Sex in the Indian Culture

The Indian culture treats sex as a science and respects everything that has to do with intimate relationships. The Indian sexuality reached a level of high development through the most popular books, Kama Sutra, which is nowadays known all over the world. India was one of the first cultures to put so much importance on sexual education and sexual practices, and started new eras on this matter.

The oldest literature concerning sexuality were ancient texts in Hinduism, Buddhism and Jainism. Hinduism gave the world the first erotic literature texts and they are still read today, sustaining different sexual practices in different cultures. In these ancient texts, sexuality was presented in a moral light, based on marriage and fertility prayers and rituals and one of the oldest books to present this perspective is the Vedas volume. Most sexual positions and performances were considered back then to be a form of sexuality that increases fertility. This was the most important concern of Indians and it was well reflected through their ancient texts. In ancient India, sex was a mutual duty between the husband and the wife. Both partners had to offer equal sexual pleasure to each other and respect each other’s desires and sexual preferences. This is considered to be the basis of a healthy and happy intimate relationship nowadays as well, even if it started in the year 1400 BC. Also, in ancient India polygamy was not something to blame. Sexual diversity and exploration was encouraged and this gave birth to some of the main fetishes that we know and practice today such as threesomes or group sex. Nothing was off limit as long as all the partners involved in the sexual act were agreeing with it and enjoying the outcome. Reaching intense sexual satisfaction and orgasms was a common goal for everyone involved.

Kama Sutra, the book that made history in the Indian sex culture and gained popularity worldwide, was initially written for a limited audience. Only warrior and nobility casts, philosophers, concubines and members of certain religious orders were meant to have access to Kama Sutra when it first got out as a compendium of erotic texts. One of the main reasons for this was the fact that these people were educated and could read and write so that made them suitable to consult such a book. Kama Sutra is a book that illustrates the art of sex more than anything else. With pictures that describe best how two bodies should please each other, this book became highly popular among Indians and many started to apply what they have read in it. However, unlike other ancient erotic texts, Kama Sutra survived the test of time and wasn’t destroyed along with other writings. The book was also translated in English by Richard Burton and F.F. Arbuthnot. Even if Kama Sutra offers details for a successful sexual life within a marriage, nowadays it began known and studied worldwide and many couples and partners try to experience its interesting positions regardless to their marital status.

Tantra is another Indian philosophy concerning sexuality and it is the art of prolonging an orgasm longer than your body wants or is prepared for. Tantric sex is also a part of yoga and the rumor that it never ends in an orgasm is false. However, this form of sexuality is focused more on the spiritual and energetical aspect of the partners and doesn’t require so much hedonistic pleasure like other forms of sexuality. In Buddhist tantra practices for instance, orgasm is never a goal. Sex is always performed to reach a spiritual enlightenment and all the sexual practices should be filled with this kind of spiritual satisfaction, as supposed to a physical pleasure. But tantric sex became very popular as well and nowadays is adapted to many cultures around the world. People like the idea of prolonging an orgasm because this increases the intensity of the sexual satisfaction that comes at the end of the sexual scene.

With such a broad sexual history and influences, India is a fascinating place to explore and Indians still apply most of their ancient knowledge until this day. Their sexual life is a very rich one, based on several concepts and focused on intense sexual satisfaction. India is also the place of a multitude of sexual fetishes and erotic performances.