Sex using Tantra - Part I

India developed a decidedly unabashed attitude towards sex quite early in life, specifically as far back as 3000 BC. In its evolution, almost every sexual practice conceivable has been practised and venerated in one sect or another. Fellatio, cun-nilingus, homosexuality, transvestitism, prostitution, masturbation (with an impressive array of aids), anal sex, bestiality and even necrophilia, reportedly have been practiced in ancient India.

Against this historic backdrop, it is not surprising that Tantrism, a sect which utilises sex as a means to spiritual advancement, flourished right from the Harappan times, before passing into Tibet and China after the cloistered Protestant sensibilities of the British branded tantric sex acts wild. But Indian scholars take pains to point out that Tantrism was a religious, not a sexual movement.

Says Prof. Ajit Pal, former Reader, department of psychology, Delhi University: “In Tantra, sex is not taboo. It asks the follower to transcend the senses through the senses. It is secretive, because other mainstream beliefs find these things abhorrent.”

He adds: “Tantra demystifies the man-woman relationship while not making it ugly. It is not orgiastic, though others may see it that way. Women are not supposed to be violated and abused and are considered equal. Orgasm is seen as release of personal vices. Tantra, thus, liberates the body of thought. It does not make a moral issue of sex, incest and other such things.” R. Tannahill in his research Sex and History points out, Hindu and Buddhist critics “have constantly suggested that a Tantrik uses religion as a mantle for sexual desire and debauchery. Tantriks, however, say the complicated, elaborate and exceedingly difficult procedure followed by them would not be necessary to gratify sexual desire, whose objects are much easier to obtain without such rigorous trappings”. In other words, if having sex was the objective of a Tantrik, then there were easier ways of doing it.

In modern India, however, Tantriks are a covert brigade running from law and freedom to perform. The diminished breed, viewed at best with contempt & suspicion, is rarely seen. “Serious Tantriks” are intrinsically reclusive and feared for their unadulterated powers, while their commercial counterparts are approached for mundane problems — “my neighbour is troubling me, I want his property, can you kill off my enemy” and, of course, “can I have a new high in bed.” Sex, when done with tantra, indeed has its market the world over and it comes in advices perched on the ridiculous. Like this one which came to a sexually bored 28-year-old housewife Shikha. Her tantrik baba, who incidentally operates from a plush office in one of Delhi's post official complexes, took a fee of Rs. 1,000 for this saintly advice: “If you want to exercise sexual control over your man, take a pair of matchsticks, soak it in your menstrual blood overnight, crush the crust in the morning and serve it to your man in his milk glass at breakfast!”