Sexy Is Healthy

What’s more, say a team of researchers led by University of Texas’ Devendra Singh, this is not a modern Western discovery, but can be traced as far back as 16th century Britain, fourth century China and first century India. In fact, there is even a celebratory hreference to the hour glass shape in second century B.C. on Egyptian Queen Nefertari’s epitaph, whose “buttocks are full, but her waist is narrow.”

Their research, published in the Proceedings of the Royal Society – let’s bow to that – studied British literature from the 16th to 18th century for hreferences to the female anatomy: breasts, hips, buttocks, legs, thighs, etc. Breasts, waist and thighs had the strongest romantic appeal. But whereas it was roundness rather than the size of the breast that enraptured writers of the period, the verdict on the waist was unambiguous: “the narrow waist has a universal and timeless appeal.”

The researchers’ analysis of the Mahabharata and Ramayana found that all 35 hreferences in them celebrated slender waists, such as in this quote in the Mahabharata – “accept this slender-waisted damsel for thy spouse.” The epics apparently also approved of “full and round” hips and breasts and “tapering” thighs.

The researchers conclude: “This body part – a known marker of health and fertility – is a core feature of feminine beauty that transcends ethnic morphological differences and cultures.”

Well not quite. The British seem to be partial to the breast, waist, thighs and legs in that order. By contrast, Indians rank the female anatomy as waist, hip, buttock and breast.  Makes sense, doesn’t it? The Western mind is linear – goes down the body sequentially. By contrast, we Indians are free floating. Come on, move that butt, will you?