Shows    »   Verdict    »  India, not a land of erotica?
NDTV
Sonia Singh The newly released anthology Electric Feather, published by Tranquebar, is a celebration of the sexual desire, and compiles 13 stories by South Asian writers.

The release of the book has initiated a debate on erotic literature and whether it has any takers in India.

In Indian literature, certain subjects have always been taboo. While love has always been there, most writers, perhaps in their attempt to write more pan-Indian novels which speak to a larger audience, get inhibited to write for pleasure.

Is India still uncomfortable with erotic art and literature? Or is the newly released anthology a sign of changing times? Watch the debate on Verdict.
What's your take?
Q.Is India uncomfortable with erotic art and literature?

Yes

No

Can't say
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Surfers Say
Posted by KUNNAL KOUL on Thursday, September 24, 2009 , JAMMU
WE HAVE A HISTORY OF FORGETTING OUR PAST HENCE THIS DISCUSSION .WE ARE NOT PAKISTAN OR TALIBAN.WE HAVE KHAJHURAO ND SO MANY LITERATURES ND TEMPLES AS A SYMBOL OF OUR PROGRESSIVE CULTURE DECADES OLD.
Posted by Vijay Yargal on Thursday, September 24, 2009 , Mysore-Melbourne
Although we now see the tendency of suppression, India did rate its sexual life very highly in the past. The erotic literature of India was neither an open secret or material which was passed furtively from hand to hand. The remarkable feature of tonight's aspect is where sex was not singled out or regarded as a special separate subject, but rather as a normal part of normal life. Thus modern India is something of an enigma today when we see that the element of dirty-mindedness was so completely unknown to the Indian people in the past. We must recall that for thousands of years India has not one single law against drinking intoxicating liquors, using drugs and others and not even a tiny injunction against nudity or sex. There were never any laws which imposed censorship on plays performed in public, on any poetry, literature, art or temple sculpture. Laws were lacking and the heavy hand of our government was unknown. In spite of this, Indians are moral and noble people. We have not better testimony of this than the words of praise of Queen Victoria, regarded by some as a very narrow-minded Christian, but broad enough to see that the Hindu religion was, in her perception, "A good religion and the Hindus are moral people." Think on these things!

Grateful & regards,
Vijay Yargal
Posted by Karavadi Raghava Rao on Thursday, September 24, 2009 , Vijayawada--
The science of poetics regarded the Srungara Rasa namely sexual love and romance as the king of the Nine Rasas.Ancient Indian Literature is abundant with eroticism in Sanskrit and in other regional languages.
Posted by D.R.Gulati on Thursday, September 24, 2009 , Delhi
With readership for literature in general being low, the discomfort level in reading erotic literature is also low.
Posted by Chetan Sharma on Thursday, September 24, 2009 , SHIMLA
Yes we are uncomfortable and the world must be sensitive towards our feelings.
Posted by R.Sridhar, Chennai on Thursday, September 24, 2009 , Chennai
Erotic literature is not alien to our literature as the ancient Sanscrit treatise on the art of love and sexual technique is being celebrated as a magnum opus .