The Seductive Feminine

Beauty, Genius of Blossom-Time, forsaking
the Kadamba, Kutaja and Kakubha,
the Sarja and the Arjuna
now dwells with the Saptaparna
(Ritu3.3, The Loom of Time, Pg 19)

THE NIP IN THE AIR WAS JUST RIGHT. SHARP enough to suck in your breath, but not cold enough to give one gooseflesh. And the air was heavy with the fragrance of the Saptaparni tree, welcoming my favourite time of the year in Delhi, the advent of the first flush of winter and the farewell to the autum­nal laze. With Christmas round the corner and the anticipation of the ringing of the New Year bells, the kind of comme ci, comme ça of a year going by and the anticipation of another year approaching.

Enchanting pleasure gardens resplendent with jasmines sparkling as the playful laughter of lovely women can entice even a saint’s heart serene and passion-free; Can young hearts turbid with passion remain unmoved?
( Kalidasa, The Loom of Time)

Nature is prakriti, nature is feminine. In fact, it enshrines centres of power, radiating plenitude and beauty. This is the time for garden parties, warm lunches and sharp cocktails laid out in the lush gardens of Delhi homes. This end of the year time in Delhi is special. An unhurried pace where there is no tearing hurry to meet any kind of deadline but the luxury of time to sit back, take stock and smell the roses.

As I revel in this special time of the year, the idea of vilas or pleasure engulfs me.

I start ruminating on the pleasure of life, the joy of living, and a text which has been part of my life for the last two-and-a-half decades, the Kamasutra. The Kamasutra not only stands as a testament to the pursuit of pleasure but also influenced a plethora of erotic texts and pleasure albums, patronised by kings and nobility. Ratirahasya, Ananga Ranga, Panchasayaka and a host of Sanskrit poetry that is replete with the beauty and the pursuit of pleasure, of shringara, of seduction and wooing.

Having written extensively and curated a seminal exhibition on the Kamasutra in the city of love, Paris, I truly understood our traditional wisdom of dharma, artha, kama and moksha. I understood how smart our ancients were. How they incorporated the spiritual, the temporal and the corporeal in such a seamless and organic manner.

Being one of the most misinterpreted texts, the mother of all erotic arts, the Kamasutra, like an old sage whispering the pearls of wise words, I listened closely as it lays down some of the most beautiful methodologies of seduc­tion, love, pleasure, and most importantly, of dharma. It is a book which actually celebrates the joy of life, becoming a manual or a guide that provides clues to negotiating through life for the young ‘Nagaraka’ or a refined man of taste, who is the protagonist. The Kamasutra consists of seven books—with a total of 36 chapters. The chapters unfold skills acquired by men and wom­en in the art of love and seduction, which was so important to our ancients. We see a world of men and women seriously engaged in the pursuit of pleasure. It includes courte­sans, women who are adept at lovemaking, teaching the young men the pleasures ofthe body, illuminating the subtle nuances of how to give pleasure to a woman. In fact, for me, the Kamasutra has a lot to do with gender and balance, because it very clearly states that the pleasure of a woman is as important as that of a man.

It is generally believed and accepted by many of us in India that sexual pleasure is only for the young when the hormones are raging. And women are seen as antiques the minute they turn menopausal. In reality, it is quite the opposite. From my experi­ence in present times, women become more comfortable with their sexuality when they are free from the fear of unwanted pregnancies after they have borne their children and have got their zest back for living for themselves. My contemplation quickly travelled to the myth of Ananga as it is very apt to illustrate my premise.

Long, long ago, when the devas were being tormented by the demon Taraka, they went to the preserver Vishnu for protection. Vishnu told them that only the son borne out of the union of Shiva and Parvati could provide them relief. The distraught devas realised that since the great ascetic Shiva was in deep meditation, the only god who could facilitate this union was the God of love and desire, Kama. The devas rushed to Kama, who was cavorting with his partner Rati, the goddess of love and lovemaking. It is from Rati that the word ratibhava is derived, which means the many nuances and gestures of sexual love. The devas pleaded and Kama reluctantly agreed to lead Shiva into the garden of pleasure.

