Tantrist Synthesis Essay

As we all know, India is famous for its various religions and temples, as well as

the eroticism in their art history. It is Devangana Desai1

Hindu temples all over India are replete with sexual motifs, not only renowned

temples like those of Khajuraho, Konarak and Bhubaneswar but also temples

lesser known sites have portrayals of erotic figures. So here comes the question,

the temples are usually considered as the sacred places where the deities should

stay, but why are these erotic sculptures set in these temples? In the highest

thought and wisdom of India culture, sex was considered as a distraction of

self-realization, but why it was depicted on the religious architecture? Actually

the sex in the religious art of India culture

In this case, this social climate might encourage Vatsyayana to compile his

Kamasutra for the guidance of cultured citizens in the methods and techniques of

love.

It is said that maithunas appear on stone monuments making a turning point

in the presentation of erotic motifs. Desai gave the clues to suggest Tantric

influence in Khajuraho, and again she mentioned that there are two chief aspects

of Tantrism in connection with sex. One aspect is the practice of yogic poses

(Picture 528

of the yogic ananas to enable participants with different sized sex organs to

have pleasurable union”30

are bending in a yogic pose, and the female’s pose in Picture 9 obviously is not

easy. Another aspect she said is the practice of maithuna, “based essentially in

the concept of magical power of sex and sheds significant light on the problem

of sexual depictions... Without their practice no Tantric sadhana is considered

fulfilled.”31

meaning of the yogini temple (Picture 632

“must have been prevalent in the region as manifested in the sculpture programs

of the majority of the Khajuraho temples”, “the particular type of