Thaindian News

New Delhi, March 6 (IANS) Call it ironical or shocking, but in the land that produced Kamasutra — the ancient manual for spiritual erotical life — a whopping 82 percent youngsters don’t see a connection between making love and spirituality!

So says a survey in the Times of India conducted by Speaking Tree-IMRB across Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore, Pune, Chennai and Hyderabad. Only 18 percent of the youths surveyed found any connection between sex and spirituality.

The survey also reaffirmed the sanctity of director Karan Johar’s “It’s All about loving your family” slogan, as an overwhelming 95 percent youngsters seek their parents’ blessings before embarking on a new and important task.

The poll, conducted among 757 students, including 490 from elite and 267 from middle-rung colleges, also found that an amazing 91 percent were practising believers — they have faith and regularly visit a place of worship, especially during stressful times like exams, daily said.

Over two-thirds admitted to praying at least once a week and 26 percent prayed only on special occasions.

And it’s again the family which has the maximum influence on youngsters in matters of faith. A whopping 91 percent respondents acknowledged this, followed by five percent who considered friends important. Internet was ranked by only 1 percent.

And when it comes to the ever-important question of religion, the majority prefers to follow the religion they are born into and only 6 percent are open to exploring other faiths.

When asked “How spiritual are you?”, 16 percent of the youngsters said very, 49 percent said moderately, 28 percent said slightly and just 7 percent said not a bit.

There is a clearly laid out distinction between spirituality and religion as 77 percent preferred to call themselves spiritual rather than religious. Most question the relevance of rituals associated with religion and 67 said they won’t ‘fast for religious reasons’.

Amazingly, feeding the poor was rated by 77 percent as a spiritual activity.

When it comes to discussing spirituality with elan, 41 percent do so, while an almost equal number, 40 percent, prefer to hide their spiritual nature in the closet.