La la Land

Why am I constantly wondering? Why can't I just observe?

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Location: Singapore, Singapore

Looking to learn, to explore and to imagine possibilities......

Friday, September 02, 2005

Sexual adventures in "Chitralekha"

Chitralekha (for those who do not know) is a hindi novel by Bhagvati Prasad Vajpeyi.
It examines the role of sex in spiritual journeys.

It is a story of two friends who study in a gurukul together. One of them is a brahmin's son and seeks the path of the ascetic. His friend is a prince and goes back to his life of sensual gratification and action.
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Chitralekha is the gorgeous courtesan who lives in the kingdom the prince rules over. They enter into a sexual relationship, which for the prince is a natural way of living.

The ascetic comes to visit his friend and admonishes his friend on sensual excesses. However, once exposed to them, he falls to their charms, including Chitralekha.

Its is from Chitralekha that he learns what true detachment means. She loves the prince and he shows no attachment, while enjoying her company as part of his natural life. the ascetic on the other hand, while claiming to show detachment cannot stop thinking about her physical charms.


The book examines the man who is driven by his passions and one who is driven by his intellect and contrasts different approches to sexual motivations as part of the greater framework of desires and senses.

They made a film on this a while back which did not do it any justice. It had a lovely song though. This line always haunts me:

" sansar se bhaage phirte ho
bhagwaan ko tum kya payego"

(How can you find God if you run away from the world?)

I was reminded of this book which deals with these isues with great openenss and maturity. It flays the puritan image of Indian literature in contemporary times. I wish there was a translation more could read.

11 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

Hi There !! stumbled upon ya Blog while reading the review for Mediocre but Arrogant -
True Detachment, thats wot intrigued me.. Read this book "Tuesdays With Moire", gave me the Truest sense and meaning of Detachment...
i neva knew who or wot 'Chirtalekha' is/was. i thot it to be some 'period-Movie'.. but was a revelation that such mature indian art existed..
ya ya ya am kinda novice to litreture.. trying to find good read :-)
Siddhart..

12:25 PM  
Blogger Dev said...

I remember the film Trishangni made in 1989. Nana Patekar, Alok Nath and Pallavi Joshi acted in it. Nana Patekar plays the role of a cruel sadistic monk who tries to prevent Pallavi Joshi and her lover getting married. Alok nath, plays the role of the senior monk who does not like the behaviour of the junior monk and approves of the young couple's plans to marry. An interesting comparison of two men - one who wears the robes of a monk but is not a monk at heart and the other a true monk. (p.s. Could not get the name of this movie when I commented on the smae blog in Sulekha. Google zindabad!)

1:55 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Chitralekha is a great novel written by great writer Bhagwaticharan verma
and not by any Bhagvati Prasad Vajpeyi
and if you want to give your mind a break and you are in mood of being thoughtful for sometime do read it.its great work of hindi literature

10:10 AM  
Blogger Ritesh chaudhary said...

You do a great job, bye

5:16 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Great Analysis!!! I would like to post this article on my blog.

Can I do that?

4:47 AM  
Blogger Sumita said...

Abhijeet

You most surely can

Thanks

sumita

8:18 AM  
Blogger Abhi said...

Hi Sumati,
Thanks a lot. I have published your post with your name.

I liked your writings. Just wondering why you stop writing on this blog.

If possible start writing again, I will be glad to see.

BTW I have added you in my blog list.

Thanks.

6:02 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

CHITRALEKHA NOVEL IS WRITTEN BY BHAGVATI CHARAN VERMA (1903-1981) in 1934 and two movies are made based on this novel. first in 1941 and another in 1964 starring ashok kumar, prdeep kumar, meena kumari. please correct the name of author of this novel.great work is done in hindi literature by bhagvati charan verma.

4:36 PM  
Blogger rkp said...

As others have pointed out, the name of the author is wrong but that's a minor quibble. I read the book many years ago after my dad told me to read it if I claim to have any knowledge of Hindi literature. I have never seen the movie(s) so don't know how things are different there.

One reason I think about this novel often is the idea that our experiences shape our notions of right and wrong (or, virtue and sin). The book starts with a discussion of sin (paap) that leads to the two disciples working with two very different people. And while you may feel that one of the guys is clearly more virtuous than the other, it ends with the two disciples having completely different opinions when they report back to their guru.

1:53 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Chitralekha is a masterpiece, a book to treasure in ones personal collection.The author has dealt the issue of so called 'Paap' and 'Punya' in a objective terms that is much more relevant in todays context.As a student of literature I read the novel many times n each time I discovered new interpretations of it's philosophy.Ek bat kisi ke liye paap ho sakti hai to wahi dusre ke liye punye ho sakti hai.Rules defined by the 'so called Dharm ke Thekedar'Patthar ki lakir nahi ban sakte.

2:08 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Chitralekha is a masterpiece, a book to treasure in ones personal collection.The author has dealt the issue of so called 'Paap' and 'Punya' in a objective terms that is much more relevant in todays context.As a student of literature I read the novel many times n each time I discovered new interpretations of it's philosophy.Ek bat kisi ke liye paap ho sakti hai to wahi dusre ke liye punye ho sakti hai.Rules defined by the 'so called Dharm ke Thekedar'Patthar ki lakir nahi ban sakte.

2:09 PM  

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