Pub trivia: Kama Sutra
Kama Sutra
Sex, highs and body shapes are explained in all their heavenly glory by some tantric Indians in this sexy bible of carnal knowledge. Here are some facts that you may have missed while looking at the pictures.
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Fact
Almost nothing is known about Vatsyayana, the author of the Kama Sutra. He lived sometime between the 1st and 6th Century AD and the fact that he was a literate, learned man indicates he was a prominent and wealthy member of society.
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Fact
The Kama Sutra isn't just for men. In fact, it provides women with plenty of advice on how to manipulate men, marry good husbands and how best to punish a hubby who cheats. It also devotes chapters to the art of prostitution, laying out a systematic guide to extracting the most money from unsuspecting punters.
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Fact
According to the book, there are 64 methods of making love. These are referred to as the '64 Arts', and they encompass just about every possible position available to lovers.
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Fact
The majority of the Kama Sutra isn't about sex. Much of it is a guide to being an Indian man about town, with advice on dressing well and eating properly.
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Fact
Vatsyayana himself did not come up with the ideas contained within the Kama Sutra. Most of book's details on spiritualism and society pre-dated him by centuries and were bound up with Hindu mythology. Vatsyayana merely set on paper the teachings that had until then been passed down orally from generation to generation.
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Fact
The Kama Sutra was first translated into English by a group of writers headed by Victorian explorer Sir Richard Burton, who risked prosecution for obscenity when he privately printed it in England in 1883. The book quickly became an underground success, but it wasn't until 1963 that the book was legally published.
