Which is Important?Toilets or Temples?

A rejoinder to Narendra Modi’s Outrageous Remark.

Modi’s Speech at Manthan:

I am known to be a Hindutva leader. My image does not permit to say so, but I dare to say. My real thought is — Pehle shauchalaya, phir devalaya (toilet first, temples later)

Is Toilet Part of our Dharmic Civilization? NOManusmriti says, One should defecate far away from home.

Vishnupurana says, that one should urinate 10 cubits (15 feet) from water sources. Defecate 100 feets from water sources. In case of temples & rivers, one should urinate 40 cubits away and defecate 400 cubits away.http://www.sulabhtoiletmuseum.org/old/fact.htm

Chanakya in his arthashastra, describes in detail about how to build a nagara. He says there should be a well for every 10 house. But he does NOT mention about toilets.

There is no mention of toilets in our Ithihasas and Puranas. Rama and Sita did not build toilets either in their palace or in forests. Nor pandavas are seem to build

There are no toilets in any of our pre-Islamic Nagaras of our country.

History of Toilets in India:Originally Toilet was looked down upon by Our Traditional Society

Concept of Toilet first introduced by Islamic Invaders, in their muslim settlements.

After british colonisation, it became official policy of Colonial administration.

Till 1947, almost all villages of india did not have toilets. Till 1990s, majority of villages did not have toilets.

Did our Society welcome Toilets? NoToilet was considered as dirty & Unhygienic by our Elder generations.

Toilet within house was hated upon.

Even today, all vaideeha brahmins who stricty follow brahminic code of life, don’t use toilets.

Shankaracharya of all shankara mutts don’t use toilets. They defecate in open space, as per the shasthras.

Does Toilet means hygiene? NOToilets are the place where germs are high.Germs also present in air inside bathroom.When more than one people use the same toilet, disease spread quickly & easily.Toilets inside House, and near kitchen is the most unhygienic practice.Septic Tanks are breeding grounds of Mosquitoes.Septic Tanks produce methane, contribute to global warming.Water is stagnant in septic tank for years, before taken out. Becomes too poisonous.

Is Toilet System Sustainable? NOFor One Person:

Per Urination = 3 LtrPer day = 30 Ltr (Assuming one urinates around 10 times per day)

Per Defecation = 15 Ltr

Total = 30+15 = 45 Lts of water / person

For One Family (4 members)

Urination = 4 * 30 = 120 LitresDefecation = 4 * 15 = 60 Litres total = 180 litres / day

For Whole oF Chennai Metro

Settled Population = 46 lakh family = 10 lakh family

10 lakh * 180 = 18 crore litres / day

For one month = 540 crore litres

For one year = 6570 Crore Litres of water is needed for flushing toilets alone

Around 40% to 60% of Water is used for Flush Toilet in each house.

http://water.epa.gov/polwaste/nps/chap3.cfm

Impact of Toilets on Environment

Water flushed in Toilets

Septic Tank

Under Ground Drainage / Sewage

Seas

Rivers

Lakes / PondsRivers and seas are polluted by the sewages of urban centers. The same polluted water is again pumped back as Drinking water

The Toilet system creates the necessity for Open and Underground Sewages. Apart from building toilets Crores of rupees spent for these drainages.

Chennai – a case study.

Buckingham Canal – Then and Now

Till 50 years before, fresh water flowed in this canal. What made it a sewage now? The Toilet & Kitchen Waste.

Chennai – a case study.Buckingham Canal –Now – Is this what we call

Sanitation?

Chennai – Just 50 years ago

Chennai – a case study.

Chennai – Just 50 years ago

Chennai – Just 50 years ago

Chennai – Just 50 years before.

Chennai – Just 50 years before.

Chennai – Just 50 years before.

Why this Degradation within 50 years?Imposition of Westernised Capitalistic Urban System.

Fixation & Obsession with Urban-Rural Terminologies. Villages & Cities of west are different from Gramas & Nagaras of Bharathiya Civilization.

Gramas are the permanent settlement . Nagaras are ONLY temporary place for Trading and Administrative purpose. This fundamental aspect of our civilization is ignored by Urban Westernised Indians who chose western form of urbanisation.

Gramas are seen as backward by Urban Indian Policy makers. Hence recklessly dismantled & destroyed. No consideration for social and commune life in a grama.

All life styles other than western urban one, is considered as backward and stone-age.

Understanding our Civilizational Design

Lot of Open Space b/w settlements

Each Jathi have their own settlement.

Grama Devata at centre of village,Village designed based on this

Protective Gods at border

Protective Gods at border

Protective Gods at border

Protective Gods at border

How Urbanisation Destroyed Villages

Western Urbanisation means Just division of land in to rectangular plots

No Care about Traditional design of Villages. Just Bulldoze them & convert land in to real estate.

Ever Expanding Cities. NO planning for water sources or other resources.

Which is important – Toilets or Temples?Temples are NOT churches. It is a place where our devata reside

Gramas & Nagaras created from forests, which is protected by vanadevata (eg: Kaali devi). Our forefathers pacified vanadevata before building grama or nagara. Hence Poojas for Grama temples should be done as per procedures established by our forefathers.

In our Civilization, Land always belongs to our devas & Devatas. But British Imposed Alien administrative system, converted it in to individual property. Hence Importance & Centrality of Temple is Lost

Modi’s attitude is damaging – NOT words

What modi’s speech conveys?Human Comfort is Supreme and GOD is secondary. This is western capitalistic atheistic concept.

What our Dharmic Civilizaton says:Cows, Temples and Women are the supreme. Our Kings first built temples before building palaces.

Somnath, Ayodhya, Kasi temples rebuilt so many times even after destruction. Why? If they had thought human comfort is more important, would they have built this?

Why should we fight for Ayodhya Ram temple? Because it is the soul of our civilization.

Cleanliness part of our TemplesOur Agamas lays strict code of life on cleanliness one should follow, in order to enter the temple. There are elaborate procedures of cleaning, before daily poojas start in temples

Manu Smriti enforces highest ethics and hygiene for brahmins to follow. Only such brahmins are allowed to enter garbagraha

When every hindu takes vow to follow the cleanliness, prescribed in our shastras, there is no need for toilet or sewage or any sanitation project. But for that, the constitution should facilitate for hindu way of life. It did NOT. Why?

Our Cleanliness is Inward LookingOur Civilizaton Stresses on personal Cleanliness more than external.

We are an Inward Looking Civilization

WhereasWestern Civilization is Externalized. For them External Cleanliness is important. NOT personal.

When every home maintains the (Internal) cleanliness & hygiene as per our shastras, the external Cleanliness is automaticaly ensured.

Any policies by govt should facilitate our dharmic life style.

Our Building design should facilitiate our life style.

Our Street Design should adhere to Agamas.

What is the Solution?

The Problem is NOT with temples or society. But with the Colonial system we are living in.

CHANGE THE SYSTEMNot the society