Thursday, July 3, 2008

How to Court a Wife


The ancient Indian erotic love manual, Kamasutra of Vatsyayana, advises that a man should woo a woman for 10 days after their wedding before attempting to consummate the marriage. During this time, they should take ceremonial baths while listening to music, dine together, attend performances and visit friends and relatives. In short, they date, or more specifically, he courts her. During this time, it is the man’s job to gain his wife’s trust, using all his persuasive wiles, but never force because “women are like flowers and need to be enticed very tenderly.” It begins with brief, gentle embraces and leads next to his giving her betel with his mouth and kissing her quietly. If she rejects the betel, he must beg, make promises and even fall at her feet.

Source: The Kamasutra a new translation by Wendy Donniger and Sudhir Kakar published by Oxford University Press 2003.

For more arcane sexual factoids, see Who Knew? column in Lady Jaided ezine.

4 comments:

Barbra Novac said...

Gosh, this is a nice idea. I'd love that kind of attention in the early days of marriage. I think my partner would be open to it. I'll have to drop some hints...

Anonymous said...

Yes, sometimes I long for the good ol' days in virginhood, when it was all courtship and foreplay. Seems like once you run all the bases with someone, the courtship and foreplay stages get shorter and shorter.

Maybe you should buy your partner a copy of the book with the appropriate parts underlined and bookmarked. ;-)

Unknown said...

This is why I practice Yoga and follow an Indian diet. Those Hindus knew what they were doing. Who do you think writes all our computer software. Indians! Too many Indian doctors though. Bye, I probably won't bother you ladies again...
Jazz musician/ Michael Guy L'ecluse

Anonymous said...

Glad to have you visit, Michael. Thanks for your input!