INDIA…ONE MONTH

Linda Mary Liotino

I left for India exactly one month ago on September 6^th.  My one month evaluation is in a nut shell I love India and I am very happy.   Although the life here is so different then I am currently use too I would not trade my life in the USA for this journey and experience.  India is in a time warp of my youth in the 1950’s early 1960’s however with that being said modern technology is prevalent in the time warp.   Surprising the old and new co- exists in balance without apparent conflict a perfect marriage and meshing of both times.  Life is hard and outer conditions which, I will address in depth in all my writings fight one at every turn however, as I have before life goes on in spite of them.  In order to be one who wants to live here coming from a totally different culture one must be willing to carry the crosses in joy/in struggle and whose passion/will to live in India supersedes all the obstacles one has to encounter and so it is with me.

Expanding on life in my neighborhood where I live and to give you a true sense of life here among most Indians throughout ….India…. I touch on these aspects.  Clothes are washed by hand by many in large plastic tubs in the backyard and yes the clothes are beat on a cement section or rock in the yard.  This is a daily routine of washing clothes filling three lines everyday is done early morning without skipping a beat.  The face of the woman hard at work in this laborious task shows no signs of disdain, strain or anger she just precedes with the task at hand.    

The child is often times bathe in a large plastic tub outside every morning.  The child is given time to play with toys in the water before the mother bathes the child.  After drying the child the child is taken inside and dressed in fresh clean clothes.

Water is from a well and although there is a plastic water tower on each homes roof top the conservation of water is taken seriously.  There is no running water randomly to rinse a dish, to let it run while cleaning the counters or whatever one does as the water is left running.  The water tank is check to see that water level is maintained scheduling the time and amount of time the pump must be turned on to meet the families needs.  Nothing is taken for granted everything is calculated to make sure it serves its purpose.  That is why clothes are washed outside the water is taken from the in ground well in every back yard and also the dirty dishes from meals eaten are at times taken outside and also washed from the water pulled up from said well.   These practices vary but the bottom line conserving water is of the utmost importance.  

The conservation of water knows no luxury.  There is no wasting of water as to run for showers for two reasons the one stated above and the water having so much salt clogs the shower head.  This I am saying lends one to the common sense there is no filling up a bathtub to take a long luxurious soaking bath with water jets going for anyone.   Therefore, how does one bath in India for the most part.  Each bathroom is one shower room with a drain, small step up to the toilet part and the sink is outside to allow one to wash their face and hands while the bathroom is being occupied.  One bathes with a tub NOT in the tub.  A large plastic tub is filled with water and each tub has a liter size or little bigger plastic pitcher.  One stands and takes the pitchers of water and wets the body well, washes with bar soap, and rinses in the same manner.  One only uses the water in the tub needed to get the job done leaving the clean water left in the tub which is never dirtied for the next person to start their bath with them adding additional water as needed.  

I conclude this Blog with this final detail about the bathroom.  The toilet is an Indian toilet it is flushed to the floor and one squats down and uses it.  Each time it is used one wash themselves there is no using of toilet tissue.  There is a large bucket by the toilet, which also has a plastic pitcher for washing and flushing the toilet by dumping water down it.  A western bathroom [the bathroom we are most use to] may co-exist in a home with the Indian bathroom if one is elderly or ill.  Do to my lack of agility to squat an adjustment was made to accommodate my long lost squatting days and enough said on this [smile].

There is so much to write about India in a one hour time riding in a car one could easily write 100 Blogs on the many aspects of life in India.  Until next week May the Hearts of Jesus and Mary Bless You!.

10/6/09

Copyright 2009 Linda Mary Liotino