Defending the Indian Culture Gere-shetty episode

Although the incident of Gere-Shetty happened across 15000 miles it was a hot topic of discussion at my work place in Miami. Surprisingly none of the people involved in the discussion were Indian. I overheard this bunch of Latinos discussing about the entire kissing episode. They were really curious about the Indian culture and looking for someone to answer them. I tried to avoid them by hiding behind the computer screen because I knew that I am not that qualified and mature enough to properly handle those questions. Suddenly all of them pointed their fingers towards me and asked me is it that how India is? Is kissing prohibited in India and so on?

For a moment I felt that as if I was a bowler whose first 4 balls of the over are hit for sixes. I knew it is very difficult to explain to people that Indian culture is much more flexible than what its been described by the press and the media. But the fact that I am an Indian demanded that I should reply them back by saying at least something which could make them understand that public display of affection is not very well accepted by majority of the Indians.

After being in the field of research for quite a sometime I decided to use counter example approach (normally used when there is no direct solution to the problem). So instead of replying them I posed another question by asking them how they felt when two guys kissed each other in public. Majority of them said that it would be really weird and said that it would be so gay.

I told them that in some countries its not considered to be gay, its a normal practice when two men greet they kiss each other and not just once 3-4 times. Every one in the discussion were awed by this practice which is very common in the Arab world. Then I explained them they find it weird because since their childhood they have rarely seen men kissing each other as it was not a part of their culture.

Similarly in India the concept of public display of affection is not that very common. People generally restrict themselves to their homes or bedrooms when kissing each other. I realized that I had bowled a bouncer on the fifth ball and forced the batsman to edge to the keeper on the sixth.