Answering nature's call

For Bindeshwar Pathak, founder of Sulabh International Social Service Organisation, a non-profit agency advocating for sanitation in India, a toilet is not just a place where humans answer nature's call. It is the most important, yet least discussed, component of human civilisation.

Pathak has relentlessly tried to correct such misconceptions about this tiny but important piece of apparatus, which has led him to establish a museum of toilets in the sprawling campus of his central office on Palam Dabri road in New Delhi, India in 1994 _ the Sulabh International Toilet Museum.

''Sulabh is a Sanskrit word that means something that is easily available,'' says Pathak. A word that very well communicates the museum's mission of making toilets easily available for all.

Most of the items on display are not the original objects but replicas and pictures of various toilet designs in different countries, as different toilets evolved at different points in time.

''This is due to obvious reasons. Normally, no one likes to part with an original piece, irrespective of the price offered for it. Often it is not possible to shift or remove a piece ... for example a site itself,'' he explained.

The toilet museum was a topic in a recent festival on local museums, organised by the Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn Anthropology Centre.

Representing the museum at the festival was Bageshwar Jha, a senior curator.

''The toilet is one of the greatest achievements of mankind as it embodies the whole essence of civilisation. It differentiates man from other lower beings. As civilisation developed, humans understood the concept of privacy and hygiene and realised that open defecation was bestial. Thus, the transition from open defecation to enclosed, private spaces and toilets began in households. But this essential commodity has endured gross neglect in every era and therefore the history of the toilet and its technology has never seriously been chronicled.''

All over the world, each and every culture, social and political aspect of human civilisation have been written and recorded, however, toilets have been either treated with contempt or ridiculed, says Jha. ''The neglect continues even today because of the utter lack of chronicled facts. People know very little about the sanitation and toilet technologies of past. This is unfortunate because toilet manners, design and sanitation conditions of bygone eras can help in educating people today.''

It is his hope that the Sulabh International Toilet Museum, which is unique in the world, can fill the gaps.

''The idea is not only to display toilets of past and present but also make people understand the importance of toilets in achieving total sanitation that leads to healthy lives all over the world.''

Information on the history of toilets and toilet practices was not readily available at the time when the museum was under construction, hence the staff had to conduct extensive research, he recalls. ''Foreign embassies in India were approached to provide information about their native toilet practices while consultations were made with some museologists in India and abroad. The museum also researched ancient toilet practices from books, newspapers and periodicals.''

When the museum eventually came into being, several knowledgeable visitors proved to be useful resources, he says. ''The information revealed by them was dually developed by us.''

The starting point of the toilet is one of the oldest civilisations in the world _ the Indus Valley Civilisation of India, rechristened as the Harappan Settlement. That also means it was one of the oldest toilet technologies in the world _ a fact that has been largely ignored by historians.

''The museum has elaborate pictures of the world's oldest WC toilet, community bath and drainage system, all dating back to the third millennium BC. There is a misconception in the West that Romans pioneered the drainage system and toilet technology. These pictures shatter this myth and most of the visitors are surprised at this amazing piece of knowledge as the sanitation scenarios in the subcontinent are not very good today,'' says Jha.

Apart from toilets, we have displayed water storage and drainage technologies prevalent 4,500 years ago in India. ''It is very ironic that the country where the first elaborate drainage and sewage of the world was constructed, is unable to provide basic minimal toilet facilities to half of its population today.''

Another interesting piece, he says, is the ancient Indian toilet code taken from Manusmriti. This text was written by a sage called Manu and it provides codes of conduct even for routine jobs. The code for open defecation highlights the scientific approach towards life _ proper distance from the source of drinking water and rehabilitation, correct method of ablution after defecation and how to carefully manage clothes on the body in course of open defecation _ and these are not some eccentric rituals of bygone eras. Each and every code has proper scientific reasoning, ensuring cleanliness of the source of water and habitat.

In addition, the museum touches on toilet practices prevalent in other ancient societies such as Egypt, Crete and Mesopotamia as well as Jewish practices. Since the Romans were considered pioneers of sanitation technology in European history, the museum has a section on Roman baths, toilets and their drainage.

The emphasis is more on community toilets rather than toilet systems in individual households. Most of the community toilets in Rome were ''river top toilets'' constructed above running water. The waste fell into the running water and polluted it. In 200 BC, at Antoninus, Rome, there were rows of 1,600 holes serving as river-top toilets.

''We have references to Egyptian toilets dating 1370 BC, which were keyhole types where solid and liquid human waste got separated at the origin, helping quicker and better disposal.''

In 1700 BC, the Cretan people of Agean Sea used water closets. Since the Mesopotamian doab had no dearth of water, they too started enjoying the WC toilet facilities since ancient times.

''The aim behind displaying ancient toilet technologies and practices is to highlight good and bad sanitary habits _ some of these can be incorporated in daily life even today.''

Jha says the fall of the Roman Empire marked the beginning of the Dark Age in the field of sanitation.

''This was not only the period of cultural and political stalemate but also an era of unhealthy sanitary practices. With the collapse of ancient civilisations began a period of regression in cleanliness. Man reverted to easing out al fresco and other unhygienic practices.''

