Jharkhand village holds kissing contest for married couples
In a country where public display of any sort of romantic affection is frowned upon, a tribal village in Jharkhand organized a kissing contest for married couples. Eighteen couples locked lips in front of thousands of spectators as part of an annual fair in the state's Dumaria village. The event aimed to strengthen nuptial relationships in the wake of rising divorces. Read for more.
Kissing in public to bring married couples closer
Simon Marandi, a Jharkhand Mukti Morcha legislator, has been organizing Dumaria Mela in the village since the last 37 years. The fair usually has several events such as tribal dance, archery and running competitions in which people from across villages participate. Held on Friday and Saturday, it had kissing contest for the first time this year to boost intimacy among married couples.
Know more about Jharkhand's Dumaria village
With 72 families living in it, Dumaria's total population is 333. According to 2011 Census, it had 169 male and 164 female residents, with an average sex ratio of 970. A tribal hamlet in Jharkhand's Pakur district, its average literacy rate is only 25%.
Kiss of Love anywhere, everywhere
In November 2014, a social media revolution ignited in Kerala's Kochi to slam moral policing by self-righteous right-wingers. Called Kiss of Love, it started with 50 couples kissing at public places in Kochi and soon spread across India. Many were jailed on charges of public obscenity, which is a public offense. The Indian law, however, does not clearly define what it considers as obscene.
