A kiss, or the gesture of a kiss, is universally recognised as a symbol of love and affection. Often associated with warmth and tenderness, the act of kissing has a rich historical significance. Recently, the 'flying kiss' gesture of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi in Parliament has sparked a controversy. BJP MPs alleged that he gave a "flying kiss" as he walked out of Parliament -- a gesture termed "misogynistic" by Union Minister Smriti Irani.
As Rahul Gandhi grabs headline for his alleged flying kiss gesture, let us explore the history and origins of the 'flying kiss'.
Understanding The Flying Kiss:
The "Flying Kiss," also known as a "Blown Kiss," is a gesture where one kisses their fingertips and then mimes blowing the kiss toward someone, typically when bidding farewell. It serves as a way to express affection while parting with someone. This action conveys love even when physical proximity doesn't allow for a conventional kiss.
Celebrities often use the flying kiss to acknowledge their fans, offering a symbol of appreciation to a broader audience. On stage, for instance, performers might send flying kisses to their entire audience, generating elation among their supporters.
While the phrase may vary, the gesture itself is well-recognized in the English-speaking world. Throwing a kiss was a term used in the past, and "flying kiss" is the term used in India.
The act of "blowing a kiss" as we know it today came into play after the 1600s, evolving from the Old English term 'blawan,' meaning 'to create an air current.'
Historical Roots, Origins:
Marcel Danesi wrote in his book 'The History of the Kiss', "The act of blowing kisses originated in Mesopotamia as a means to gain favour with the gods." Talking about the scenario in Persia, Danesi wrote, "In Persia, a man of equal rank was greeted with a kiss on the lips and one of slightly lower rank with a kiss on the cheek.", while he said that the segregation based on the status of a person was even harsher in Rome, where "an individual’s social status dictated what part of the emperor’s body he or she was allowed to kiss, from the cheek down to the foot. The lower the part of the body kissed, the lower the rank of the kisser."
In the middle ages, The Protestant Reformation saw kissing as "a disgusting carnal act," and banned it from religious services, but others in the at that time felt differently.
Talking about the lip-kiss, Danesi wrote that it came into light on stories and novels written around the late 11th and early 12th centuries. This was followed by the emergence of the theatrical form known as Commedia dell’Arte, "which satirized romantic love," and kissing-as-romance became a part of culture.
Shakespeare best represented this in 'Romeo and Juliet' and this newfound importance of kissing led to the passing of a new law in Italy which sad, "if the bride or the groom died before the kiss on the wedding day, every wedding gift had to be given back."
Despite all this, Danesi believed that the sensual power of kiss is not something we inherit, but culture played its role in promoting it since Medieval times as an "act of betrayal and carnality, as opposed to . . . an act of fidelity and spirituality."
From the medieval period to the modern day, kissing did not become a prominent aspect of popular culture, but pop culture itself came into existence once society embraced the connection between the lips and the heart, argues Danesi.
"Because the kiss originated as a need to subvert the extant religious and patriarchal order in Medieval Europe, it acquired great appeal wherever it was introduced through narratives, poetry and visual art."
Response Of Leaders Towards Rahul Gandhi's Alleged Gesture:
A letter has been sent to Speaker Om Birla, signed by women MPs from the NDA reading: "I would like to draw your attention towards the incident in the House by Rahul Gandhi, MP from Wayanad, Kerala. The said member has behaved in an indecent manner and making inappropriate gesture towards Smriti Zubin Irani, Union Minister and Member of this House, while she was addressing the House, which has not only insulted the dignity of the women members in the House, it has also brought disrepute and lowered the dignity of this august House."