‘Female fantasy’ has always been a topic which is least addressed in our society. Various mythological accounts prove how women’s sexual desires have been looked down upon and how they have been punished for the same. Be it Renuka—who lost her ‘Sati’ powers for fantasizing another man and further severely punished by her husband—or Suparnkha whose nose was cut for desiring Lakshman. That being said, Hinduism is rather ambiguous in its view of female sexuality; seeking control over it while acknowledging simultaneously that it cannot be controlled. In fact, Renuka’s head separated from her body—is an object of worship in many parts of Maharashtra and Karnataka.
We are repeatedly told that woman should be desired, but should not desire. That’s why a woman who pursues her desires is viewed as dangerous and said to possess demonic qualities in our mythology.
I wonder why sexual fantasies of women frighten the society. And in an attempt to control those fantasies, we started controlling a woman’s body, cover her up in a veil and, lock her in the house and bind her with the chains of brutal rituals. But how do you regulate a mind? How do you achieve that? For in her mind, she can always imagine a better man, a perfect man. Fearing the sexual fantasies of a woman is clearly prevalent in today’s world, too, where censor board denies certificates to films celebrating female fantasy.
In a modern retelling of Indian mythology, Ramayana is re-emerging from Sita’s point of view, and books like “Palace of Illusions” written by Chitra Banerjee are finally coming into the limelight. So, why are still we shying away from describing erotic fantasies of these female mythological characters? Did Draupadi ever compare and contrast the lovemaking of her five husbands? Did Sita sexually explore herself while being away from Ram for so many years? Or did we ever discuss the story of Shakti demanding Shiva to satisfy her sexually where in return he dutifully complies?