This is a remarkable attempt to build the foundations of Indian/Hindu psychiatry. It will touch a chord with anyone who has grown up in India, and is instructive for people seeking to understand how psychiatry and psychoanalysis translate to non-Western cultures.

Kakar takes the reader deep into sexual ideas and lore, in the classical Indian way, that will certainly enlighten and even titillate some readers. His imaginative depiction of who the author of the Kama Sutra might have been is also worth the price of admission. His prose - this is his first novel, I think - often falls short of page-turning, but I happily stayed with it to the end nevertheless, and so will you if you're interested in a lively and stimulating depiction of the geography of desire.

I have been an avid reader of Sudhir Kakar's columns in India Today. Needless to say, I was delighted to read his debut novel. The Ascetic of Desire is a fascinating account of how desire is created, thought of and realized within a particular socio-cultural context. The richness of details yielded through the interface with history and folklore makes this book a must-read for anyone interested in the subject of human desire.

What I liked the most about this book is that it works at several levels. At one level it is an absorbing story of a man who compiled all that was known about sex. At another level it is a psychological thriller-study and at yet another level it is a commentary on the sexuality and culture. I usually read thrillers/bestsellers or Dick Francis interspersed with Anita Booker and Margaret Atwood etc and this book was paced bang in the middle. Not too fast, not too slow. I enjoyed it enough to put Kakar on my list of regularly read authors.

I first read about sudhir kakkar in 1996. Ordered all his works the very next day. To write exceptionally, its an excellent read. Reasoning is very sensible. Although some of the studies are as old as a decade (even more), the analysis is just as valid now. I have never read anything else with reasoning as subjective as this work. Sudhir's work creats interest in every subject.

There are too few books on the market on Eastern Indian sexuality and stories that form the basis for much insight into the Indian psyche. I highly recommend this book, I only wish Dr. Kakar would write a book of East Indian - American intimate dynamics...

Kakar is an American-trained psychoanalyst who returns to India to explore shamanism and mysticism. Thus, he has the dual perspective of both an insider and and outsider. He has written an engrossing book which tells indepth stories of the lives and practices of Indian shamans, mystics and therapists. His fascinating narrative includes case studies of individual patients. For example, his discussion of Tantric and Kundalini yoga gives details beyond my wildest imagination. I found myself both disgusted at some of the descriptions and laughing at his own experience!

I couldn't put the book down. The only drawback is his psychoanalytic perspective. He is a Freudian, and his own analysis of the healers and patients gets mighty boring and repetitive. One guru critiqued him for his perspective, and I tended to agree with her. I learned to skip these sections.

Otherwise, this is a riveting book, although not one for people looking for New Age techniques. It is an accessible look at shamanism for those with a more serious interest in the subject.

Somewhat disappointed with this version of the Kama Sutra. The beautiful erotic Indian artwork that I've seen included in so many other versions was very much lacking in this one.

this book is excellent. most think the kamasutra is a sex manual. o.k., so it can be used as one - but if taken at face value, could create some pulled muscles and ligamentus issues...

this translation of the kamasutra has more "meat" to it than the burton translation a 100 years ago. also..it is more accurate.

furthermore, it is easy to understand. this book is about how to live life and how to approach human relations in a rational way. sometimes that is sex. sometimes it is marriage. sometimes it is just group interactions.

if you apply to proper context to this book (whatever is important to you, basically), the book is a great way to introspect and understand your own life using a 400 AD context.

Too much lofty theorizing - only for readers with little real exposure to India's complexities.

This is the best book on religious violence in India that I have ever read. The author is a psychoanalyst who really gets into the reasons why Hindus and Muslims have these stereotypes of each other. I highly recommend this to anyone interested in Indian history.