All for Love

Written by Ruhie Jamshaid • January 2011

The enchanting nature that embraces Sri Lanka, is legendary. Visitors from all around the world flock to this tear-drop shaped nation, despite the war and turmoil it has witnessed, to remain enamored by its natural beauty.

Sri Lanka prides itself on its natural allure and is therefore home to numerous parks that serve to somewhat further ‘harvest’ this natural charm. These parks provide conducive picnic spots for families where wild life is preserved. However, recently, yet another category has been added to the repertoire of parks in Sri Lanka which has raised several eyebrows. The government has recently embarked on a project to introduce the unique concept of Love Parks in Sri Lanka!

These Love Parks, otherwise known as Youth Parks, provide an avenue for courting couples to be together away from the interference of the prying eyes of the general public and police. Sri Lanka, being a South Asian nation that it is, generally withholds conservative values and shuns the open interaction of lovers in public places. Over-zealous police is known to warn or even arrest couples engaged in expressions of physical intimacy.

Due to the lack of places for lovers to have some private respite, the Ministry of Youth Affairs, thought of introducing these Love Parks where courting lovers or even young married couples can go and be together in peace. The parks will have musicians and possibly restaurants to enhance the romantic ambience of the place. The usage of these parks, however, is not without rules and regulations. Couples will be required to behave within appropriate limits of decency and children will not be allowed into these parks.

Despite the ministries good intentions, the idea of these Love Parks have garnered much public debate. While there is a section of the community which applauds their initiation on the basis of liberal thinking and human rights, there is yet another group of people who laugh at the idea as being simply ludicrous. They wonder why budget hotels are not being promoted instead! Budget hotels are thought to be sufficient for couples who desire private space and besides, they are thought at least create jobs in the service sector. The government is accused to be indulging in unnecessary antics, instead of focusing on rejuvenating the economy of the country after the ravages of war. Many feel that the finances used to create and maintain these parks could be put to use in other industries to create jobs or injected into education to uplift the lives of many poor citizens affected by the war.

Several sections of the community even go as far as to say that this is yet another coffers-filling strategy by certain government officials to run their own business at these parks or fraudulently fill their pockets by manipulating budgets assigned for these parks.

The concept of these Love Parks has also invited the ire of several conservative families. There are many who believe that these parks will provide the ‘license’ for immoral behavior and encourage their young sons and daughters to run off to these parks with their lovers instead of being at work or school. They associate these parks with westernized values which are alien to their society.

Whatever the opinions, these parks are definitely an interesting point of conversation. Also, their existence challenges the traditionalist mindset and forces us to confront the changing societal norms. The fact is that whether these parks exist or not, courtships and love marriages are on the rise with greater interactions between males and females. Sri Lankan society, in general, is moving towards the westernized value system. The idea of these parks is simply a concept that is keeping in step with the changing times and could be looked upon as providing individual freedom within boundaries. In conclusion, they seek to appease the traditional values, while accepting modern challenges.