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Sex education is very much a part of Indian culture. People who argue otherwise are misinformed.
There are enough archaeological evidences and monuments to show that sex education was given openly in India, once upon a time. Sex was never regarded as a sin or something bad, according to the Hindu philosophy. This is why we have erotic sculptures depicted on ancient Hindu temples.
Kama (sex) was one of the three life-goals, along with Dharma (religion) and Artha (money) for a healthy and happy living.
Even in Bhagavat Gita, Lord Krishna declares that he is present in the human body as sexual desire. Sex was regarded as the basis of a good society (sansar ki adarshila) in ancient India.
In those days, parents used to take their children to temples for sex education. The purpose of sex education is not to teach people what they do not know, but teach them to behave as they do not behave. Transformation of one’s entire behaviour is the objective of sex education.
According to Vatsyayan, the fourth century compiler of Kamasutra, the ancient Indian erotic treatise, sex education should be given pragyouvane (before adolescence). The reason why he said this was because, having the right information will help youngsters enjoy and appreciate the changes taking place in their body—menstruation in girls and sleep emission in boys—without being worried or frightened. The World Health Organisation too is saying the same thing today.
Our permissive and tolerant attitude towards sex came to an end sometime around 14 th century, as foreigners invaded the country. From then on safety came first and sex, last.
Adolescence is a period when you have the maximum surge of hormones, leading to an increase in sexual desire and risky sexual encounters culminating in unwanted pregnancies, sexually transmitted diseases, HIV etc. So providing the necessary knowledge beforehand can prevent it.
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(Dr Prakash Kothari is India’s pioneering sexologist. In conversation with Sangeeth Sebastian, writer and founder, Vvox, a sextech platform. The biography is a part of an AKADialog initiative to capture the lives of newsmakers.)