that awful scene

georgt · Jan 15th, 2007, 18:29

as I am a train traveller I cannot overlook some disturbing scenes I witness from the window of my train while travelling through the country, that is a lot of indians using the railwaus track as a toilet to discharge their biological surplus.
I am perplex, wondering why they prefer the chill of an open area to the fresh and private bushes.
Is it possible for shovinism to train passegers, or because the railways tracks offers somekind of protection, what other reason which make these people to prefere so than a more decent way, I cant imagine.
If you have any idea, let us hear, just to appease my sensitivity.

icetea · Jan 15th, 2007, 18:40

Ah...one can come up with hundreds of such "why"s about India, and not find a "logical" answer. There is no reasonable explanation for most things, they just do it like that, that's all that can be said about it. If you wish to think in these terms, they are dirty and careless, that's all, and can't be bothered about issues like hygiene or respect for fellow passengers. People here keep their house spotless and care for their own kin, but care little for public spaces, their community or strangers (fellow travelers or passers-by).

But it just upsets and poisons the mind to think like that and you'll stop enjoying your trip altogether and miss out the good parts, because these sort of things are simply everywhere here.

Vasko · Jan 15th, 2007, 18:42

The shit from trains falls on the tracks, seems like a logical place to deposit some more biological surplus...?

capt_mahajan · Jan 15th, 2007, 18:44

Quote:

Originally Posted by georgt

that is a lot of indians using the railwaus track as a toilet to discharge their biological surplus.

steven_ber · Jan 15th, 2007, 19:15

It's just a show for the tourists, these poor men have to wait for the popular tourist trains to pass before they're allowed to 'discharge their biological surplus'.

So whenever your train is running late, think of these poor men and the discomfort they feel whilst waiting for the train to pass.

icetea · Jan 15th, 2007, 19:38

georgt, as you see, the sort of things you describe are the ones that tend to mark the line between India-lovers and India-haters

The only solution to overcome this 'sensitivity' is what the other posters here suggest: looking at it with humour....

Nick-H · Jan 15th, 2007, 19:55

Steven... Do they expect us to pelt them with coins? And if so, how much should one give?

steven_ber · Jan 15th, 2007, 19:57

There trying to adapt the western ideas of 'after toilet' care, so only paper money will do.

machadinha · Jan 15th, 2007, 20:46

As the gravely serious one always, Rohinton Mistry describes (in his A Fair Balance) how slum dwellers in Mumbai I think choose the rail tracks to do this as it gives you, well, a little altitude to do your thing on. And how this results in many fatalities with trains running off schedule...

Seriously btw, with all the human drama you can see going on in India ranging from the magnificent to the horrific, why do we get upset about people shitting on the tracks? Let's take a guess: maybe these people don't have "fresh and private bushes"?

SANJAY_DEL · Jan 15th, 2007, 20:48

Quote:

Originally Posted by georgt

as I am a train traveller I cannot overlook ...at is a lot of indians using the railwaus track as a toilet to discharge their biological surplus.
I am perplex, wondering why they prefer the chill of an open area to the fresh and private bushes.

If you have any idea, let us hear, just to appease my sensitivity.

They do it becoz they simply have no other option. There are no areas of privacy.
The track provides a sort of anonymity with all those strangers in the passing trains.
The tracks are also border zones between ghettos, slum areas, and more affluent zones within the cities.
And lining up for the ritual makes it a case of being just one amongst so many others.

Nick-H · Jan 15th, 2007, 20:52

Quote:

There trying to adapt the western ideas of 'after toilet' care, so only paper money will do.

Doesn't it just blow away? Or do you wrap it around a stone, or something?

cyberhippie · Jan 15th, 2007, 23:43

There's also a vedic code about where to do your business, away from water etc etc. for city dwellers the railrack is the nearest they can get to adhering to the code!!

icetea · Jan 15th, 2007, 23:52

The wonderful paradoxical effect of following a summary vedic code in today's world is that one can actually feel "clean" while in fact being pretty much dirty...

robotvoice · Jan 16th, 2007, 00:54

Quote:

Originally Posted by machadinha

As the gravely serious one always, Rohinton Mistry describes (in his A Fair Balance) how slum dwellers in Mumbai I think choose the rail tracks to do this as it gives you, well, a little altitude to do your thing on.

