<p>Sometime back, I read of women tourists complaining about the lack of toilets in Hampi. That piece of news brought back memories of my own experiences as a tourist. Men<br />have been blessed, generously, in this matter.</p>.<p>I visited Rajasthan in December to celebrate my 25th wedding anniversary. With great expectations, we landed in Jaipur and checked into a hotel. We were shown to our rooms and there I was, standing in a bathroom where the commode was cramped between the wash-basin and the bath. After relieving myself, while getting hold of the toilet faucet, I had an unintended shower to my utter surprise. The faucet was placed behind, on the wall, most inconveniently. By the time I could bring it to appropriate use, I was drenched fully. </p>.<p>I had a few more horrific experiences during our visit to Ladakh. I know. Ladakh is not a human-friendly terrain; but being one of the most sought-after tourist destinations, the lack of this basic facility was a spoiler. Aspiring tourists, consider warned! </p>.<p>Ladakh’s beauty is simply mesmerising; it also seems to be a toilet-free zone, literally! After miles of travelling, you would be lucky to see one dingy shed put up by the locals with some old tin sheets passing off as toilets. </p>.<p>As beautiful as the terrain is, it is mostly devoid of any cover like a tree or a boulder. You are forced to use the make-shift tin shed. Else, you’ll have to use the car and the members of your family as cover. </p>.<p>Well, that was just a trailer compared to the experience atop the Khardungla Pass, which is at a height of 18,380 feet. With temperatures way below freezing point, the need to relieve oneself becomes more frequent and often dire. Up there is a point for travellers to stretch their legs after a perilous ride and of course, relieve themselves. We, women of Indian, Japanese, Korean and various other nationalities were united in hunting for a toilet. We were shown a shed and directed to go behind that particular one to do the needful. </p>.<p>The biggest surprise of my life awaited there. There it was. What could have been the most amazing structure of artistic excellence but for its origins – a frozen, stinking hillock. We had no choice but to add layers to it. </p>.<p><span class="italic">Toilet - Ek Prem Katha</span> is not just the story of rural women asserting the need for toilets, it’s a <span class="italic">prem katha of every female tourist in India. </span></p>
<p>Sometime back, I read of women tourists complaining about the lack of toilets in Hampi. That piece of news brought back memories of my own experiences as a tourist. Men<br />have been blessed, generously, in this matter.</p>.<p>I visited Rajasthan in December to celebrate my 25th wedding anniversary. With great expectations, we landed in Jaipur and checked into a hotel. We were shown to our rooms and there I was, standing in a bathroom where the commode was cramped between the wash-basin and the bath. After relieving myself, while getting hold of the toilet faucet, I had an unintended shower to my utter surprise. The faucet was placed behind, on the wall, most inconveniently. By the time I could bring it to appropriate use, I was drenched fully. </p>.<p>I had a few more horrific experiences during our visit to Ladakh. I know. Ladakh is not a human-friendly terrain; but being one of the most sought-after tourist destinations, the lack of this basic facility was a spoiler. Aspiring tourists, consider warned! </p>.<p>Ladakh’s beauty is simply mesmerising; it also seems to be a toilet-free zone, literally! After miles of travelling, you would be lucky to see one dingy shed put up by the locals with some old tin sheets passing off as toilets. </p>.<p>As beautiful as the terrain is, it is mostly devoid of any cover like a tree or a boulder. You are forced to use the make-shift tin shed. Else, you’ll have to use the car and the members of your family as cover. </p>.<p>Well, that was just a trailer compared to the experience atop the Khardungla Pass, which is at a height of 18,380 feet. With temperatures way below freezing point, the need to relieve oneself becomes more frequent and often dire. Up there is a point for travellers to stretch their legs after a perilous ride and of course, relieve themselves. We, women of Indian, Japanese, Korean and various other nationalities were united in hunting for a toilet. We were shown a shed and directed to go behind that particular one to do the needful. </p>.<p>The biggest surprise of my life awaited there. There it was. What could have been the most amazing structure of artistic excellence but for its origins – a frozen, stinking hillock. We had no choice but to add layers to it. </p>.<p><span class="italic">Toilet - Ek Prem Katha</span> is not just the story of rural women asserting the need for toilets, it’s a <span class="italic">prem katha of every female tourist in India. </span></p>