets and go back to the past.

Narr
Might as well be Muslims, some people

Anthony म्हणाले...

Get a room.......

JaimeRoberto म्हणाले...

It's surprising that a place so prudish has over a billion people.

The Vault Dweller म्हणाले...

There is no nudity, but some of the photos are a little bit more risque, than would be expected from a traditional, "Western" wedding. I already dislike current wedding photos because they seem overly contrived. I don't mind a little stagecraft, but I prefer photos that do more to capture what is actually happening. And I imagine those are the photos that have some lasting power to rekindle the emotions associated with memories. The photos remind me in a low-key way of the SNL skit about Virginia is for Lovers.