India and love, sex & acceptance: Khajuraho

Today we will speak about what happened in what starts to be the spiritual phase of the trip: after the deception in Agra, I take a night train to be for a day in Khajuraho. For the ones who ask, this small village is were some if the best preserved temple complexes dedicated to Vishnu are located. Thanks to an early decline of its civilization, the temples were hidden from pillage and the Moghul destruction of Hindu temples. Around the world, these temples are normally known as the Kamasutra temples, and the reason is obvious: their sculptures depict clear sexual scenes covering a plethora of sexual behaviours, from orgies to bestiality and sadomasoquism. Hinduism believes on the transforming power of sexuality, and among their traditional worship symbols, it is common to find explicit sexual depictions, some of them referring to the creation of the universe. The power of sexuality is so strong, that the location of erotic sculptures in these temples obey to a special order. The sexual energy was supposed to be so powerful and protecting, that these images were located only in the points where temples could face the greatest damage. 

The craftsmanship of Indian sculptures is amazing, and one can only wow their skills. Human and animal figures are stylized in their shapes, with more detail on the interaction and the stories that are depicting, rather than body details (like veins or the like). Both warrior and lover scenes are well curated, female bodies with curves pose next to their lovers with slight tummies, and gods in human and animal figures become part of the landscape. Let aside the acrobatic ways of repressing love.

When it comes to sexuality, places like Khajuraho let me thinking a lot on what had happened evolutionarily speaking, on several centuries of religion. The Indian society is just one of the several examples one can refer: coming here and see the naturality and beauty that sex played in the daily life of Hinduism back then constrasts significantly with the conservative visions of most Indians nowadays. I arrived here just after Delhi's camera forbid any kind of consensual sexual act between couples of the same sex. The measures were proposed by Hindu and other religious groups with seats in the camera, setting back India to the same laws it had when it was still a British colony.  One cannot but question what kind of regulations are performed here, when on the one hand religion is entangled in the life of most Indians, while in the other hand freedom of choice and privacy are constrained. Perhaps they should look back at their own statues?

There are many protest around the country, and the changes have been appealed already, but it will be a large process and there is the risk that openly known LGBT couples might be threaten by law 377. One can only give support by writing about them at this moment. Here is just an image of the manifestations around the country.

Apart from the temple complex, which was great, I roamed around the village for long time along a couple of fellow travelers. I have the view that everyone teaches you something if you are open to listen, and this couple is not the exception. After two months of traveling in India and Nepal, these guys have had enough of been in the spotlight in a culture where being noticed is charged double, and are craving to return back home to a safe environment. They are rogue travelers and have tried things I would definitely not do in India, and because of that they have built a shield towards any interaction with locals. I have to say that I have not felt the same cultural shock as most of people I have met with fair skin, and the harassment by some of the salesman can be hard to cope with, but feeling their reactions towards most of the people here make it me feel that they should go sooner rather than prolong the stay in a place they do not want to be.

After going out of some of the temple complexes, I lost my travel companions and decided to search around the village to find them. On my way around I get to meet Lucky, a twelve year boy with dark skin, fine profile and an open smile. There's many stories of children like him that want to take advantage of tourists, but while talking to him, it's hard not to trust him. It might be the fact that he never talks about money, his little gentleman outfit or the shyness of his mother when receiving us, but I feel transported back to some of the slums I used to work as a volunteer back in Colombia. For one or another reason he and I end up bonding and we are invited to eat at his house. In her house, the neighboring ladies came to us to talk and take pictures. His mother prepares homemade dhal while Lucky teaches me how to play the tablas and to dance Bollywood style. There is among the ladies one who tell us the stories of the families like Lucky's. Many of the men in Khajuraho are alcoholic, and the few rupees they earn are spent in alcohol. Being a highly rural and conservative area, women are completely dependent on men, which increases the problem. Many of these kids are left on the streets, and we can see them trying to work with the tourists instead of going to school. Finally, being a as all village outside the main tourist track, place the future of these kids in jeopardy. I'm really grateful to meet them, and remember by their example, that the capacity of giving is not measured in your belongings, but on your will.

Here it's also the first moment Indian girls flirt with me: being this a conservative area, getting compliments and attention from women is very strange. This has not being a trip where I'm interested in that, but it also makes you think how the role of a foreigner embodies you in a role where interactions otherwise not common in a culture, are possible. And yes, it feels nice to feel complimented :-)

In the next delivery, I will talk about Varanasi, what it is until now the most "out of the comfort zone" city so far. I promise it will be interesting!