Tuesday, September 23, 2008

Indian Hygiene-inside story

Some sense of hygiene: Kolkatans have the dirtiest hands : Hindustan Times,Kolkata Edition Dated 23/09/08.

As pointed out in a survey conducted by the independent body, Global Hygiene Council, supported by Dettol, a popular disinfectant brand from Reckitt Benckiser brought out that Kolkatans have the most dirtest hands.
During my twenty years association with different people from all over India I have closely watched their behavioural patterns which are so unique in nature. One can differentiate a person from another by his journey to the loo/bathroom which I have closely observed during my innumerous postings and sharing rooms with my colleagues at different places be it in trecking, official assingments , private tours or simply sightseeing tours. These are my findings of people from different parts of India:
Punjabi(both Sardars & Maunas)--- Goes to the loo, relieves,washes,comes out of the bathroom tying the "nara" of the pyjama and washes his hands(both) at the washbasin generally located outside the bathroom.
Rajasthani: Prefers to go outside to relieve which is fondly called as going to the "jungle" with a "lota"(small in size). After finishing his expedition, washes his hands with sand(termed as "amrit" in western parts of Rajasthan) and asks a guy who standing in front of him to pour the precious water.
Harayana: I leave it to others for imagination.
Oriya: A breed of a special kind. Mixes up the whole issue of going for a shit or going to worship. When the nature pressurises, this poor guy strips himself to the "gamcha" whether it is biting cold or hot and does his ritual. The Oriyas do maintain their hygiene if we go by the Global Hygiene Council(GHC) standards but how many of them know that Oriya toilets have always a left over soap cake pasted on the walls of the toilet to be used like a paper soap/ napkin.
North-East guys: They do not wash their clothes leave alone washing their hands.
UP/MP/Chattisgarh axis: They don't bother to wash their private parts after sex what to talk about washing hands before eating.
Bihari: The "gumcha"(more shopisticated ones uses towels) is their symbol of heirarchy in the society. Different rivers/rivulets (running water) comes to their rescue after their morning rituals. Rest the gumcha will do the trick.
South India axis: Red big size Lifebuoy soap cut into different slices to be kept on the soap dish container meant for "toilet purpose" Here toilet strictly denotes only shitting and ablution.
Bengalis: Verdict already declared by the Global Hygiene Council and supported by Dettol.



Global Hygiene Council could have saved a lot of their money to see the hygiene patterns of Indians by taking a railway journey from East to western part of India and again from North to Southern part, diametrically crisscrossing India but only on Sleeper Class ticket so as to know true India. They should wake up around 05.30 in the morning and stay awake atleast till 07.30 so that they can get a good view of different shapes/sizes of human anatomy responding to the nature's call all along the Indian Railways tracks with the sun shining brightly from behind(India really shines at that moment).
Global Hygiene Council and Mr. Dettol soap--- How many Indians have the money to spend money on buying a cake of Dettol soap which you people have in conducting useless survey.

1 comment:

Innovative Thinking said...

excellent observation -- especially observing the different traits of people all over India. Mr Dettol could have done another more useful survey of hygiene maintained by doctors in hospitals and nursing homes. That is the place where most people pick up germs that make them ill after they are discharged from the hospital. This survey was conducted by National Geographic on an international level and the findings are little scary.

Dibyendu De