Ramblings on...water closet

I have had my share! My genre would too.

Back in the "kampung" (village) in the 60s, we knew not of mod-cons. In most cases, the trunk of a rubber tree, or "pokok pinang" (areca catechu) was more than enough; laid across the stagnant "parit" (ditch). Every year, it would be abandoned in place of a new one either downstream or upstream. Some had "attap" (thatched roof made with palm leaves) as modest walls up to neck high. Others uses timber planks. Some had "tempayans" (large water jar) to store water for bathing, others had to carry buckets before they go to these "outhouses".

Fishes like "betuk",  "seluang" and "haruan" (cat fish) would be there feasting. The most greenest solution ever. Ventilation was par excellence and eau naturel.

In towns like Pontian and Muar where I grew up, it was more bizarre. The outhouses were sturdier. Most in plastered brick construction but without taps or light bulbs. These army of men would come collecting the filled "buckets" and replaces with "fresh" ones. In KL and Singapore these were the norm too; especially in affordable shop house hotels along Bugis Street in Singapore, Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman in Kuala Lumpur...

The next evolution in the early 70s started with squatting latrines. Actually it was just a simple porcelain bowl with an outlet. To house this new fangled commode, the outhouses were sturdier now, built over a deep, huge pit. Most were built near "kolam" (ponds) behind the house where it was once used for bathing and water for cooking. There were no cisterns. No S or P-bends. Just straight down; gravity. At least your footing is more stable whilst you still have to squat. You still have to carry a bucket of water though, not only to clean up but also to "flush" even though you don't actually need that. Well, it keeps the place clean. Much, much later, exhaust stacks were introduced to remove the build up of gas in the entombed "kolam".

In towns like Muar and Pontian, these outhouses were mostly of the squatting version but with a difference; a cistern. Of course you no longer need to carry a bucket of water since you now have running water!
I first ran into sitting water closets when we went to KL in early 70s. My grandmother caused a commotion in our hotel room since she was flabbergasted in the absence of her usual commode. Do you squat on it? she yelled.

Not many could afford it. We maintained our squatting version until the 80s.

What struck me as weird was that in the late 70s, in a town in an industrialised nation - Huddersfield  of all places - I had to use the outhouse  some 40 feet away from the house. It was a sitting wc with cistern and running water - but still an out house. I used that for two years.

In the early 80s I first ran into the next phase of evolution; bidet. It was in  an en-suite 2 star hotel bedroom. One was a wc, and next to it was a similar commode but with water jetting up exactly (or close) to your privates. I am sure my grandmother would have had a fit...

Back then, en suite bathroom was - to me - a luxury. The 90s did not bring much. All the houses had water closets, most with one en suite bathroom...small but private. But still no bidets.

I witnessed the next evolution in the early 21st century. Not in the type of cistern, or bidet or water closet itself but in the size of these bathrooms. India of all places! Defense Colony in Delhi. These were huge rooms with bath tub, bidet, wc, shower and sink. In Karachi, I used the largest ever toilet in a "mansion" belonging to a Malaysian. There were two of everything!

I have not seen anything like it since!