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singh_reads_kanwar2's review against another edition
4.0
This book is non fictional stories and contribution of various authors , there writing, there ahead of thinking, there fight against system and government for there writing, there fight against Radical religion sect like RSS for the pride community. Stories are taken from the start. Example of Mahabharata and pride community relationship. Other religions and there relationship and, how certain sections of society they are not able to digest that. There are 45 different sex according to religious books mentioned stories but only 23 are known till now and LGBTQIA+ id short version of letting people know. The fight against people who deny such love and want to kill and harm those people. Author covers story and writing from all over India to different languages and region and show us how intellectuals feels and some show, the protest and fight against the people who doesn't believe that same sex and think of it as a disease and not how there children is not normal having the feeling of Inclination to be a homogeneous not heterogeneous. Although i personally thought that in few stories depiction is manipulative and forced to reader's to get a momentum in there side.
singh_reads_kanwar2's review
4.0
This book is non fictional stories and contribution of various authors , there writing, there ahead of thinking, there fight against system and government for there writing, there fight against Radical religion sect like RSS for the pride community. Stories are taken from the start. Example of Mahabharata and pride community relationship. Other religions and there relationship and, how certain sections of society they are not able to digest that. There are 45 different sex according to religious books mentioned stories but only 23 are known till now and LGBTQIA+ id short version of letting people know. The fight against people who deny such love and want to kill and harm those people. Author covers story and writing from all over India to different languages and region and show us how intellectuals feels and some show, the protest and fight against the people who doesn't believe that same sex and think of it as a disease and not how there children is not normal having the feeling of Inclination to be a homogeneous not heterogeneous. Although i personally thought that in few stories depiction is manipulative and forced to reader's to get a momentum in there side.
khushi__festus's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
informative
reflective
relaxing
sad
medium-paced
4.75
vipinsirigiri's review against another edition
4.0
The motivation to pick up this book was the often mention of it in Shikhandi - a collection of mythological stories depicting the gender and sexual fluidity in ancient India.
Ruth Vanita takes on a broader collection of such literature - encompassing from mythology, poetry, religious texts and scriptures, plays to recent magazine articles - most of which have been introduced and translated for the first time. The collection of these stories are divided into ancient, medieval and modern times with analysis of homosexuality and homophobia at the beset of culture and traditions then.
The ancient period relies heavily on Hindu scriptures and commonly told stories; medieval on Persian, Arabic and Urdu poetry besides life of few Sufi saints whereas modern literature consists of short stories, newspaper columns and plays. The societal acceptance seen through most of the literature in ancient and medieval times surprise you to the extent of questioning (and perhaps firmly believing!) whether homophobia was just a colonial disease brought by British.
At a time when the LGBT society in India is being discarded as a western influence, the book demonstrates that same-sex love has a long and complex history in the Indian subcontinent and cannot be eradicated by violence or wished away by neglect.
Ruth Vanita takes on a broader collection of such literature - encompassing from mythology, poetry, religious texts and scriptures, plays to recent magazine articles - most of which have been introduced and translated for the first time. The collection of these stories are divided into ancient, medieval and modern times with analysis of homosexuality and homophobia at the beset of culture and traditions then.
The ancient period relies heavily on Hindu scriptures and commonly told stories; medieval on Persian, Arabic and Urdu poetry besides life of few Sufi saints whereas modern literature consists of short stories, newspaper columns and plays. The societal acceptance seen through most of the literature in ancient and medieval times surprise you to the extent of questioning (and perhaps firmly believing!) whether homophobia was just a colonial disease brought by British.
At a time when the LGBT society in India is being discarded as a western influence, the book demonstrates that same-sex love has a long and complex history in the Indian subcontinent and cannot be eradicated by violence or wished away by neglect.
chauisauth's review against another edition
challenging
informative
5.0
This book is in the truest sense of the phrase, a seminal work. Edited by Ruth Vanita, Professor, University of Montana and Saleem Kidwai, Independent Researcher and Activist (both of whom, I know to some degree) is an absolue must have for anyone intersted in the LGBTQ scene in India. It shows pertinently, the long history, that this geographical space in South Asia, has had, all the way from myths and epics to whatever else you can think of. It is the single largest, as far as I know, collection of reference to LGBTQ people in Indian Culture.
I put it down as challenging for the simple reason that, for those unaware, it challanges the narrative of 'Unnatural Offenses' that has been drilled into us, and the stigma that surrounds this community in India.
I put it down as challenging for the simple reason that, for those unaware, it challanges the narrative of 'Unnatural Offenses' that has been drilled into us, and the stigma that surrounds this community in India.
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