Degree of Thought

Sex Dynamism: A Case of India’s Sexual Revolution through the eyes of Ira Trivedi – Aniruddha Babar, Assistant Professor, Department of Political Science

ANIRUDDHA VITHAL BABAR

The book titled India in Love: Marriage and Sexuality in the 21st century offers a deep sociological insight into the various aspects of marriage and sexuality in India in the current times as well as centuries back. It discusses everything from live in relationships to arranged marriages, mating habits and prostitution in India backing it all up with well researched facts. This short book review has been written in the context of dynamic sexual revolution that India has been witnessing.

Sex Dynamism: A Case of India’s Sexual Revolution through the eyes of Ira Trivedi

The debate which India is having on the marriage equality is a reminder that love and sex are considered as volatile subjects irrespective of culture. It is difficult to write about them in India, a country where no issue can escape from being entrapped into religious and social customs as well as transformative economic and technological change.

In such a scenario, Indian origin and U.S. educated journalist and novelist Ira Trivedi tried to break the monotony in 2014 through her debut India in Love: Marriage and Sexuality in the 21st century, a non-fictional piece which depicts the sexual and socio-economic revolutions of the country.

Each minute 31 villagers migrate to urban areas from the rural India. With continuation of such a trend, next 40 years will witness 700 million migrants. The migration not only weakens class and caste barriers, but also family and marital ties. The middle-class aspirations get a touch of internet which marks the ultimate beginning of great sexual revolution of the second millennium.

At the beginning of 2001, almost 15 million people could access to internet, which is 375 million at present. According to Trivedi, easy internet access is linked to more traffic on online porn sites. BBC report opposes her statement while certain statistics support her claim. Indian porn star Sunny Leone was the most searched name in 2014 on Google India. Marital infidelity is also rising with more Indians visiting AshleyMadison.com. As per Annual Sex survey 2016 of India Today, one in every five Indians supported their partner’s choice for the same. A roaring trade that has been conducted by Zivame.com and Masalatoys.com help us to conclude the capitalist ‘justified’ vulgarization or ultra-megalomaniac, masochistic sensualisation of sexuality.  

Arranged marriage is regarded as a shattering institution in India in Love. While parents look for prospective son-in-law or daughter-in-law, the subjects get busy in ‘dating and mating’. Divorce rates are rising with more numbers of live-in relationships, LGBTIQ lifestyles, open marriages as well as immature approaches to the Sex. Trivedi blames online porn, social media, and chat rooms for playing with the imagination of youths.

As it is known that India introduced Kamasutra, the first ever sex manual, Trivedi outlines Hinduism’s connection with romantic love and sex. She further claims that there are religious shrines that are the reflection of Lord Shiva’s vengeance on Parvati’s father as due to his disapproval for Shiva, Parvati sacrificed herself in the burning pyre. Likewise, sexual practices are said to have awakened the life force or kundalini even through adultery. During decades of Islamic rule followed by British colonialism these things were not encouraged with British criminalizing homosexuality and adultery back in 1860.

Trivedi states, results would be more profound only if young India is open to change, as apart from being the second most populated nation across the globe, India is also having most young population with 29 years being the average age. Having gone through her ‘elaboration’ of present generation, I feel she has overemphasized both extent of the present ‘awakening’ and the role of middle class in the same in order to become suitably fit for ‘globalized world’. This seemed as a weird reason to redefine one’s sexuality.

I would give Trivedi credit for underlining the true fact that the Indians are familiar with the present reality that the rest of the world is affected by the changing sexual mores. Despite of the categorical conclusions drawn by author, the depth of intellectual engagement remains vogue. Trivedi acknowledges backlash against the change being powerful in the context that the Hindu Nationalist Government of the country has curbed monetary support for programmes for AIDS prevention and the Science & Technology minister opposed sex education in the schools.

Many foreigners have written multiple pieces regarding India, probably a legacy of European colonialism. But when it comes to sex in India, Indians can do the justice. Parochial argument is denied for the nationalists who tend to denounce the outsiders’ views. However, the fact that the Indians are the most hypocrite people in the world in terms of ‘SEX and INDIVIDUAL MATING HABITS’ cannot be denied.  

The writings of western journalists and writers regarding sex in India are considered as significant guide while local authors are able to reach further as for centuries they are enlightened with the quirky stories of sexologist who are bazaar-based – wallahs, and juicy tales of the British officers turned natives.

Western media outlets are said to have provided blanket coverage to the Indian sex crimes. However, a sex-positive book like India in Love has not been published outside the country. Western World may be interested in failure of developing nations whereas they have no interest in the socio-economic aspects of their existence or they cannot see the reluctance of the news gatekeepers to publish positive news regarding developing nations. Western perspective towards developing nations needs serious examination.

I think India in Love is a good example of certain healthy trends. At first, the ‘globalised’ India-borne authors get education in abroad to finally return to India and write about ultra-controversial subjects which are difficult to research. Secondly, unlike US and Australia, the Indian print media keeps on supporting the culture associated with intensive journalism and non-fiction books which can be referred as a natural by-product of the same mostly. Thirdly, the reason behind the flourishing of domestic book publishing of India is forming as well as sustaining a market for well-written pieces on serious subjects.

Most of such affordances have truly been concentrated in English Language media of the country which is considered as the privileged part of socio-economic spectrum. However the question still remains as to what the Dalits, Tribals, Racial & Religious minorities, oppressed downtrodden make of all these. All the perspectives including the ones of the outsiders are having potential value. To ensure a healthy discourse it is essential to enlarge the chorus and not to shut down specific voices. This is how the humanity will grow, and the Free Man of ‘tomorrow’ will be created ‘today’.

Degree of Thought is a weekly community column initiated by Tetso College in partnership with The Morung Express. Degree of Thought will delve into the social, cultural, political and educational issues around us. The views expressed here do not reflect the opinion of the institution. Tetso College is a NAAC Accredited UGC recognised Commerce and Arts College. The editors are Dr Hewasa Lorin, Tatongkala Pongen, Aniruddha, Meren and Kvulo Lorin.
For feedback or comments please email:  dot@tetsocollege.org.

Leave a Reply