BIRDS AND THE BEES

(Published in the Daily News Analysis, Mumbai of 9^th December 2005)

‘Let me tell you about the birds and the bees/ and the flowers and the trees/ and a thing called Love…’so goes an old sentimental number. With the birds and the bees demanding more and more attention, unfortunately Man’s interest in the flowers, the trees and the thing called love seems to have diminished.

Yet surprisingly, in the land of the three graphic K’s- the Khajuraho, the Konark and the Kamasutra, there exists a word that is still considered taboo. Add ‘pre-marital’ to it and the phrase becomes an anathema. Add your individual opinions on the matter and all hell breaks loose. I wonder what it is about sex that tickles the hypocritical nerves of our nation. It is unquestionably ‘the’ only act of pure creation. Having puritanical views or being tight lipped about it will not necessarily guarantee its disappearance from the dictionary. On the contrary, with undue assistance from the multiple networks of distractions available today, via magazines, cable, Internet and MMS, it will only help in sending bewildering signals to the growing and exploring mind.

A few, with our holier than thou attitudes, would love for sex to remain what it is- a constant enigma. But the child of today can hardly be hoodwinked. Try telling a curious ten year old the story of the stork that delivered his baby brother from the hospital and you’ll end up getting a pitiful look.

We can hardly ignore the fact that the naïve ‘birds and bees’ state of affairs has long since given way to the dreaded HIV and Aids scare. This not only demands urgent action but also safe guidance. But usually, our dreary parental advise on such delicate issues, ends up in blundering moments, instant rebellion or an uneasy silence, all of which neither prove appealing, educational, or useful.

So, if we feel awkward to have open conversations with our kids, what is the harm if educational Institutions or Celebrities advocate for it in a sensible way? After all, the ears of the budding world are definitely more tuned to the inspiring voices of their teachers and their Idols. When will we shed our conventional images to accept tradition with a new and cautious approach? When will we learn to recognize the simple but basic facts of life? With our priggish outlook we may shelter the ‘birds and the bees’ from our children, but we can never do one thing. We cannot stop them from growing up.

Nargis Natarajan.