Can free sex save the world?

Climate man RK Pachauri's new book seems to suggest that peace -- global or personal -- is just a few romps away

There's this recent article on hippies that says the tribe is alive and agitated. Agitated because world peace is still a chillum-induced illusion. And their love-all philosophy hasn't found too many takers outside their orgy circles. But the movement continues and a few of them gather for two months in a forest near Haridwar to soul search, among other more carnal activities.

Sanjay Nath, RK Pachauri's hero in his debut novel, Return to Almora, returns to Almora for similar reasons. As the book jacket tells you, "Sanjay is haunted by recollections of his previous incarnation, and moved by personal tragedies and futility of human life (sic), he gives up everything to chase meaning, memories, and peace."



That's pretty much all there is to the novel, if you discount the graphic descriptions of Sanjay's sexual adventures, including a group sex session with the janitor's daughter, which are worth a read if bad sex badly described does it for you. Strangely, almost any male protagonist in any English novel written by an Indian writer spends considerable time masturbating. Sanjay is no exception. He steals a handkerchief from a fellow passenger on a train. "He pulled it out gently, imagined Pooja naked and ready by his side, and got busy with his right hand."

Elsewhere, "He (Sanjay) removed his clothes and began to feel Sajni's body, caressing her voluptuous breasts. He felt very excited, but wanted to enjoy exploring her body before he attempted to enter her. But suddenly, it was all over."

Often, spent physically and otherwise, Sanjay tries celibacy. Till the next allure comes along.

It doesn't help that his spiritual guru prods him on. Even giving a spiritual sanction to his nocturnal actions.

Shankardas tell him: "Shiva went into the pine forest and successfully seduced the wives of the sages. He was deeply in love with Parvati. Then, why did he indulge in sex with other women?u00a0 Well, he did it as a form of affection, but this did not distract from his essentially ascetic character."

Sex and spirituality apart, environment plays a role in Pachauri's book. Predictably. The setting, for most parts, is the Himalayan region. One character is an environmental journalist, another specialises in the geology of the Himalayan range. But none of them help establish Pachauri as a fiction writer. He's better off saving
glaciers.