Vad gör Ylle i Mumbai?

The country that gave us the Kama Sutra is now in for a change. Or should I write in for a change again? Look at Indian culture through times and you will see a diverse picture when it comes to love, sex and relationships. Look at the pictures of the Hindu gods and you will see them dancing half naked, listen to the stories and you will hear tales of love and betrayal, of wives and husbands and lovers. And of love.

Then something happened. I have heard Indians blame the Portuguese, who allegedly couldn’t resist the beautiful women they encountered in the new country. So the Indians had to start covering up and for some reason they kept going long after the Portuguese was gone.

If this is when love came to no longer be the reason to marry I do not know, but somewhere along th road the Kama Sutras words of desire and passion were forgotten and replaced with arranged marriages and parents approval.

But there is something about love that we cannot control. No matter how much we wish and try, the usual rules of logic does not apply to desire, selfcontrol does not agree with passion and the heart does not care who is suitable or from the right family.

And now, love has a new accomplice in technology. When lovers in the old days snuck out for secret meetings in the garden they now use textmessaging to exchange words of appreciation. The mobile phone has become a weapon in the fight for love.

Another threat to the parents involvement in choice of partner for marriage is the opportunity to take things in own hands. The internet now hosts several indian internet dating sites where one can find a suitable bride or groom. Maybe not as radical and romantic as the textmessaging with unapproved lovers, but still an effective way to affect ones destiny and definitely something that effects romantic relationships. Hopefully in a way that makes them even a bit more romantic.

But of course there is a back side to all of this. Speaking of how new technology affects relationships, I guess the Indians are lucky the don’t drink much alcohol. They are still to discover the drink-n-dial…