He engineered a fragrant breeze with their companion Vasant, reminiscent of the heavy perfume of the Saptaparni tree-lined avenues of Delhi in winter. With Kama, it literally takes you into the slumber of anticipated pleasure. With his panchsayakas or the arrows of five fragrant flowers, the nilotpalla/ blue lotus, navmallika/jasmine, arvinda/lotus, Asoka, choota/mango blossoms, Kama managed to arouse Shiva. But to his dismay, Shiva was inflamed not with desire but anger. He opened his third eye and burnt Kama into ashes. Rati was inconsolable and begged for the return of her husband. She questioned what would happen to procreation without Kamdev, the god of love and desire.

When Shiva found out the reason for Kama’s action, he was taken aback and said he could not bring back Kama in his corporeal body. However, he assured Rati that even though Kama would not live in a physical body, he would be immortalised in the minds of people as Ananga. To me, his transformation stands out as a symbol of love that is not solely a physical attraction but also a spiritual and emotional connection; that desires live in the minds of people beyond age, gender and class. It is also believed Kama was later reincarnated as Pradyumna, son of Rukmini and Krishna.

ONE OF MY FAVOURITE POETS AND dramatists of classical Sanskrit litera­ture is Kalidasa whose beautiful verses I visit now and then. Through elegant verses, Kalidasa presents lyrical connections between human engagement with nature that explores the gamut of human emotions centring around love, longing and desire.

Where have you run to and left me
whose life rests in you, our love cut off in a moment
as a lotus can be left when
a flood of water breaks through a dam?
(4:6 Kumarsambhavam)

In the lyrical poem Meghadutam, Kalidasa paints the imagery of the cloud messenger conveying the love of the Yaksha to his newly-married wife. His verses are written in such a compelling manner that they evoke the memory of the young love of newlyweds from its deep slumber. The expression and communication of Yaksha’s love for his spouse and the choice of the messenger touches the heart of every romantic.

As I delved deeper into the aesthetics of the erotic, I learnt nothing was a taboo for the enlightened queens. I was continuously surprised by the extent and the degree of minuteness that the subject was examined by our poets and writers. In the Kadambariī Swikaranakarika, an added dimension to the pleasure of lovemaking is wine and liquor, which enhances the experience of love­making. The Rig Veda mentions soma in the Kamasutra, where it is explained that new brides can overcome shyness by drinking alcohol. It also advises women to ensure that their house is adequately stocked with soma rasa/wine and asarva/rum. Zooming past the implications in today’s world, the point came as a revelation to me that there was no taboo for women imbibing alcohol. A truth of life that is captured by Kalidasa’s Rtusamhara as he writes:

Young women in gay abandon drink at night with their fond husbands, the choicest wine, most delicious, exhilarating, heightening passion to its pitch: the lilies floating in the water deliciously tremble under their fragrant breath.

(Kadambari Swikaranakarika, Five Arrows of Kama)

The more I delve into the works of Kalidasa, the deeper I fall in love with the beauty and power of his imagery. Another fascinating tale is Kalidasa’s Malavikagnimi­tram, where a queen actually trains a young woman to be the most fitting love goddess to her husband, King Agnimitra. While reading the text, I was particularly struck by the sensitivity, insightfulness and empathy for the emotions of a woman, a wife and a potential love goddess.

The primary female character, Malavika, is depicted as a maid with beau­ty and intelligence. Her character is virtuous and reserved, embodying the qualities expected of women in a traditional society. It is no surprise that her beauty and charm captured the attention and admiration of King Agnimitra.

Once Queen Dharini realises that Malavika has captured her husband’s heart, she proceeds to train Malavika personally in the art of pleasing her husband. Displeased at first, Queen Dharini gradually came to accept Malavika and granted her the autonomy and freedom to express feminine sensuality. Queen Dharini takes it upon herself to educate and refine Malavika, prepar­ing her to be presented before King Agnimitra. The queen imparts training in various arts, including dance, music, and etiquette, ensuring that Malavika acquires the skills befitting a woman of the court. The intention behind this training is to make Malavika an ideal companion for King Agnimitra.

With each turn of the page, Kalidasa weaves an intricate, yet impactful, dynamic relationship between the two women. We can easily perceive how the portrayal of women in Malavikagnimitram reflects the cultural and social norms of ancient India. The depiction of romance in the play adheres to the conventions of courtly love, which in itself is a delicate process and the elixir of eroticism.