Machadinha, you mean A Fine Balance. great book!
I don't know what else to add to this toilet talk!

machadinha · Jan 16th, 2007, 06:09

Quote:

Originally Posted by robotvoice

Machadinha, you mean A Fine Balance.

But of course

Thanks. I checked the title even!

What was that about mods typing in their sleep?

btw Isn't Vasko spot-on above: Most of us think nothing of taking a dump on a train and flushing it over the tracks when we're done. Doing it in the open however...

Jan 15th, 2007, 18:29	#1
georgt Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: italy Posts: 53	that awful scene as I am a train traveller I cannot overlook some disturbing scenes I witness from the window of my train while travelling through the country, that is a lot of indians using the railwaus track as a toilet to discharge their biological surplus. I am perplex, wondering why they prefer the chill of an open area to the fresh and private bushes. Is it possible for shovinism to train passegers, or because the railways tracks offers somekind of protection, what other reason which make these people to prefere so than a more decent way, I cant imagine. If you have any idea, let us hear, just to appease my sensitivity.

Jan 15th, 2007, 19:15	#5
steven_ber Member Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: London, England. Posts: 8,930	It's just a show for the tourists, these poor men have to wait for the popular tourist trains to pass before they're allowed to 'discharge their biological surplus'. So whenever your train is running late, think of these poor men and the discomfort they feel whilst waiting for the train to pass. __________________ . How to get helpful replies to your transport/Itinerary questions. Train information.

Jan 15th, 2007, 19:55	#7
Nick-H Loud-mouthed, Noisy Bird Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Chennai, India Posts: 25,854	Steven... Do they expect us to pelt them with coins? And if so, how much should one give? __________________ . Just one member of the IndiaMike Mod Team

Jan 15th, 2007, 20:46	#9
machadinha Not Your Guru Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: yörp Posts: 10,154	As the gravely serious one always, Rohinton Mistry describes (in his A Fair Balance) how slum dwellers in Mumbai I think choose the rail tracks to do this as it gives you, well, a little altitude to do your thing on. And how this results in many fatalities with trains running off schedule... Seriously btw, with all the human drama you can see going on in India ranging from the magnificent to the horrific, why do we get upset about people shitting on the tracks? Let's take a guess: maybe these people don't have "fresh and private bushes"? __________________ Reading tips, all picked up at IndiaMike : INDAX's A Comprehensive Guide To India / Dinoj Surendran's Desi Humor / ITHVC on Culture Shock & Travel Health / JetLag Travel Guides For the Undiscerning Traveller / India Travel Links

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Jan 15th, 2007, 18:40	#2
icetea 'sort of hate India' club member Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Chennai, via Romania Posts: 917	Ah...one can come up with hundreds of such "why"s about India, and not find a "logical" answer. There is no reasonable explanation for most things, they just do it like that, that's all that can be said about it. If you wish to think in these terms, they are dirty and careless, that's all, and can't be bothered about issues like hygiene or respect for fellow passengers. People here keep their house spotless and care for their own kin, but care little for public spaces, their community or strangers (fellow travelers or passers-by). But it just upsets and poisons the mind to think like that and you'll stop enjoying your trip altogether and miss out the good parts, because these sort of things are simply everywhere here.

Jan 15th, 2007, 18:42	#3
Vasko Non-speaker fruit-eater Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: State of Contemplation Posts: 479	The shit from trains falls on the tracks, seems like a logical place to deposit some more biological surplus...?

Jan 15th, 2007, 19:38	#6
icetea 'sort of hate India' club member Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Chennai, via Romania Posts: 917	georgt, as you see, the sort of things you describe are the ones that tend to mark the line between India-lovers and India-haters The only solution to overcome this 'sensitivity' is what the other posters here suggest: looking at it with humour....

Jan 15th, 2007, 19:57	#8
steven_ber Member Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: London, England. Posts: 8,930	There trying to adapt the western ideas of 'after toilet' care, so only paper money will do.

Jan 15th, 2007, 23:43	#12
cyberhippie Account Closed by User's Request Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: the Netherlands Posts: 6,013	There's also a vedic code about where to do your business, away from water etc etc. for city dwellers the railrack is the nearest they can get to adhering to the code!!

Jan 15th, 2007, 23:52	#13
icetea 'sort of hate India' club member Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Chennai, via Romania Posts: 917	The wonderful paradoxical effect of following a summary vedic code in today's world is that one can actually feel "clean" while in fact being pretty much dirty...

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