Eyingbeni Humtsoe-Nienu
By now, most people must feel disgust at an Additional District Magistrate in Allahabad urinating on the confluence of the three rivers considered sacred by Hindus – The Triveni Sangam. “What a filthy act!” So would a lot of people watching it on national TV say. To make matters worse, he was shown wearing a “Clean Ganga” campaign shirt. What an unholy alliance between his attention grabbing act and his garb! But don’t throw him to the gallows of shame just yet.
In my previous place of service, outside Nagaland, I observed quite a disturbing behavior similar to the one above. After one solemn outdoor ceremony, I was greatly surprised to notice that young men were rushing for the trees. I thought, for once, that the ceremony was not over and that a surprise element was awaited. What I realized was no less a major surprise though not of a pleasant kind. Who would enjoy the sight of young men urinating behind trees in the presence of many other folks? I for one was not at all amused and had to bring it up to the youth who were clearly oblivious to the gravity of their supposedly normal habit.
Back home, I am forced to believe that men do consider the whole world as their toilet. It’s common to see men alight from public conveyances, usually halfway through their destinations, and lining up beside the main road to do their thing. One can only wonder if showing their backs excuses them from such crude exhibitionism. Drunks in broad daylight will shamelessly empty their bladders anywhere, including their own pants! Towns greet us with unsightly stinky corners created by males. Government urinals frequented by men are usually left unusable, especially by women.
In Naga village context, usually every home has a covered structure to relieve themselves. Also, every passerby, guided by the principle of “your toilet is my toilet,” is free to use anybody’s urinal. In the towns there is rarely that sort of camaraderie at work. In most cases, public buildings like shopping centers, offices and institutions lack free access to restroom facilities. They’re usually locked and key is accessible only to staff. In such a situation, women are compelled to hold it and men, well, they’ve the whole world at their disposal – anything they presume hides their urinal anatomy is deemed ideal for doing their business.
The health hazards associated with such practice needs no repetition. Moreover, in a bladder emergency other’s health is naturally judged as of least concern compared to the health risk posed to the one in crisis. But also the distress caused to the one holding it is so grave one would wish to close the eyes and leak it anywhere. Either way, public hygiene per se is not treated with seriousness by the general Nagas. But creative sanitation campaigns connected to the murder of aesthetic appeal would possibly work especially on style conscious, perfume heaping, fairness crème splattering Naga boys and young men.
For the rest of the populace also, the Swacch Bharat program should not be limited to cleaning streets, rivers, offices, and constructing home toilets. They’re all commendable initiatives in poverty stricken and civic sense deficient country like India. But basic facilities for human convenience like decent restrooms should be made available along highways and all other roadways that stretch to reasonable distance. Towns need to have adequate public toilets for both men and women, equipped with ample water supply.
Even after all that, for all those who openly urinate in public spaces, the penalty could be well paid by exacting appropriate fines and/or making them do “social work.”
The author is faculty at Clark Theological College and is available at: eyingtsoe@rediffmail.com
