Sex is the instrument of child-bearing: Mulk Raj Anand

Mulk Raj Anand, born in 1905 at Peshawar, was among the early creative writers in modern India to emphasise the relationship between life and literature. He renounced abstract thought to pursue the "philosophy of the human person" in his novels and essays on art. Today, he sums up the essence of his life as "all experience". Recently in New Delhi Mulk Raj Anand, better known for his contribution as editor of 134 issues of Marg magazine - which he unceremoniously relinquished this year-spoke to Amar Nath about his latest publication-a lavishly illustrated version of the Kama Sutra:Q. When and how did you conceive the idea of your Kama Sutra?A. In life one wants something but gets something else. In 1925, I went to Europe to study philosophy where I came under the influence of Bertrand Russell who had already evolved his theory of the 'human person'. Through him I met Havelock Ellis who wrote the Psychology of Sex in two volumes. He asked me if I had seen the Kama Sutra which was his guru. I was a naive poet, a barbarian from the Punjab. When I finally read it I was struck by the daring and courage of Vatsyayana in the 3rd-4th century A.D. Russell and Lawrence were trying to liberate the English Methodist Christians to create a healthy relationship between the sexes. As somebody said "Eros was being denied". So I read Kama Sutra in London in this environment. I thought some day Kama Sutra should come out as well as Teriade was bringing out the French art journal Verve. I wanted a rare book away from the obscene smut; the idea of making sex holy.Q. You never considered doing the Kama Sutra as an issue of Marg?.preferred-source-banner{ margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom:10px;}A. The Tatas wouldn't allow that. I know JRD is very liberal, but at other levels it would've been difficult. I did a book with Nagel - Kama Kala - some notes on the philosophical basis of Indian erotic art. It was banned by Morarji Desai under the Sea Customs Act. Once, one of the biggest industrial houses tried to destroy Konarak- to rebuild a Hindu temple. Tagore and Nandlal Bose fought against it. Actually the Kama Kala was only a sop to my vanity because the Kama Sutra was my real dream.Q. Have you revised the text from the original Sanskrit manuscript or is it very different from the 1883 text of Sir Richard Burton and F.F. Arbuthnot?A. I and Lance Dane, the photographer, have revised the text making it less verbose and Victorian. Sentences with 22-24 words were shortened - also collating it with the Sanskrit text through a scholar.Q. How did you hope to keep out erotica or even pornography from your hook and project it as ''Hove as it was once understood in India in all its beauty and tenderness"? A. It is a question of emphasis. Partly of an attitude contrasting it to that of the West. I am opposed to the permissive-regarding a woman as a latrine. Sex is the instrument of child-bearing. Modesty is a woman's cover for defence against rape. Ninety per cent of men rape their wives - there's no tenderness. Some women desire it. She is mellowed when her juices begin to flow. Vatsyayana puts assault after tenderness. He tells us how to court a woman at length-that's something that comes not from technical knowhow. but from tenderness. If you read poetry to her for example, it would be conducive to psychological unity. In fact pinching, biting - all becomes incidental.Q. But doesn't sex come instinctively?A. Basically men and women are cold, separate, aloof. There is an awkward moment between man and woman-even husband and wife-till the eyes become four. Many here can't look in each other's eyes. Q. Wasn't the Kama Sutra only an indulgence for the elite? A. Kama Sutra as a classic was forgotten. Sir Richard Burton unearthed it. It was more or less of the age of Kalidasa. Confrontation between the sexes was open but tender and free. In Khajuraho they look at each other without awkwardness. Grace had entered the embrace. From the babuisation of the middle classes Victorianism spread.Q. What was your major hurdle in this effort?A. Many Indians-printers and publishers-have no faith. Most publishers are merchants, not lovers of books. The idea of the book lover grew with the European bourgeoisie who cultivated and patronised rare books as an "art"-just for its sake. Q. How does tenderness feature when you systematically describe the 84 sexual asanas accounting for the various permutations and combinations?A. The borderline between pornography, obscenity and holiness is quite clear. Such a private, intimate, warm experience as love can't be talked about in a routine manner.Published By: AtMigration Published On: Oct 25, 2013--- ENDS ---

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Sex is the instrument of child-bearing: Mulk Raj Anand

Mulk Raj Anand, born in 1905 at Peshawar, was among the early creative writers in modern India to emphasise the relationship between life and literature. He renounced abstract thought to pursue the "philosophy of the human person" in his novels and essays on art.

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