The previous two posts of this blog were prompted by the pain of ‘snatched away’ infant children by Norwegian authorities, may I now talk on some issues that emerge from cultural differences concerning this matter.
One of the reasons that was cited in the media for snatching away the children was because their mother was feeding them by hand. May I point out that there are considerable basic differences when it comes to personal hygiene between Indians and the west. Although in recent centuries there have been problems of poverty in India, it remains far advanced in matters of personal hygiene due to an ancient civilization. A deeper sense of personal hygiene is also necessary in a warmer climate where a greater number of bacteria survive. These are not matters that Indians talk about in public but seeing that not talking about them has led to such tragic consequences perhaps it is time to talk of them.
Here are some pointers,
1. After a visit to a toilet, Indians do not use toilet paper or leaves or anything. That is unhygienic. They always wash thoroughly with water. Even the poorest Indians including children do that daily.
One of the reasons that was cited in the media for snatching away the children was because their mother was feeding them by hand. May I point out that there are considerable basic differences when it comes to personal hygiene between Indians and the west. Although in recent centuries there have been problems of poverty in India, it remains far advanced in matters of personal hygiene due to an ancient civilization. A deeper sense of personal hygiene is also necessary in a warmer climate where a greater number of bacteria survive. These are not matters that Indians talk about in public but seeing that not talking about them has led to such tragic consequences perhaps it is time to talk of them.
Here are some pointers,
1. After a visit to a toilet, Indians do not use toilet paper or leaves or anything. That is unhygienic. They always wash thoroughly with water. Even the poorest Indians including children do that daily.
2. During a bath the Indians will not enter the bathtub or bath water because that gets dirty form skin bacteria and filth. They always bathe by pouring clean water on their bodies by the bucket fulls or in the past they use to bathe in the water of a flowing river wherever available.
3. The mouth is a very personal and internal part of the human body to Indians. Traditional Indians will not put a spoon or any other instrument in their mouth that may not be fully sanitized (They eat with their own freshly washed hands).
The third reason was perhaps cited by a social worker for snatching young children away from their parents. It was also said that they would be provided the best of material care after this kidnapping supported by Norwegian system. However good material care does not make good and happy humans. Maternal and parental love does, a fact that somehow completely misses the Norwegian mind, resulting at times in an unhappy yet high human development index, and insensitive souls that laugh as they kill innocent children as one did last summer gunning down 85 children while he laughed. The Norwegians have excused him and housed him comfortably now, perhaps because to their mind comfortable material living is height of human development.
2 comments:
According to my cultural traditions, you supplied more information than I needed, Ashok!
My view on the matter is that those who travel or emigrate need to familiarise themselves with the cultural traditions of the places they go to, and wherever possible follow the adage "When in Rome, do as the Romans do!"
And if they dont, their children should be stolen?
By the way the British who came to India or still do never ate with their hands or used water instead of toilet paper. It is because. The adage doing in Rome as Romans do does not apply to certain very personal matters.
As regards supplying more info than necessary, i have been considering deleting some :)
Post a Comment