A court in India’s western desert state of Rajasthan fined an Israeli couple $22 for kissing in public after their wedding ceremony at a revered Hindu pilgrimage site, reports said on Wednesday.
The court in Pushkar imposed the 1 000 rupee fine on the couple, identified as Opez Alone and Selev Kermit, for “committing an act of indecency” after their marriage in the holy town, the Press Trust of India news agency reported.
The two met in India while on separate visits and decided to get married in a traditional Hindu ceremony on September 6 at Pushkar, the Times of India said.
Soon after the marriage was solemnised, the couple embraced and kissed each other as Hindu priests continued chanting verses from religious texts.
This upset the priests, some of whom filed a case against the two in a local court “for indulging in indecent activity in public” and “hurting Hindu sentiments”.
During a court hearing on Monday, the two apologised and said their public display of emotion was unintentional and was not meant to hurt religious sentiments.
The couple said that although they had got married according to Hindu rituals, they kissed each other as per their own culture and were unaware that kissing in public was prohibited in India.
Devout Hindus believe a visit to Pushkar is essential at least once in their lifetime. – AFP