A glass of steaming milky syrupy tea is best served cut. One by two or two by three, it embodies the spirit of sharing and camaraderie (and more significantly a resource crunch). Come, have a sip.
One day, in the comparatively innocent times that we grew up in, a friend announced, "I had oral sex." I and another friend present were stupefied. We were still in school. "Come, again," (no pun intended) we said. He repeated the four shattering words again, with extra emphasis.
Curious, we prodded for details and it turned out that our 'sexually gratified' pal had just talked a bit about sex with a girl on the phone. Being more enlightened, courtesy the agony column in The Teenager and quite a few magazines that we weren't exactly supposed to read then, we let our naive friend know of the dictionary meaning of oral sex.
But the times they have changed. When school kids nowadays talk of love, it isn't always platonic, as in our times (Damn, I already feel old).
Even newspapers do not shy away from advertising for fellatio services, as I discovered today. The massage parlour and escort services ads have been around for many years. Objections were raised, but such ads still fill in many column centimetres of the classifieds pages.
Since I'm on the look out for a new house, was scanning Times Classifieds, that comes along with the Sunday Times of India for properties. Under the 'Massage Parlours' head I discovered at least two ads quite brazenly peddling oral sex services. Only they interchanged a couple of letters (blowjob becomes blwojob), taking a cue from the spammers.
BANGKOK-STYLE-YOU-WORLD.CLASS Blwojob Ser Like Beautiful Charming Good Looking girl fully trained service staff CALL ASSH # 99********
REFRESHING.YOU-WORLD.CLASS Blwojob Ser By Beautiful Charming Good looking girl fully trained service staff Call KASHISH. 98********
Is it just me, or is there a striking similarity between the wordings of matrimonial ads and the ones above?
What's next? Fcuk!
(This could have been around for longer, just that I happened to notice it today)
This is one dhandha that doesn't go manda. Though I support legalising prostitution and quite agreed with the Supreme Court's observations on legalising the trade, but it isn't as easy a solution. Make a law and expect the world to fall in order.
She's one porn star who has everyone 'excited', right from the government babus to the editors in the newsrooms.
Though Savita Bhabhi has been back after the ban via a new domain, the resurrection also seems to have been obstructed. The new website www.kirtu.com doesn't seem accessible directly (there's always the other way around), atleast on the ISPs that I use. Apparently the process of denying access to the new website has already been initiated.
Shunned by her own government, Savita Bhabhi has found succour with the French. "France gives sexual asylum to Savita Bhabhi," could scream a headline (just couldn't resist using the term).
It might seem that, like our television channels, I'm blowing things out of proportion. Well, I am.
Titled Love in Bollywood also Bollywood in Love (depending on the cover you look at) the book was released a month back on October 22, 2009. The 96-page comic book authored by Deshmukh, has been designed by Dexstar and Madman (all pseudonyms).
The book, Bollywood in Love - les Aventures de Savita Bhabhi, (Bollywood in Love - The Adventures of Savita Bhabhi) is also available on Amazon France for €13.25.
All bans aren't bad, as many Bollywood producers would agree. The Indian government's restriction Savita Bhabhi has made her India's most famous porn star ever.
The widespread media coverage and online discussions have generated more following for the cartoon porn star than the ones in flesh and blood - Shakeela, Sunny Leone, Angela Devi, Priya Rai - put together.
Now that she's been published in other languages too, Savita Bhabhi might find a place along with the Kamasutra and Khajuraho whenever sex and India are mentioned together in the same sentence anywhere in the world.
It's been quite a while since I posted a condom ad. So here it is:
Partner premium quality flavoured dotted condoms.
Looks like Medikit got this ad made from an in-house intern.
And much like Kamasutra's 'Jusk Ask for KS', you'll have to ask your chemist for a 'PC'.
Chances are, he might just direct to the nearest Nehru Place like computer hardware hub or better still, send you to North Block, Central Secretariat, New Delhi, to go find the Home Minister.
Microsoft silently made available to the public its new (actually Live Search on energy boosters) search engine Bing.com - they prefer to call it a "decision engine". And the online world was abuzz with buzz about the new product. So was I.
To test the product (well, that wasn't my only purpose) I tried to see what it served me when in asked for the most popular keyword on the World Wide Web - sex. And Microsoft, rahther its new surgically enhanced baby - Bing.com poured a bucket of cold water on my carnal desires.
The search led me to this page:
THE SEARCH SEX MAY RETURN SEXUALLY EXPLICIT CONTENT. To get results, change your search terms.
I tried other 'sexually explicit' keywords. Same result. Then I looked for an option to turn off the safe search (as in Google or Live Search), but nothing existed. Then I logged in with my Windows Live ID, to see if it recognises me and displays some benevolence. No avail.
