Introduction South Asia 101B: Bangalore, India

courtesy of Ashleigh M. Curry



Aug. 2004 - Dec. 2004
Bangalore, Karnataka, India

Introduction South Asia 101B: Bangalore, India

contd.


004. Toilet manner

Aright, here we have this famous "untouchable left hand". Now you can try at your home.

First you need to know is that Indian style, same as China style and Japanese style, you don't sit on a toilet seat. There is no toilet seat. You just squat down and do your thing. Then, after you took a schaitze, grab a fixed pail and ladle out water with right hand. While you are squatted down, pour slowly from your back and gently wash off your asshole by using tip of left hands' fingers. And wait a lico bit to get it dry. That's it.

It really makes so much sense tho. At the mean time, you can palpate a condition of anal too. And when you become used to it, you would think using toilet paper makes no sense anymore.

It's like no waste of resource, skin friendly, and totally clean. However, if this gets popularity among develop nations like Japan or become world wide, it wouldn't be so all good especially for those involved with toilet paper industry. Plus, Japanese toilet cultures got use of heated washlet too. So we already have industrial concessions and it has become our custom. hmm.


005. Vegetarians

I've been asked by so many saying "Indians only eat curry, right?" Ok, then Japanese only eat Sushi, just like North Americans only eat hamburgers. it's like this mush of mislead information and is totally prejudice.

India is known for vegetarians' paradise since the majority of population doesn't eat animal meat for their religious, cultural and custom reasons. I don't even remember where at a market animal meat was sold. If you wanna eat meat in India, you gotta go to an appropriate restaurant and find "Non-Vegetarians" section on a menu. Usually those meat were Mutton and Chicken as far as I remember.

South Indians actually use so many herbs and spices to cook all sort of dishes like grill, stew, boil, stir fry, deep fry, all sort. When you eat, simply use three fingers, thumb, index finger and middle finger. However, I wasn't experienced so I used four fingers, three plus my third finger.

Using your fingers on a plate, you mix rice and dishes into a mouthful size. You never worry about getting burn coz you touch food before eating. And it actually emphasize the taste of food since "touch" stimulate your appetite. You smell, see, touch, and taste. It just enjoy the food. Our five senses functions amazing. Even now, when I go to an Indian restaurant in Tokyo, I eat with my right hand.

As for me, I was so Indianized that I went by vegetarian style for almost all the way. Maybe I had mutton curry a few times, that's it.

By the way, big activist man of Indian independence from British colonization, famous non-violence style Mahatma Gandhi was a vegetarian too.


006. Summary

India, where you can feel the dynamics of humanity and Asian energy, is very much appealing. We Japanese have so much in common, culture, religion and philosophy. I felt like any culture aspects there were deep and unique. I really want anybody, specially we the Far East Asians, to go visit India.

Today's Indian influence and appearance are way strong in international scene, market, network, whatever you name those relations. They got over 1.1billions of population. Laboring back up is way far out. So, get to know India, you loose nothing. This is a good opportunity, so why don't you start by eating food with right hand.