BEHIND CLOSED

IN INDIA, 'LOVE HOTELS' ARE A HUSH-HUSH AFFAIR, YET THE ORIGINALLY JAPANESE CONCEPT HAS PROLIFERATED ACROSS TOWNS AND CITIES, OFFERING COUPLES A SAFE SPACE

- NIVI SHRIVASTAVA

IF SOMEONE EVER ASKED ME FOR directions to a "paradoxical paradise," I would point them to India. Our so-called "land of love and freedom," is surprisingly stuck in a cultural limbo that struggles with the idea of the "freedom to love." Modern India's evolutionary tale also brings us to the lesserknown world of "love hotels" in metro cities and a few progressive towns.

For young and restless lovers who aren't afraid to explore the underbelly of romance, the clandestine corners of "love hotels" provide a much-needed safe space. Here, passion is free to meet privacy, and the rooms can be rented on an hourly basis without burning a hole in one's pocket.

Historically, "love hotels" date back to Japan in the 1700s. During Japan's Edo period between 1603 and 1867, there were secret tea houses where geishas performed songs and dances, and engaged in physical intimacy with guests. After World War II, a reconstruction phase was underway throughout Japan. Post-World War II, these tea houses evolved into "rabuhoteru," a response to limited private spaces and societal taboos around intimacy. Today, these establishments are used by Japanese couples to romance undisturbed.

THE INDIAN CONTEXT