Not the one to give up I changed my country location and tried masquerading as a lascivious surfer from the US of A. And like magic, the discriminatory service revealed all, in partial glory (it was safe search moderate by default). And I could also change the safe search settings.
That can mean one thing (or I would like to look at it that way), that Microsoft Inc. does not want us Indians to search for sex or porn or xxx or nudes or anything of that genre - the sexually explicit kind.
But it doesn't discriminate when you look for kama (essentially sex in Sanskrit) but censors the Kamasutra while it is kindly towards Kokshastra.
The countries that Microsoft thinks (I assume) are more conservative and should be kept away from anything sexual include:
Arabian countries
China
Germany (I wonder why?)
Hong Kong
India
Indonesia
Korea (obviously South Korea)
Malaysia
Singapore
Taiwan
Thailand
Turkey
I had earlier expressed my displeasure on Twitter over Microsoft playing the nanny for us Indians:
2. If there are pre-roll ads before the videos, Bing treats the ads as snippets and plays them (maybe publishers hungry for search referrals might need to rethink their video ad placements). Advertisers would obviously be happy.
My favourite song of the year yet - Emosanal Attyachar from Dev D. The Brass Band version. Didn't fancy the Rock version much. Recommended listening.
Find it here - it also gets saved in your browser cache ;)
Music director Amit Trivedi has almost done a Rahman - given us a new sound (though the sound itself isn't new, the application is). The first time ever I actually loved listening to the otherwise cacophonic wedding bands - that for some inexplicable reason don't fail to play Yeh Desh Hain Veer Jawano Ka. And Amitabh Bhattacharya delicious lyrics and Bony Chakravarthy's vocals add to the experience.
And now to cash on the 'naughty' (or is it raunchy?) nature of the movie, there is a video on YouTube posted by UTVMotionPictures, with dollops of desi gaalis.
But the viral spread is yet to take off. At the time of posting this there were about 2000 views on the video.
Caution: Explicit lyrics (and some text on the video). Viewer discretion is advised.
Durex apple flavoured condoms print ad: Your turn now to seduce heer with the forbidden fruit. Apple flavoured condoms. Next time she is hungry for love, offer her a heavenly temptation. Durex's new apple flavoured condom. So that lovemaking turns more fruitful. Even sinful. Durex Apple The original temptation
This blog first saw a spurt in its pageviews in July-August 2006 thanks to a post titled Rubbers of India, something that has now developed into a complete section.
And when we talk of rubbers of India, the first brand that comes to mind is Nirodh.
One thing that struck me is that Indians search for Google on Google the most.
But Indians are not the only ones, most countries have the term Google on the top 10 most searched terms (It should be kept in note that search for "Google" doesn't imply only Google, but also includes related terms like Google Earth, Google Maps. The title of the post was just to catch some attention). And the interest in Google has shown an increasing trend worldwide since 2004 to present (that's the maximum date range in Insights).
The next obvious term is "sex" and the Pakistanis rule the roost here. Followed by Bangladesh and Sri Lanka. India stands seventh in exhibiting interest for the search keyword "Sex". India's not-so-friendly western neighbour is also the numero uno in the hunt for "boobs", "breasts", "penis", "rape", "xxx", "nudity" and more (I have better things to do then exploit my neighbours' secret desires).
Within India Orissa stands first in 'sex search' followed by Delhi. Chattisgarh, Arunachal Pradesh, Tripura, Mizoram and Nagaland seem to be the least interested in such activities (the search volume index for the states read zero).
Trinidad and Tobago look for porn via Google the most. Bangladesh comes in second. United Kingdom is at number three. And most, obviously, look for "free porn".
Lesser developed countries seem to more eagerly seek their national identity online than more developed countries. A random search showed that the country name ranked as the top searched item in these countries (India is an exception).
Countries that have witnessed turmoil feature prominently in the search for "peace".
Some random snippets to end this post:
* Honduras is most interested in Paris Hilton * Albania seems to have a huge Pamela Anderson following * Americans like their guns, but followed in the second place by Iraq * The US is still looking for WMDs on Google * But Cameroon seems to be more interested in Saddam Hussein (US doesn't make it to the top of the list for Saddam Hussein searches) * India seeks the most 'outsourcing', the developed world (besides Singapore) doesn't seem to care much * Nepal has the hots for "Aishwarya Rai" * Katrina Kaif is more popular in Pakistan than in India * Salman Khan is a huge hit in Somalia. Nepal is a faraway second. * The Somalis also drool over Kareena. Pakistanis are a distant runner-up * Pakistan and Fiji are more interested in Bollywood than India * The Kiwis seem to the most excited about the Olympics * Indians express the most interest for "silicon implants", but the popularity of the term seems to be fading over time.
