Ponniyin Selvan Varalaatru Peravai

Read this…interesting…

http://www.sulabhtoiletmuseum.org/fact.htm

*ARYAN CODE OF TOILETS – 1500 BC*
*Ancient India Manusmriti Vishnupuran*

Code for married people: An elaborate drill for defecation is prescribed in
the most respected Aryan scripture – “Manusmriti Vishnupuran.”

– Before going to the toilet the scripture prescribes elaborate drill.
– Before going for defecation one was to chant the following mantra from
Narad Puran :- “Gachhantu Rishio Deva
Pishacha ye cha grihya ka
Pitrbhutagana surve
Karishye Malamochanam”

– Before going for defecation it was prescribed that the sacred thread
should be rolled to a smaller size and be put on the right ear.
– The head was to be covered with a cloth. In the absence of cloth, the
sacred thread was to be brought over the head and was to be hung on the left
ear.
– Then while observing silence and facing north in the day and south in
the night one could defecate.
– While defecating one was not to touch water.
– After defecation the water pot was to be held in the right hand, left
hand was to be used for cleaning.

Ablution code: In Vishnu Purana some rules are laid down for post
defecation stage.

“Aika Linga guda trin dashabamkare mrid,
Hastdve cha samaranyascharana cha tribhistribhi”

It says, while defecating the orientation of the face should not be towards
“Sun”, “Brahmin”, “Fire”, or “Moon”.

– After defecation the “Linga” (generative organ) is to be washed once,
“Guda” (anus) to be washed three times, the left hand to be washed ten
times, and the right hand seven times, and both the feet to be cleaned with
earth and water three times.
– After defecation the water pot was to be held in the right hand and was
to be used for cleaning.
– The “Linga” was to be rubbed once with earth and the “Guda” rubbed
three times with earth. Then both washed with water. This was to ensure that
there is no odour left in the body.
– After this one should pick up water with right hand. One was advised to
pick-up fist full of earth. This was to be divided in three parts. With the
first part it was laid down that the left hand be cleaned 10 times and the
right was to be cleaned with the second part 7 times. The third part was to
be used to clean three times the water utensil.
– It was also laid down that both the feet were to be washed with water.

The following shloka gives the philosophy of protecting environment by
adoption of elaborate defecation practices,

“Dashasthana pritjay mutram kurya
Jalashay Shathasthan
Parishartha triya nawan Chaturgunam !
Dharashauch na kurvita shauchashudh
Mabhipsta ! Chulukairaiv Kartabya
Hashtatshudhi Vidhanta !”

– Urination ought to be done at least at a distance of 10 cubits from the
source of water. Defecation to be done at a distance of 100 cubits from the
source of water.
– At least 40 cubits distance is to be observed while urinating near a
river or a temple and defecation at least at a distance of 400 cubits.
– Urination and defecation ought not to be done in running water or
river. Water should be taken in hand and washed away from the river.

For different classes: Manusmriti has also laid specific rules for the
specific section of the society, it says:

“Aitchhouch grihasthana,
Divuegun brahmacharyanam !
Trigunavanaprasthanam,
Yaitna cha chaturgunam !!”

Separate rules are laid down for those who are sick or infirm, the following
shloka makes it clear -

“Diva shauchalaya nishyardha,
Partha pado vidhiyate !
Aarte Kuryad yathashakti
Shaktaa kuryad yathochitam !!”

For those who observe celibacy or have renounced the world should observe
the rules differently.

– Those observing celibacy should observe the rule twice more intensely
than the married ones.
– Those who are in “Vanaprastha” should observe three times more
intensely.
– The saints should observe the rules four times more intensely than the
married ones.

The above means that all the above rules are for urination and defecation
in the day time. In the night the frequency of wash etc. is reduced by half.
If one is travelling the rules are further reduced by half. If one is sick,
the rules need to be observed as per capacity.

2009/11/23 intellisurfer

>
>
> I had always this fascination on this subject. As a person with amateurish
> interest in History, I like to know the sanitation of our ancient people.
> What kind of toilets they used, how did they wash, was all “business”
> conducted near lakes and river beds? If some conducted “business” inside
> forts, towns and cities; then how was it cleaned and drained.
>
> Though I have read the “Internet” about these, most of the info pertains to
> Europeans; and one has to dig real hard to find things about Indians.
>
> Sorry, if this subject matter disgusts you.
>
> thanks
> GRS
>
>
>

Read this too…

http://www.ancientindia.co.uk/staff/resources/background/bg17/home.html

Bathrooms in every house with chutes leading to drainage channels.

Bathing platforms with drains were often situated in rooms adjacent to the
wells. The floors of the baths were made of tightly-fitted bricks, often set
on edge to make a watertight floor. A small drain cut through the house wall
out into the street directed the dirty water into a larger sewage drain.
Drains and water chutes in the upper storeys were often built inside the
wall with an exit opening just above the street drains. Tapered terracotta
drainpipes were used to direct water out to the street.

Many houses had distinct toilets, separate from the bath areas. Commodes
were large jars or sump pots sunk into the floors and many of them contained
a small jar. Sometimes the sump pots were connected to drains to let the
sewage flow out and most had a tiny hole on the bottom to allow the water to
seep into the ground.
Drains were made of burnt bricks and connected the bathing platforms and
latrines of private houses to medium-sized open drains in the side streets.
These open drains flowed into the larger sewers in the main streets which
were covered with baked bricks or dressed stone blocks. Separate garbage
bins were provided along the major streets.

Did I miss something, or is nothing said about what to do with
the feces?
In Changa, GUJ all was left in an attractive line along the side
of our road each morning.
Kathie

Our Vastu Specialist has to tell!
because there are mentions about toilet locations in Vastu Sastra. Anybody
has idea when the vastu sastra was written?

Regard,
Satheesh kumar R

2009/11/23 intellisurfer

>
>
> Thanks. Any word on how things were done in South India?
>
> regards,
> GRS
>
>
> — In [email protected] ,

Looks like your olden days is matter of few decades or centuries. I am looking little beyond that, say 1000 years ago. Or for that matter 2000 years ago? What were the conditions before the Europeans arrived?

//
In other areas the ‘lacchi’ custom was in vogue even until late 70s.
//

In my hometown (Rasipuram), I have seen them even during mid 80s. Even after
that I saw them cleaning the public toilets till early 90s. This custom
disappeared only from mid 90s.

Not sure in this thread anybody else mentioned it, Jeyamohan’s “Oomai
chennai” story describes how the servants helped cleaning the british
officials..

It is my theory that the scavenging/cleaning the toilet system came because of the Britishers. That is one reason I wanted to find what kind of toilets/bathrooms we had 500,1000….yrs ago.

I read that with the advent of toilets in the European cities during Renaissance; people used to throw out waste water/products out their window. IIRC, “throwing the baby with the bath water” was an expression that came around that period.

I have Alberuni’s India book. He mentions people who were outside the caste system – he mentions about 7-9 guilds – who I consider doing some of the dirtier jobs (in any period). One of them was killing/skinning animals (leather products). But I do not recollect reading anywhere about people cleaning toilets being mentioned in any traveler’s narrations.

The above aligns with the possibility that people used the lakes and river banks as an open toilet – thereby requiring nobody to clean the waste.

So with the advent of modern toilets, a new set of people began doing the particular job and they got entrenched in the existing chaturvarna. Just my theory.

People, do correct me if I am wrong.