Warm water with direction of tap.

‘WHAT!! Warm, adjustable temperatures water Ready out of taps! ’

This was my exact reaction when I moved to Denmark from India, and for the first time used a tap. I literally thanked the almighty right after. That meant I no longer would have to:

1. Turn on the geezeer: Red light
2. Wait atleast 10-15 minutes for it to heat the water inside it - light turns green.
3. Place a bucket under the tap and turn water from both the geezer outlet and cold water outlet, to attain the temperature for bathing water.

(Using the geezer for hand wash?? No Way! Considered complete unnecessary - in winter months, may be a small bucket was saved on side to use from, with the cute Chappu)

There is also a huge mindful aspect of using bucket and chappu for bathing. First, the content is limited according to the size of bucket: we had one for bathing and one for toilet visits.

Second the water temeperature is achieved after efforts - another fill would mean repeat of steps 1,2,3!

So one bucket and slow washing of self - I remember making a size of stream line of water with the chappu for all the wetting and washing, to save towards a big splash of water at the end!! It used to be The highlight of bathing!

Showers in Denmark thus always were followed by guilt - the amount of water usage Add to that flushing fresh water in toilets!! And I have catched myself numerous times tricking my brain saying 'I work so hard, I deserve this rush of water to rejuvenate - only to hear my family voices 'You are not the only one to bath!'

We were a family og six in Pune, with total of 30-50 liters of water a day. Two tanks that got filled by taking motor running turns every early morning between 6-8 am.

Water was precious! The ‘IS’ is somehow designed out in my opinion. Slowly creeping turning personal comfort as necessity.

Picture from: scoopwoop.com on Pinterest - Mugga-Balti Bath