Do come up with more interesting Insights.
(The above 'findings' are just assumptions via my limited understanding of Google Insights for Search and should not be construed as real)
This ad has been viewed almost 7.5 lakh times on YouTube (and has also been flagged an inappropriate for minors by some users, therefore you need to log in to view it there).
But then, at Cutting the Chai - there aren't any such restrictions. You get to watch ads (and a lot of other things too) and get access to related goodies.
Now back to the ad. It's for Wildstone deodorant. The female model in the ad is Pune girl Snigdha Akolkar. She has also appeared in TV serials and a (saree-clad) item number.
Presently a shorter version of the ad is being telecast on TV. Though both versions convey the same message, the longer version is (obviously) more ... detailed. The backdrop is of a Durga Puja at a Bengali household and this Bong lass - Snigdha does look like one in a sada-lal-par-saree (white red-bordered-saree) - experiences an olfactory fantasy where she contemplates a sexual encounter with a stranger, she accidentally bumped into, just because he smells irresistibly good (Axe?).
Old pal Kisholay seemed pleased with my series - Rubbers of India - and being the photographer that he is, promptly shot and sent me a couple of photos to propagate the message of safe sex via this blog.
It seems that the newly implemented transliterated suggest feature on Google Hindi search is not exactly safe for kids (This feature is also available in the Telugu and Tamil searches, but then I don't know the languages. Readers contribute).
What the suggest feature (announced on May 5, 2008) does is that while you search for a query using Hindi search you can input characters from the Roman script and Google will suggest queries based on what you type in.
Obviously, a very welcome feature, especially, for people who cannot type in Devanagari. But then there is something that might disturb some, particularly parents who are worried about what their kids might be inadvertently exposed to on the net.
Go to Google's Hindi search page and type in any of the following letters - B, F, K, M, N, S or Y (this is correct at the time of posting this, but might - or might not - change in the near or distant future. The reasons are elaborated further down the post).
For "B" the suggested words include - बूर (bur) - Urdu slang for vagina. And then there is/are बूब्स (boobs).
For "F", फुद्दी (phuddi/fuddi) - Hindi slang for vagina
Type in "K" and you get the कामसूत्र (Kamasutra) - the ancient Sanskrit treatise advising rules for sensuous and sensual pleasure and love and marriage
Under "M" there is मस्तराम मुसाफ़िर कामोत्तेजक (Mastram Musafir Kamotejak) - roughly translates to "Jovial Traveller Lustful" and refers to (if I'm not mistaken) a - seemingly discontinued - Hindi blog on explicit fantasy stories.
It's नंगी लड़की (nangi ladki) - nude girl - under "N"
The suggestions under "S" are almost exclusively devoted to सेक्स (sex) and related entities. For starters there's सेक्स कहानी (sex kahani) - sex stories, then comes सेक्स करने (sex karne) - having sex, followed by सेक्स (sex). Then there's सेक्स संबंधी (sex sambandhi) - sex related, with सेक्सी महिला (sexy mahila) sexy female - for some company with सेक्स के बारे (sex ke baare) about sex completing the 'sexy' list.
Typing in "Y" yields योनि (yoni) - this Sanskrit word has multiple - albeit related - meanings, in this context it would refer to the vagina.
When a kid is using this search feature to look for something else and suggestions appear, it would obviously tickle the child's curiosity and lead him/her to explore that might not be suitable for his/her age.
Many parents use parental control software to regulate their children's internet usage, but such regulations wouldn't necessarily exist at all places where a child can access the internet from. And Google is an immensely popular online service provider.
So if people are searching for such non-kidsafe terms, it isn't exactly Google's fault. But again it is a vicious cycle, since the suggested terms might induce people to search for them more than they otherwise would and hence these terms would remain atop the Zeitgeist lists, for a long time.
To be fair to Google, it does offer an option to shut this off. Clicking on the वरियताएं (Preferences) link, a user has the option to deselect प्रश्न सुझाव खोज बॉक्स में प्रदान करें radio button under विचरण सुझाव. But then it should have been deselected by default and a user could activate it voluntarily.
Moreover, Google's Hindi search (or for the matter Bengali, Telugu, Marathi and Tamil) do not have the safe search option that is available in English and other languages.
Given the limited growth in the Indian language content on the web (compared to other languages) it might take a while for all the features to trickle in, till then keep you fingers crossed every time your child types in a "B" in the search form.