From Desai’s research, I learnt that “affairs of kings with maidservants are constantly referred to in Sanskrit literature. In the Natyasastra (XXIV-204), it is mentioned that kings could secretly have affairs with maids so as not to disturb the feelings of queens. In Bhasa’s Svapnavasavadattam (Act V), there is a reference to Queen Vasavadatta’s displeasure at King Udayana’s affair with the maid Virachita. Kalidasa’s Malavikagnimitram and Harsa’s two nayikas, Priyadarsikaāand Ratnavali, depict affairs of the King with girls who lived as attendants of the Queen.”

The training and grooming of Malavika by Queen Dharini in Malavikagnimitram highlight the role of royal women in shaping the courtly life and managing the affairs of the palace. The narrative adds depth to the characters and provides insights into the social dynamics of the time. Ultimately, Malavika’s education under the guidance of Queen Dharini contributes to the unfolding events and the development of the romantic plot in the play.

What a far cry from the social patterns of the urban, empowered women of today. Whilst there is an upsurge of strident feminism today, the women of pre-modern India were immensely free with a great sense of self-worth and agency.

This agency comes after being well-versed in all the 84 arts. The 84 arts included shringara, food, aphrodisiacs, the art of lovemaking, and all these things are so important. In fact, Book Two of the Kamasutra talks about sexual union. It is the book which is most amply illustrated and people forget about the other six books which talk of many interesting aspects of human relationships. There’s even Book Five which tells you how to steal another man’s wife. Now, the funny part is if you are stealing another man’s wife, definitely some men are being cuckolded and there are illustrations, paintings, and verses, replete with ribald prose, what we call purple prose.

At first, the man should hold and press the woman’s breasts gently. Then, as their lips lock, he should run his hands all over her body and embrace her so tightly that their bodies become one. This embrace was called Brahma Alinganam by Bharata Muni.

(Kadambari Sikaranakarika, Five Arrows of Kama)

The Kamasutra continues to be thorough when it comes to sensuality. It talks about various kinds of alingans or embraces and kisses, various kinds of scratching, nail marks and biting. It sounds really strange, but just observe how much our ancestors thought about physical pleasure. And is it not true that when a man and woman are fully sati­ated and sexually fulfilled, they make very happy people, and if you are happy, you spread happiness around?

The deft bee,
His weight held back,
Endues the bud and sucks
The white jasmine’s nectar

(Absent Traveller, The Prakrit Love Poetry from The Gathasaptasati of Satavahana Hala by Arvind Krishna Mehrotra)

Another author who has captured the essence of feminine emotions is Keshavadasa, whose work inspired a number of mature artists in their depiction of what Keshavadasa classified as the ashtanayikas, or eight kinds of heroine, or nayikas.

The nayikas are classified based on their relationship with their beloved and the emotional conditions they un­dergo. The ashtanayikas are categorised as Vasakasajja (woman dressing up for her lover), Virahotkanthita (a woman pining due to separation), Svadhinabhartruka (a woman wait­ing for her lover), Kalahantarita (a woman who has just reconciled after a quarrel), Khandita (a woman an­gered by her lover ) , Vipralabdha (a woman deceived by her lover), Proshitabhartruka (a woman lamenting the depar­ture of her lover), and Abhisarika (a woman going to meet her lover). Each ashtanayika embodies a specific set of emo­tions, expressions, and situa­tions, contributing to the rich­ness and depth of classical Indian performing arts.

While the narrative in the depiction of modern nayikas is altered, still we can clearly see a parallel in the nature of male-female relationships. We can still spot certain similari­ties with the women of today. The concept of Swadhinpatika, the one who completely subju­gates herself to her lover, is be­coming rare. The woman of the modern age has cultivated the foundation of relationships with more emphasis on her own agency. Today, it’s the woman who upholds her own agency. As I’ve written earlier, she is the one who prefers to do the chasing rather than passively waiting to be chased.

The pandemic has definitely altered us. We are more mindful and believe in living more intensely, and in the present. So, as I wait to live a life of joyous abandon in the coming year, I raise a toast to the celebrated text, the Kamasutra and the kavi kula guru, the master of poets, Kalidasa.

About The Author

Alka Pande

Alka Pande is an art historian, author and curator

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