Clean, clean, clean?

In a Facebook note, Adrian wrote about the 'ethnic' Westerners we keep sighting - the ones with matted, dirty uncombed hair, a highly random hodge-podge assortment of clothing that they might refer to as a 'cultural pastiche' (gag) and an overall coating of grime layered over their skin and possessions. We didn't see so many down south, but here in Delhi and in Dharamsala, they were out in packs, with their batik tank tops and dreadlocks. Perhaps they feel a sense of solidarity with the less fortunate Indians who live without proper sanitation facilities and want to show that they can fit in here. Dunno.

We were in Old Delhi a few days ago and arrived very early in the morning as many of the city's inhabitants where just stirring from their sidewalk beds. Our train arrived at 5:30 am and by 7 am we were on a cycle rickshaw going through some parts of the area we had missed last time. We stopped for some chai at a chai stall and as Adrian and our driver had some, I surreptitiously watched as a young man bathed nearby at a pump? A hose and bucket? I don't remember. But I do recall the morning sunshine and his zealous application of shampoo to his hair, a tiny packet sold for 1 rupee at various stalls in many neighborhoods where small packets are most accessible. He squeezed some out to use as soap and scrubbed his body and arms well, rinsing with a cup (like most Indians, washing is done with bucket and cup to conserve the water). Around him, people were stoking small coal fires for breakfast, but he was busy scrubbing his face, his ears, serious about his morning ablutions. It gave me pause as I considered this phenomenon that I knew about, having read so much about India - people here are very clean and take pride in being clean no matter what their circumstances. Soap and shampoo is available everywhere in one rupee packets. Water comes out of pumps and public taps. Everybody washes and everybody is clean, ready to face another dusty day in Delhi.

In fact, everyone in India is very clean, washing many times a day (as it is very dirty on the streets). People wear clean pressed clothing and are extremely conscious of their appearance, wanting to appear tidy and neat at all times. It is such chaos here on the streets, such dirt and noise and pollution, it is no wonder that people hold on to the only kind of cleanliness they can control, that of their own person. Except the hippie Westerners. Apparently, they weren't told.