I’M REALLY enjoying reading Monty’s (Paul Munford) Indian Outlook.
I worked with Monty years back at Castle Despair, or VNU UK as it then described herself. Monty is on a sabbatical in India for a year, and he’s up to issue number 34 right now.
The latest newsletter says that the Indian government has asked ISPs to ban a web site called http://www.Savitabhabi.com. This is an adult cartoon site, but it’s very mild by our standards, says Monty.
People who want to defend web content have set up a site called www.savesavita.com. The paradox is that India in the 21st century has rather a puritanical streak. This is despite the fact that India is the land of tantra and the Kama Sutra, and the Sanskrit language and a great deal of its literature is sensuous and even erotic.
Places like Khajuraho and Hampi (Vijayanagar) are full of carvings and statues that express the joy of sexuality and love. But now, the ra-ra girls in 20/20 cricket matches are shown only for seconds, in case they excite viewers too much.
This picture is from Khajuraho. Some of the carvings have been defaced.
You can subscribe to Monty’s Indian Outlook by sending an email here. I’ve tried to contribute to understanding Indian culture on this web site.
