KARVE’S SEX LITERACY MAGAZINE REVIVED
CAMIL PARKHE reporters@sakaaltimes.com
PUNE: Samaj Swasthya, a Marathi sex education magazine published by R D Karve till 1950s, has been revived by a group of activists who say the periodical is needed now more than the conservative society of the previous century.
January 14 is the 126th birth anniversary of Raghunath Dhondo Karve, pioneer of birth control measures and sex education in India.
The activists said that the younger generation urgently needs sex education at a time when it is exposed to sex-related materials in the media and the State government is dillydallying over plans to introduce sex education in schools.
“We want our society to develop scientific attitude towards sexual health,” said Sanglibased Dr Pradeep Patil, psychiatrist and editor of the revived periodical. The first issue of the bi-monthly was released in October, last year.
Patil said this is the only Marathi magazine providing sex education from purely scientific and psychological aspects. The magazine’s editorial board com prises Anjali Mulay, Manisha Sabnis and Ashutosh Shirke. The email address of the magazine is samajswasthya@yahoo.in Samaj Swasthya, published by Karve from 1927 to 1953, had scandalised the conservative people in Mumbai, Pune and other towns as it carried photos of nude models on its cover and a logo, ‘Nudity lies in the eyes of the beholder’.
The magazine carried articles attempting to provide scientific information on sex and birth control methods at a time when even the word ‘sex’ was a taboo.
In Pune, Karve’s mission was actively supported by his cousin Shakuntalabai Paranjapye, daughter of Wrangler R P Paranjapye, India’s first high commissioner to Australia.
Shakuntalabai who regularly wrote in ‘Samaj Swasthya’ during those days also ran a birth control clinic for women at her residence located opposite Fergusson College.
Amol Palekar has directed a Marathi film ‘Dhyas Parva’ on the life and mission of Karve. EMAILreporters@sakaaltimes.com
CAMIL PARKHE reporters@sakaaltimes.com
PUNE: Samaj Swasthya, a Marathi sex education magazine published by R D Karve till 1950s, has been revived by a group of activists who say the periodical is needed now more than the conservative society of the previous century.
January 14 is the 126th birth anniversary of Raghunath Dhondo Karve, pioneer of birth control measures and sex education in India.
The activists said that the younger generation urgently needs sex education at a time when it is exposed to sex-related materials in the media and the State government is dillydallying over plans to introduce sex education in schools.
“We want our society to develop scientific attitude towards sexual health,” said Sanglibased Dr Pradeep Patil, psychiatrist and editor of the revived periodical. The first issue of the bi-monthly was released in October, last year.
Patil said this is the only Marathi magazine providing sex education from purely scientific and psychological aspects. The magazine’s editorial board com prises Anjali Mulay, Manisha Sabnis and Ashutosh Shirke. The email address of the magazine is samajswasthya@yahoo.in Samaj Swasthya, published by Karve from 1927 to 1953, had scandalised the conservative people in Mumbai, Pune and other towns as it carried photos of nude models on its cover and a logo, ‘Nudity lies in the eyes of the beholder’.
The magazine carried articles attempting to provide scientific information on sex and birth control methods at a time when even the word ‘sex’ was a taboo.
In Pune, Karve’s mission was actively supported by his cousin Shakuntalabai Paranjapye, daughter of Wrangler R P Paranjapye, India’s first high commissioner to Australia.
Shakuntalabai who regularly wrote in ‘Samaj Swasthya’ during those days also ran a birth control clinic for women at her residence located opposite Fergusson College.
Amol Palekar has directed a Marathi film ‘Dhyas Parva’ on the life and mission of Karve. EMAILreporters@sakaaltimes.com
