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Group 1 THE KAMA SUTRA/KAMASUTRA

The Hindus have four goals of life which act as a guide. These are:

DHARMA (Righteousness, duty, and moral order) - The first of the four guides says that one should live or act in accord to their moral law. It should be learned from the Sruti/Shruti (Holy Writ), a body of sacred texts and is said to be the main source of dharma. ARTHA (Wealth and prosperity) - being able to acquire wealth (land, gold, arts, etc.) in a certain point of ones life. It also includes the protection and increase or gain of what is acquired. The said wealth includes acquaintances/friends. KAMA (Worldly desires; pleasure) - This part is to be learned from Kama Sutra (Aphorisms of Love); a Hindu text written by Vatsyayana, a Hindu philosopher. It is said that to be able to achieve pleasure, one should enjoy the appropriate objects with the five senses (assisted by the mind, with the soul) MOKSHA (Liberation) - can also be called Mukti. The Hindu has believes in Samsara, a repeating cycle of birth, life, death and rebirth or reincarnation; to be able to achieve moksha or liberation is to be free of this cycle.

It is said that to be able to achieve liberation, one must practice the first three, at least at one point in their lifetime. These goals must be done in a way that one doesnt collide with the other. Although the goals should be practiced in order, there are certain exceptions to this rule. For example, the king should be able to practice Artha; Kama, the first to be practiced by public women as it is needed in their occupation.

The movie Kama Sutra: A Tale of Love (1996) focuses on Kama, and the teachings of the book Kama Sutra. It tells the story of two childhood friends, Maya and Tara, and how they eventually become sexual rivals. During 16th century India, Maya and Tara, two girls who literally grew up breathing the same air, spent most of their time together during their early age doing things together as if they were siblings. As they grow older more mature, they maintain the same relationship they had when they were very young. Their social status did not really hinder their friendship; Maya being a servant girl to Tara, a princess who will marry the king and is next in line to be queen. For her to be ready for her upcoming marriage, Tara is taught the ways of Kama Sutra to please her partner; her friend, Maya, watches from the sidelines. The king, Raj Singh, is set to see his queen but a different woman caught his eyes. He had his eyes set on Maya and Tara seemed to notice. The king invited Maya to his private chamber and the two made love; Taras brother, Prince Bikram, (who likes Maya) saw the two. The people of the palace found out what happened between Raj and Maya. Maya is banished from the palace only to meet a sculptor named Jai Kumar who eventually becomes her lover. Jai introduces Maya to Rasa, the same teacher that taught Tara the ways of Kama Sutra, who teaches her the same thing. Jai and Maya made love, but Jai falling deeper in love with Maya asked to be left alone and said that he used to not rely on anybody to be able to finish his works; implying that Maya is a distraction. Maya was called back to the palace and became a courtesan. She and Tara saw each other again, but Tara wanted her out of sight and asked her to leave at once; Rajs mother disagreed with what Tara wanted. After he found out that the king has an interest in Maya, Jai Kumar looked for her and found her; offering his hand and his love for he didnt like how the king treats woman. Raj, after Jais visits to Maya, found out that the two are having an affair. Jai was banished, Maya begged for his freedom, but Raj refuses. Raj also said that he will kill Jai. Tara attempted suicide because the king was being cold to her and she knew that Raj liked Maya more. Maya saw her and comforted her, and teaches her how the right ways to seduce her husband. Maya asked Tara for help for Jais freedom, but Tara can only do so much. She helps her get out of the palace and see Jai, at least for the last time. Maya went to Jai only to see him in the worst condition, his to ankles chained to the ground. She asks Jai to cut her hair and said that she will only be his. Maya approached Raj and once again asked for Jais freedom, even offering herself to him, to do whatever the king wanted her to do. She even agreed to not see Jais face ever again, but the king threw her to the ground and insisted that she was lying. Jais death follows; an elephant stomped over his body while he was lying on a pile of rocks. Maya turns around and leaves the palace.

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