KAILASH PURI : SEXOLOGIST WITH A HEALING TOUCH

KAILASH PURI : SEXOLOGIST WITH A HEALING TOUCH

Women  writers are in generally associated with the writings related to woman's issues or docile emotional stuff. Very few break the threshold and venture into arena in which even men may not dare. Sexology is one such subject. Not an easy task for a village belle. A widely published writer. Kailash Puri is known to Punjabi readers through 18 years long association with 'Qaumi Ekta' known for her candid, vivid and sensitive writings. She not only writes but also counsels both men and women. Not only this she has provided a new vocabulary to the subject ; Sexology, in Punjabi.

 Born ln Rawalpindi (Pak), she got her basic education from her village, Kaler and Lahore. She got married and left for England in 1946 along with her husband. She was called upon to take part in Asian programmes of BBC T.V. relating to Home and Family. Soon she came to be known as 'Agony Aunt'. Her husband Dr. Gopal Singh Puri was doing Ph.D in Ecology there.

The new environment and culture instigated her further to explore new vistas of knowledge. She also plunged into social work. Her endeavour with creative writings got a further fillip when the couple decided to settle permanently in Liverpool in 1968. She started editing a literary megazine 'Roopwati' and her writings came to be focused upon the subject of family in particular and home in general. Her papers, on the above-mentioned subject, were published in almost all the reputed newspapers and magazines of England & lndia, both, in English and Punjabi.

 Recently, She was in Amritsar and Dharmendra Rataul questioned her on wide - ranging topics, relating to an unusual area - sexology which she has undertaken.

Q:- First of all, why and how ‘Sexology" became a part of your writings ?

A:- Since home and family were my focus and l was interested in it. Sexology naturally entered into it. I began to find the cause of many traumatic relationship. And my aim was to find out harmonious & happy family life and sex played a pertinent part in it. Besides I write on woman's freedom and equality. I strongly advocated that, in sexual relationship too, She must be treated equally. lt is quite a mess.

Q:- You must have struck a hornets’ nest then ?

A:- More than often people misunderstand and took at sexology as pornography . My writings are about sex knowledge based on the great epic 'Kama Sutra'. I strongly denounce the pornography as it treats woman as nothing more but a commodity thus making her more vulnerable to the exploitation. My first book 'Sej Uljhana' faced intense resistance and there was lot of hue and cry in lndia and abroad l was denounced for my openness and frankness. Gradually the importance of my writings began to dawn on people around me and the number of my readers increased manifold.

Q:- Sex is becoming an essential part of many magazines in lndia. How do you look at it ?

A:- Much is being written on pornography. There are very few magazines which are taking the subject seriously. These magazines are the real enemy of woman as they are making her more vulnerable to molestation and exploitation. lncreasing eases of rape & SeXUal abUSe are self evident .

Q:- What about woman,s issues in lndia? Are the western woman more free and liberal ?

A:-Women assertion in lndia is very strong but is confined to the upper- strata of the society only. Women's issues have become fashionable and seriousness concerning the problems being faced by women in general has been side - tracked. Moreover, the concept has made women arrogant and the rich women who beholds  the leadership takes advantage of the issue to further their own vested interest ignoring r their sisters in villages who are bearing the oppression of the male-dominated society.

Q:- Where does the Punjabi writing stands today ? What is the future of Punjabi language in view of emerging globalisation ? 

A:- Punjabi language and writings are indeed very creative. Unfortunaily their number is not increasing and I feel the future of the language is very bleak. ln general Punjabi's don't have love and passion for their mother tongue which we can find in many other communities. I have travelled abroad widely and found that people strongly love their mother tongue but  this is missing in case of Punjabis They adopted the language of the area they migrated to. ln lndia their first love is English. Somehow it has become a status symbol for them. The 'spirit ,to see the mother tongue at top is missing.

Q:-What should be done ?

A:-Punjabi newspapers, magazines and literature must be encouraged. Government should come forward to provide helping hand to those who are forcefully advocating the development of Punjabi language. More and more publication must be encouraged in Punjabi…Z