India tells topless tourists to cover up in Goa

[Danee]

India tells topless tourists to cover up in Goa
March 16, 2010

A tourist bathes topless on a beach in Goa. New booklets ask tourists to refrain from nude sunbathing and wearing skimpy clothing in the streets.

A tourist bathes topless on a beach in Goa. New booklets ask tourists to refrain from nude sunbathing and wearing skimpy clothing in the streets.

Tourism officials in the Indian resort state of Goa have begun distributing booklets to overseas visitors, asking them to refrain from nude sunbathing and wearing skimpy clothing in the streets.

It comes after one Goa lawmaker accused Russian tourists of "corrupting the minds of locals" and leaving a "horrifying impression on schoolchildren" by wandering the streets and beaches in a state of undress.

The former Portuguese colony is a magnet for overseas visitors, attracted by its long, sandy beaches, dusk-till-dawn parties and laid-back lifestyle.

But the state tourism department said that while Goans were generally tolerant to more informal European styles of dress, visitors should still bear in mind local religious and cultural sensitivities.

"If in doubt take local advice especially with regard to topless bathing," the guidelines read. "Nudity on the beaches and public places is strictly forbidden."

It advises: "Never ride a two-wheeler without clothes on the upper part of the body."

The guide also warns against offers of land sales and modelling contracts, and details strict punishments for drug possession or dealing.

The pocket guide is currently available in English and Russian, as Britons and Russians make up the majority of Goa's 400,000 annual overseas visitors. A German version is planned.

In January, officials mooted a ban on using bikini-clad women for state-funded advertising promoting Goa as a tourist destination after a string of crimes against women




from: http://www.smh.com.au/travel/travel-news/india-tells-topless-tourists-to-cover-up-in-goa-20100316-qbsr.html

[wearoscarwilde]

I'm going to be in Goa this summer - it is so interesting that a country traditionally comfortable with nudity is now incredibly prudish. An Indian biology teacher of mine talked about how they never use drawings or diagrams that show the whole body nude, and she thought it was backwards and foolish of them to hide the body from premedical students. I agree, and I wonder if it has something to do with the long presence of the British colonizers... It will be interesting to see how people deal with nudity during the four months I'm in India. I hope I get to have some kind of naturist experience, but it's looking like there is only a slim chance of that. Maybe it's for the best - I hear the mosquitoes are often mistaken for small birds... 

[skifan08]

I'm going to be in Goa this summer - it is so interesting that a country traditionally comfortable with nudity is now incredibly prudish. An Indian biology teacher of mine talked about how they never use drawings or diagrams that show the whole body nude, and she thought it was backwards and foolish of them to hide the body from premedical students. I agree, and I wonder if it has something to do with the long presence of the British colonizers... It will be interesting to see how people deal with nudity during the four months I'm in India. I hope I get to have some kind of naturist experience, but it's looking like there is only a slim chance of that. Maybe it's for the best - I hear the mosquitoes are often mistaken for small birds... 

Haha - you heard correctly about those mosquitoes...

As for prudery - I think you're on to something with your suspicion of the British legacy. I think in addition to that, the arrival of and rule by Muslim kings (the Mughals and others later) also led to a lot more modesty and covering up in India simply due to Islamic tradition. This is especially evident if you look at parts of the country where Muslim dynasties ruled for a long time or where there are large Muslim populations - women and men both wear longer clothing with full length pants, long sleeves, higher neck-lines, etc., namely salwar kameezes and kurtas, which are much more modest than saris and dhotis, which are what Hindus tend to wear.