By M G Singh,
Goa has ample sun-kissed beaches and thousands of tourists from west, particularly Slav nations flock here. The bikini has become a part of politics.
Goa and the bikini
Goa brims with foreign tourists around the year and no other spot except Goa deals with such astronomical tourist-influx. Goa is indeed in oddity with all other tourist zones of India. And what that fixates one’s eyeballs upon and also heats up a debate among ministers of Goa is ‘bikini’.
Why is it that biknis still continue to be a matter of squeamishness among the ministries of Goa? Very recently, Goa PWD minister Sudin Dhavalika reportedly said that he would oppose a free bikini wear in Goa. He is reported to have said that if tourists come to Goa wearing bikinis, then I am against it. He added that “culture” was against wearing the two-piece bathing garment. In contrast the Tourism minister Parulekar had commented that as a tourism minister, he had never said no to bikinis.
The tourism minister, however, added that bikinis could be worn on beaches as well as swimming pools but not in supermarkets or temples. One gets a feeling that politics is needlessly injected into a mundane topic. Maybe to hog the limelight, but it could also be playing to the gallery for votes and popularity. Many people love moral policing.
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Live and let live
My stance in favor of bikinis beyond the beach
With no intention of inflicting my views on any body who is reading, I put forward my stand on the ‘bikini-issue’. Well, in my eyes, I don’t see any need for a ban on bikinis on the beach, that is, in swimming pools, markets, kiosks or any open-to-public section. One should not forget that the ancient Indian dresses as seen from paintings and sculptures are far more revealing.
Most tourists who come to Goa do it to relax and let their hair down. Many come from extremely cold countries and Goa is heaven for them, with its sunshine and all weather beaches.
Donning a bikini is one’s self choice and there should be no talk of culture and heritage etc. These can be self-defeating. I think bringing politics into wearing a bikini is not the right approach. In real terms many Indian girls also wear bikinis. Goa on the Arabian Sea is a blessed place, let's keep it that way.
With no intention of inflicting my views on any body who is reading, I put forward my stand on the ‘bikini-issue’. Well, in my eyes, I don’t see any need for a ban on bikinis on the beach, that is, in swimming pools, markets, kiosks or any open-to-public section. One should not forget that the ancient Indian dresses as seen from paintings and sculptures are far more revealing.
Most tourists who come to Goa do it to relax and let their hair down. Many come from extremely cold countries and Goa is heaven for them, with its sunshine and all weather beaches.
Donning a bikini is one’s self choice and there should be no talk of culture and heritage etc. These can be self-defeating. I think bringing politics into wearing a bikini is not the right approach. In real terms many Indian girls also wear bikinis. Goa on the Arabian Sea is a blessed place, let's keep it that way.
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