First Pooja Bedi disarrayed a chessboard and had a steamy shower with Marc Robinson, then Miss Mauritius 1993 Viveka Babajee and Inder Sudan let their passions wild beneath a waterfall. Then came the double meaning ads - "So... what are you thinking of?" - and the current flavour of Kamasutra Condom advertising is roleplay.
Here's a roundup of theme "Who do you want to be tonight?"
Who do you want to be tonight? Kamasutra Condoms (Detective) Who do you want to be tonight? Kamasutra Condoms (Nurse-patient)
The dancer performed well. The instructor gave her several zeroes as a reward. Kamasutra dotted condoms. Who do you want to be tonight?
The art critic praised the artist for his use of lines. He promised her many more private viewings Kamasutra ribbed condoms. Who do you want to be tonight?
The geography professor gave private tution on different contours. The biology teacher couldn't stop thanking him Kamasutra contoured condoms. Who do you want to be tonight?
The gardener surprised the landlady with an off-season flavour. He was suitably rewarded Kamasutra Surprise. Assorted flavoured condoms Who do you want to be tonight?
The doctor came late. The nurse was glad Kamasutra Longlast. Climax control dotted condoms Who do you want to be tonight?
Nrityanjali Academy in collaboration with the India HIV/AIDS Alliance has produced a number of public service announcements in the form of music videos. The songs are in Telugu but with English subtitles. The tunes are catchy and the execution though simple seems effective. The following is one of the four videos produced by them. It focuses on the condom, its types and uses and also makes an attempt to break some myths surrounding the use of rubber protection.
The airing of these ads during the ICC Champions Trophy had upset both the Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI) and the Censor Board. The complaint on the ASCI website reads:
Visuals of "a woman sensually and orally enjoying the flavours of fruits." are obscene and vulgar because they imply promotion of 'XXX Flavoured Dotted Condoms' for oral sex. Also, running these Ads during cricket matches, which has large proportion of minors and children watching, violates prevailing standards of decency.
The ASCI in its decision said:
Ads violate prevailing standards of decency as relevant to this vulnerable age group. The time of airing and the programme during which the Ads were shown, were not suitable for viewing by children and minors.
The ads are back on TV but on the late night slot. Though DKT India officials denied promoting oral sex through the ads, the suggestive visuals give a different impression. Nothing wrong with that, though.
After chocolates, chawanprash, clothings, automobiles, televisions, paints, pens, banks and soft drinks it seemed that there were only two things which Amitabh Bachchan hadn't endorsed - chaddis (underwear) and condoms. Now this Durex ad has vanquished for the Big B's another of his unconquered realms.
Though the ad also doubles up as a promo for Cheeni Kum, it is also a condom ad (the definition isn't stretched too far).
The idea of India's on Mr Condom is a welcome one, but given the diversity and the size of our country we might need a number of them. Getting an Indian politician to wholeheartedly endorse contraceptives is a little difficult (though Narendra Modi had his photos on some of them). Recently Madhya Pradesh PWD Minister Kailash Vijayvargiya raised a hue and cry over Crezendo, a condom with a vibrating ring, marketed by the government owned Hindustan Latex Limited. While the roads of Madhya Pradesh remain a back breaker, the Minister is unnecessarily concerned about people breaking their beds.
Here where a change of government leads to the change of focus of the campaigns, a Mr Condom will find the going tough. A previous government preferred abstinence over the rubber. Good idea, but it is easier to wear a hat than keep natural instincts at bay.
Though many female celebrities endorse female contraceptives, there is a sort of stigma associated with the male condoms. It would be difficult to find someone whom the general masses would heed to lead such a campaign. I think it is where our cinema can come in. Since we have moved ahead from flowers, birds and fireplaces symbolising sexual activity on celluloid, we might just show our actors going for a rubber (or actresses asking their partners to wear one) before doing it. Usually films make fun of condoms, especially the often embarrassing experience of purchasing a pack. Fun is fun, but if a little responsibility is added it would get so much better.
Meanwhile let us think of potential candidates to don the rubber hat.
The Andhra Pradesh State Aids Control Society also had announced plans to deliver a condom-a-day (in strawberry-coloured packaging) with the morning paper.
In this age of AIDS (and also unwanted pregnancies), it is good to see a condom bar coming up in Chandigarh. Le Corbusier might not have thought of it, but that adds another reason for me to hasten my much delayed visit to the city.
Even newspapers do not shy away from advertising for fellatio services, as I discovered today. The massage parlour and escort services ads have been around for many years. Objections were raised, but such ads still fill in many column centimetres of the classifieds pages.
This ad has been viewed almost 7.5 lakh times on YouTube (and has also been flagged an inappropriate for minors by some users, therefore you need to log in to view it there).
