India's non-metro habitations join the sexual liberation chorus though hiccups remain

Anna Hazare: My Prime Minister

Small town mentality on its way out

When Govind Kumar from Jehanabad district of Bihar decided to marry a widow, his family members, Bhumihars, were up in arms. They even threatened to disinherit him. These pressure tactics did not work. Ultimately, his family accepted his choice. Govind says, 'Virginity is an over-exaggerated concept in India. I am happy with my wife. People still look down on me in my locality but I do not attach any importance to their archaic views.'

Sex is no longer a taboo in small towns. There has been a marked shift in people's attitude towards sex even in rural India. Rajesh Ahuja, sexologist at Ranchi Mental Hospital, says, 'People now openly discuss problems related to sex and marriage with doctors and counsellors. These things were quite unheard of even a decade back. Extramarital sex is on the rise and so are broken marriages.'

Navneet Kaur (23), a student of Punjab University, does not agree that a lot have changed. 'Though society has transformed but taboos about sexual issues are still there in our society. I studied in a reputed school in Ludhiana. In the 9th class, there was a chapter on reproductive system. Our science teacher did not teach this chapter and just asked us to study it ourselves and write to him for any clarification," she says.

Ritika, a research scholar at Punjab University, Chandigarh, says, 'We Indian people, especially the men, are always ready to have sex but when it comes to talking about sex, we keep mum. However, the young generation has started talking about sex with an open mind. Here in the university I know two boys who are avowed gays and they never feel ashamed. The time is changing, so is the Indian society but we have a long way to go.'

Cities like Allahabad, Kanpur, Patna, Nagpur and Ahmedabad each has at least one meeting point for gays. Rajesh Srivastava, a retired professor of Meerut University, says, 'As a nation, we have not accepted any sexual relationship out of wedlock. The situation has improved in the metros but for small cities, I cannot say the same thing. A guy demanding sex in a pre-marital relationship is considered lecherous, the partner demanding a non-conventional sexual desire is considered unholy. The situation is not very encouraging.'

But, change is there nonetheless. Ankita writes in a Web forum: 'When two young people are together and hormones are bubbling, it is very difficult to stay in control. Whatever argument we put to justify pre-marital or teenage sex, matter of fact is they are mere justifications. The larger question of enjoyment of sex is directly related to upbringing.'

For More IIPM Info, Visit below mentioned IIPM articles.
IIPM Marches Ahead in B-School Rankings...
IIPM Proves Its Mettle Once Again...
IIPM BBA MBA Institute: Student Notice Board
An array of unconventional career options
Delhi University Students' Union (DUSU): Students' Unions can not be banned
Best Colleges for Vocational Courses in India
INDIA'S BEST COLLEGES, INSTITUTES and UNIVERSITIES