Sex Positions from the Ananga Ranga

The Ananga Ranga is an Indian Love manual written around 1172 AD. Unlike many texts of this period that seemed to be written more towards the pleasure of men the Ananga Ranga was written as a guide to help prevent boredom in couples. Some of the writings of the Ananga Ranga were actually taken from the Kama Sutra.

Quoting the Author, Kalyana Malla, “The chief reason for the separation between the married couple and the cause which drives the husband to the embraces of strange women, and the wife to the embraces of strange men, is the want of varied pleasures, and the monotony which follows possession.”

Thumbnail image for The Splitting Position

From the Ananga Ranga: The woman lies on her back and her partner enters her from the kneeling position. He then lifts her legs straight up resting them on his […]

Thumbnail image for The Snake Trap Position

From the Ananga Ranga: The woman sits astride the man, facing him, and each partner holds the other’s feet. This arrangement allows the couple to rock themselves back and forth […]

Thumbnail image for The Position Of Equals

From the Ananga Ranga: Sitting astride the man and facing him the woman stretches out her legs alongside his body, passing them under his arms at about elbow height and […]

Thumbnail image for The Paired Feet Position

From the Ananga Ranga: The man sits with his legs wide apart while the woman lowers herself onto him with her legs over his. When full penetration has been achieved […]

Thumbnail image for The Inverted Embrace Position

From the Ananga Ranga: The man lies on his back. The woman lies on top of him and inserts his penis. Pressing her breast to his and steadying herself by […]

Thumbnail image for The Intact Position

From the Ananga Ranga: While lying on her back the woman raises her legs and bends them at the knee so that they rest against her partner’s chest when he […]

Thumbnail image for The Crying Out Position

From the Ananga Ranga: The man lifts the woman by passing her legs over his arms at the elbow and moves her from side to side and she can push […]

Thumbnail image for The Crab Embrace

From the Ananga Ranga: In this warm and inviting variation of the basic side by side position, the man enters the woman and lies beneath her legs. One of her […]

Thumbnail image for The Ascending Position

From the Ananga Ranga: This position is for the woman whose passion had not been ‘gratified by previous copulation’. Sitting cross legged on the man’s thighs she should seize his […]

Thumbnail image for Raised Feet Position

From the Ananga Ranga. Lying on her back the woman bends her legs at the knees and draws them back as far as she can. Her partner enters from the […]

Thumbnail image for Kama’s Wheel

This position is from the Ananga Ranga where it is called the Smarachakrasana. The man sits with his legs outstretched and parted, and his partner lowers herself onto his penis […]