| Yoga, Kamasutra
& Khajuraho |
Yoga may be defined as that physiological-mental exercise which
helps harness ones internal vital energies. The earliest examples
of Yoga are carved on seals some 4000 years old, on phallic stones
used for ritual purposes. The yogic postures suggest a disciplined
concentration of life energies, deep breathing an equipoise posture,
which saved such yogis from vagaries of environment. Yogis also
suggest a slowing down of the process of metabolism; helping them
to remain alive in closed boxes, underground cellars etc.
Yoga believes that it is possible to trace the breath through all
the organs of the body. Yoga also focuses on the spine as an organ
of special powers and contains six invisible wheels. Yoga refers
to the lowest of such wheels as serpent and when through yogic concentration
it is aroused it moves other wheels leading to what may be called
bliss, creation of honey-eyed nectar in brain akin to semen. Yoga
uses sex as a form of worship, practicing techniques for prolonging
orgasm and making the phallic organ very strong for sexual prowess.
The greatest works of visual Indian art are based on celebrations
of youth & sacrosanct sexual love. The figurines that you see
in Hindu temples of Khajuraho are realistic images of youth. The
earliest full-bodied Mother Goddess images in stone are from Didiganj,
watermelon-breasted women with hips to match their bosoms, 2000
years old. One finds in twelfth-century 'Geeta Govinda' such erotic
pleasures of love, as
" Eager for the art of his love on the Jumna riverbank, a girl
pulls his silk cloth towards a thicket of reeds with her hand,
Hari (Lord Krishna) revels here…"
Kama Sutra graphically depicts the various positions of lovemaking,
as the earliest book on Eros. That sophisticated guide to mutual
sexual satisfaction for women as well as male, for married or single,
has enjoyed global renown. |
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| Khajuraho |
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The majestic shrines of Khajuraho, built between 950 & 1050
AD, are some of the finest & grandest specimens of Hindu architecture
and sculpture of medieval times. It is believed that the Chandella
Kings of Bundelkhand were the creators of these temples.
Located as
these are, the temples remained hidden from the eyes of the marauding
armies of Muslim Rulers, it is felt, surviving & remaining
forgotten in thick forests till the British Survey team rediscovered
them in 1819. Only 22 out of the original 85 survive to this day.
They are distinctly
different from the other temples in India. The roofs rise in ascending
heights & reach the acme. Right at the top there are no sculptures
but only intricate carvings that look like filigree work. What
is unique about these structures is that the slabs used in the
construction are not cemented to one another. Their own weight
& position gave them permanence, lasting a millennium.
The temples
are divided into three groups- Western, Eastern & Southern.
The Kendariya Mahadeva, standing 31 meters, is the most spectacular
one. The richly decorated arch at the entrance is exquisitely
carved with figures of gods & goddesses, celestial maidens
& lovers. The Chitragupta temple has dancing & hunting
scenes along with regal processions. The Vishwanath temple has
carvings of maidens standing and looking into mirrors, a women
playing on flute & another caressing a child.
Nuances of
human emotions & sensitivity are finely expressed on the faces
of sculpted figures. The shyness revealed in the smile of a girl
writing to her lover or the happiness portrayed on the faces of
a couple embracing each other, are revelations of great artistic
sensibility. Some sculptures on the temple walls reflect rituals
of Tantric (necromancy) nature. Love between two divine beings,
god Shiva & goddess Parvati is central to the theme of eroticism.
The figures
do not, however, always conjure up images of passion or eroticism.
These are full of sublime beauty. The general impression is one
of a serene way of life and must be viewed in totality. The panels
display scenes of worship, love, sex & more mundane routines
of troops marching to battle, domestic scenes. These are all the
reflections of the lifestyles pursued by the local rajahs.
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