The Muslims Are Not Coming! They are the only ones not rushing to the stores to stock up on toilet paper—perhaps just a couple of rolls. May I introduce you to the alternative: The Lota.
Every South-Asian knows the Lota i.e. those of us from Pakistan, India, Bangladesh. Then there is the bidet, widely used in Muslim countries.
In the Muslim tradition, one cleanses oneself with water, the ultimate purifier. And the Lota (see photo), is the vessel. This may seem gross, but there is no other way to demonstrate it’s use: (1) use toilet paper to wipe; (2) use water to wash thoroughly; (3) use toilet paper to wipe dry. You use 50% less toilet paper, you feel cleaner, and you are cleaner. Think of it this way: if your hand gets soiled, you don’t wipe clean, you wash your hands. With water. Likewise. Plus it is good for the environment.
Visit a Muslim home, and you are likely to see the Lota on the bathroom, resting between the toilet seat and the sink. At Rest-Stops along the highways, you may have noticed someone fill a plastic bottle with water before going into the stall. Same idea: Cleansing with water. Muslims use water to perform ablution five times daily to purify ourselves before offering the prayers. In the Christian tradition, water is symbolic of washing away one’s sins, as in Baptism.
In recent years in the U.S., the Lota is giving way to the toilet-seat bidet. See image. When our son built his house, he had the bathrooms installed with this device. Actually, it’s pretty neat. An armrest like contraption has the controls: on/off, hot water, cold water, back, front, high pressure, low pressure. And it’s connected to the toilet-tank water line. If you don’t want to get that fancy, just have your plumber install a hand-held bidet sprayer. See image here. Installed on the wall, the hose attaches directly to the toilet-tank water line. Until you can get the bidet, try the Lota. Its available here on Amazon. If Amazon is making ‘essential’ deliveries only (although this is an essential considering the toilet tissue scare), just get the plastic watering can used for the house plants.
Now the face mask. I have been reading that public health officials are urging that instead of buying surgical masks (which healthcare providers desperately need), we should instead use a scarf to cover our face. Dare I suggest the Veil.
When I was working at a hospital in Saudi Arabia, I had noticed that one of my female colleagues—a Saudi—would put on the niqab (veil) as soon as she stepped outdoors, usually to go from one hospital building to the other. When she was indoors, she did not use the veil. Once I got to know her, I picked up the courage to ask.
“To protect my face from the dust. I have allergies,” she said.
So there is your answer. Dust/germs/viruses, even sun. . . . Tying a woolen scarf across your face is unwieldy, awkward, bulky, keeps falling off, and compromises your looks. Don a veil (ladies only), and now you look exotic and alluring; plus it ties nicely around the head and stays in place. As for men, a keffiyeh will work. Here is an image. And the price is right.
PS: Posted during the pandemic, when stores ran out of toilet paper, and there was a shortage of face masks.
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