Wednesday, 30 October 2013

Restroom Chronicles

One of my close friends loves to visit the restrooms in high-end hotels. The interiors, accessories like moisturizers, scented candles and super soft towels thrill her senses and she ends up spending a lot of time than she intends in the room. For the past month and a half, I have been trapezing across four states - Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Goa and Kerala and like in every trip, restrooms are something that can make or mar a trip for me. It's the memory of the restrooms that linger longer in my mind and I always tend to judge a trip by the restrooms. I know that it does sound corny but then the matters of the nature calls are definitely important for all of us, I assume.

I was pleasantly surprised to find clean and well maintained toilets when I travelled in an overnight bus from Bangalore to Goa. The bus stopped at two places en-route and thankfully both the places were clean and the taps had running water in copious amounts.

This time while travelling in the Kerala Sampark Kuchuvelli Express (12218) from Goa to Kerala, I noticed that the toilets were brand new bio-toilets. Now I didn't know what bio-toilets were at that time but a little bit of googling gave me this answer:

The night soil from commode enters into the bio-tank, where the inoculums are stored and gets decomposed by the bacteria. The decomposed human soil will next enter into chlorine tank and to get purified. Finally, the out put will be water and gas . . .

Well, I was happy that some amends have been made by the railways to improve their toilets and this after how many years! I just hope that the people don't misuse this and wreck the well-intentioned efforts of the Indian Railways which has earned the nickname of being the world's largest open toilet. This trip saved my Indian Railways toilet anxiety. So as you have rightly imagined, I slept in peace and got up smiling.



 I often wonder why people taking the air-conditioned coaches do not think of keeping the toilets clean and flushing them after each use. There is a GREAT divide between treating personal and public space judiciously. While people ensure that their homes are well kept, they don't think the same of public spaces and especially places like the restrooms which are used for the most personal act - ridding the body of its toxins and waste!

Kalpana Sharma, an independent journalist, columnist and media consultant, in one of her articles "Educating India," says that, "The Annual Status of Education Report, 2009 points out yet again that what stands between rural girls and a good education is often basic facilities like transport and proper toilets." I wonder how many of our citizens take this point seriously. And clean toilets are always something that a woman traveller looks forward to when she travels as she cannot shamelessly pee wherever she wants like most of the men in this country do!
The Annual Status of Education Report, 2009 points out yet again that what stands between rural girls and a good education is often basic facilities like transport and proper toilets. - See more at: http://www.indiatogether.org/opinions/kalpana/#sthash.yzPOZSGV.dpufnnnnnnnnn
The Annual Status of Education Report, 2009 points out yet again that what stands between rural girls and a good education is often basic facilities like transport and proper toilets. - See more at: http://www.indiatogether.org/opinions/kalpana/#sthash.yzPOZSGV.dpuf

The Annual Status of Education Report, 2009 points out yet again that what stands between rural girls and a good education is often basic facilities like transport and proper toilets. - See more at: http://www.indiatogether.org/opinions/kalpana/#sthash.yzPOZSGV.dpuf
So, what are your restroom chronicles, dear reader?

Image: Internet

13 comments:

  1. 'I often wonder why people taking the air-conditioned coaches do not think of keeping the toilets clean and flushing them after each use'.
    For the same reason I guess why people can travel in SUVs and yet throw litter out of the window without a second thought.

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  2. Nice article, Susan. Bio toilets...sounds interesting. there is an architect Chitra Vishwanath in Bangalore who has come up with Bio San for homes.

    ''There is a GREAT divide between treating personal and public space judiciously''.
    So true. I am experiencing it out here as well. The cooking range and platform will not be cleaned after being used, uncooked grain and cereal on the floor will not be picked up, garbage not disposed off regularly :(

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  3. Susan Deborah, my experience in USA is this. Never have I run into the troubles you describe in India. Here is why. We do NOT depend on the (mostly) self-centered general population to keep it clean. But we DO have people located everywhere, parks, stores, restaurants, trains, fuel service stations, banks, libraries, factories, etcetera, whose job is to clean all these toilets regularly.

    So there IS a solution, which does not involve training the populace in social graces...but the populace does pay--in taxes!

    You cover a story well, as usual, and there is no way not to like and enjoy your writings.

    PEACE and LIGHT

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  4. Don't know about toilets in India. But I must admit I'm most grateful to public restrooms at those times when I've needed them desperately. I'm so glad not to have to go in a field. Though sometimes they could be cleaner, at least I get some privacy and relief. I can relate to your friend. I love a beautiful, clean restroom.

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  5. During road trips I watch out for Cafe Coffee Days not for the food but their clean wash rooms. You are right they can make or mar trips. I get very anxious about finding clean washrooms

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  6. Thank you Susan for bringing up the issue which affects every one. We find clean rest rooms only in big hotels. There is no other place,where clean toilets are maintained. It is unfortunate why people dont use them hygienically.

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  7. A good post - even the pay and use toilets at Chennai Central Station are badly maintained :(

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  8. Deborah darling .. something on many of our minds, you put them into words.. This thing about the keeping the private, as in your own clean, and the public messy is troublesome. Even in the hostels I've stayed in, there are some residents who have a total disdane and an irresponsible attitude towards keeping the restrooms clean, often we have to stick posters on the inside of the doors to say, "check again, look back if things are in order, for you may be the next one again entering the mess you have created!" Toilets do make r mar your trip, totally yes, sometimes even in places like the airport you find it not maintained and find them extra squeaky clean in the most unimagined places.. :) love n hugs Ash

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  9. Oh Gosh! My experiences have ranged from horrid to being pleasantly surprised. As women, we just end up holding our bladders for long periods of time because the very prospect of going in a dirty restroom is icky beyond compare. And glad to hear about the Indian Railways bio-toilet. Was that a pilot?

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  10. Given the OCD for cleanliness I have, I dread visiting loos when travelling. We badly need to improve hygiene in public restrooms. Recently, our bus stopped at Haveli Restaurant at Karnal. It was 11.30 pm and when I entered the washroom, I stood at the door for a while to see the way 2 women were cleaning the washrooms. With soapy liquid all around and using big brushes to clean... wow... I was so impressed. I mean some of the homes dont have such clean toilets! Bio-toilets sound great!!

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  11. If I'm traveling, or at a particular restaurant, and the toilet/restroom I need to use isn't in tip-top shape? I make it a point to never go there again! Glad to say, those experiences are few and far between, but when they happen, it does make me wonder why people don't care more about cleanliness.
    Interesting topic and thoughts, Susan!

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  12. Maybe that's why I disliked Ecuador so earnestly. Their public restrooms were unacceptable especially when a woman stood outside handling two sheets of toilet paper. Two! and better make it work for you.
    The rest of the country was probably acceptable, but I never got to that point with them.

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  13. Dear Susanne .... I totally agree with You.... there a new trend that we find that everyone fixes the western toilet not knowing that the hand spray flush is the part and parcel of that. I personally prefer Indian toilets ..... whenever one enters the train toilet the strong stench almost puts us off..yet I have noticed a few routes do maintain their toilets. I always pray for two things while travelling....1st a clean rest room and 2nd a mosquito free bedroom :)

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