Because of the absence of any proper waste disposal mechanism, people resorted to the simplest and most convenient method: Dumping waste onto the streets, says Jha.

''Both human and household waste, particularly in 14th and 15th centuries AD in Europe, were thrown out of the windows without any regard for cleanliness of the city, inconvenience to the passers-by or health of the people,'' Jha says, adding that the outbreak of Plagues from the 14th century (with massive ones in 1348 and 1350) is considered one of the biggest epidemics in the history of mankind. It is known in history as Black Death, and wiped out almost half the population of Europe.

The museum chronicles important dates depicting the development of toilet technology and sanitation policies in Europe. Landmark developments such as the introduction of sewage in Paris in 1200 AD, the first law passed in the UK in 1513 and the second law in 1519 that made construction of toilets mandatory as well as invention of flush toilets in 1596 by John Harington in England are chronologically displayed.

''Since the flush toilet is an important landmark, we have a well-researched section on its development. John Harington invented the first flush toilet in 1596 AD, and for about 200 years it went unnoticed. In 1775, Alexander Cummings applied for the first patent to further improve Harington's model and Joseph Bramah went a step ahead by adding a stink trap to it.''

A number of inventors developed Harington's path-breaking invention and their works were facilitated by two major developments, namely, the introduction of ceramic as a raw material and production of toilets on a large-scale by factories from the 18th century onwards, Jha notes.

''These two factors not only revolutionised the design of sanitaryware but also made them more hygienic. The factory made pieces of the same size and quality helped the users to repair and replace the parts easily if and when the unit went out of operation.''

In this backdrop, toiletry production suddenly assumed a creative trend when fanciful designs of toilet, chamberpots, bidets and bathroom accessories started appearing in the markets of London, Paris and Vienna. This period of imaginative designs and catchy colours in Europe started in mid-19th century and had to be discontinued in 1914 when World War One began.

''We presume that the war-ravaged economy of Europe might have forced the manufactures to say goodbye to this practice because their production costs were high and the takers had gone under economic constraints. The old pieces of this beautiful sanitaryware now can be seen in a few museums in some European countries including Gladstone Museum of Potteries, in Trent, England. In the wake of the above, the Sulabh International Museum of Toilets also dedicated a small section to the fancy toilets.''

Besides, Sulabh Museum has a reference on Thai toilet practices. ''It is our experience that almost all ancient societies ignored the documentation of toilet related facts, Thailand being not an exception.''

The information on ancient Thai toilets was provided to the museum in 1994 by the Fine Arts Department, which obliquely mentioned about the lack of sources on the subject. Almost 10 years later, HRH Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn visited the museum and also gave similar written material along with two albums of royal toilets and public toilets in Thailand.

Jha mentions a wide debate in Thailand regarding a lid of a toilet from the Sukhothai era, which some scholars mistook for the base of Shiva Linga. The debate was put forward in the 1970s by the late Michael Wright.

Visiting Sulabh Museum ensures a fun experience as it contains a wide range of photographs, cartoons, jokes, short poems and stories from various countries.

Some displayed items are of particular interest including a replica of French Emperors Louis XIII and IV's Throne: Legend has it that Emperor Louis XIII and his son and successor Louis XIV never left their throne to attend Nature's call. ''They had a toilet attached right beneath the seat and did not hesitate relieving themselves in front of the entire court.''

Other unconventional toilet designs include book-shaped toilets from France: An example of classic French and British cultural rivalry, the books were deliberately named after famous UK classics; twin-storey wooden toilets that were predominantly used around 1920 AD in offices in small cities and rural areas of the US, office hierarchy was reinstated inside these toilets with the top floor being reserved for the management whereas lower employees used the ground floor; sofa-shaped toilets that were kept in men's club in Victorian England; and twin toilets that facilitated lovers who did not want to be separated even for a minute.

Jha points out that a toilet is perhaps the only component of human civilisation that is still in a state of evolution. Even today, efforts are made to improving the existing toilet technologies.

''The museum, much like its flagship component, is still evolving. We have expanded it by adding some ground-breaking toilet technologies of the 21st century.''

Environmental degradation and depletion of natural resources has led to a demand for eco-friendly toilets that use no or little water, he says.

''Sustainable sanitation technologies that can be easily implemented anywhere are flooding the markets and South African Afrisan Toilet is in this league. The waterless, composting Afrisan Toilet is recognised as one of the best on-site waste disposal mechanisms by the World Health Organization.

''It utilises solar energy to facilitate the composting process.''

Another interesting piece is the Incinolet Toilet, he says. ''This bulky, electric toilet from the US burns human waste quickly into a spoonful of ash. But it would also burn a hole in your pocket with its $2,000 (68,000 baht) price tag and heavy power consumption.''

Jha says: ''In today's fast paced world where people don't have time for themselves, this museum compels them to stop, look back and contemplate over the most important and least discussed component of human civilisation.''

He reaffirmed the museum's aim to spread awareness about hygiene and sanitation with the hope that the day will arrive when everybody gives the toilet a place of pride in their households.