From: Mark David Barnes
Subject: Indian barefooting experiences
Date: Mon, 7 Nov 2005 23:06:32 -0000

India has often been described as a good travel destination for
barefooters. I certainly found that to be true during our 3 week tour,
mostly in the Rajasthan region of the country.

As a rapidly developing country, most Indians aspire to the trappings of
Western sophistication. In rural areas, most of the population is either
barefoot or in just flip flops. The wealthy businessmen and tour guides
(who are well paid by local standards) have enclosed sh**s but often told
me how they dress up because of 'expectations' and really wanted to be
barefoot too.

As barefootedness is associated with poverty, there were frequent queries
about why I was barefoot, but as the locals are used to seeing people going
about their everyday lives barefoot, no one ever suggested that it would
hurt, be too cold or that I would injure myself. A refreshing change from
the UK!

It is normal for Indians to remove footwear on entering almost any
building, especially any religious place, shop or home. I feared that I
would cause offence by bringing outside dirt in to buildings but the guides
said that was not a problem. Even in some of the large government palaces
and museums, whole families of local people were barefoot for their day
out,so I knew that I would not be challenged.

We stayed in many very smart hotels. Some were old palaces now run by hotel
chains or still owned by the descendants of the Maharajas. The only
comments about my feet were from hotel workers who fondly remembered the
days when they could work barefoot and the current owner of a palace hotel
who thought it was such a good idea, he immediately took his shoes off as
well. A sharp contrast to hotels in Barcelona!

It is still the norm for Indian children to be barefoot. They run around
the streets and fields, doing all the things that children like to do. I am
convinced that this allows their feet to grow and develop normally, in a
way that western children so rarely do. Even into old age, the feet of the
Indian people I saw were healthy looking, unlike the feet of old people who
attend my hospital in UK.

India is not suited to the squeamish barefooter. The streets are always
home to a wide range of animals and the local people, although fastidious
in their personal hygiene and cleanliness of their homes, are not
interested in keeping the streets clean. The 'rat temple' where thousands
of rats are encourage and fed was particularly psychologically challenging
especially for non barefooters as sh**s are not permitted in this religious
building.

On one occasion while walking around the back of a cafe to use the 'big
Indian bathroom' I was aware that the locals were trying to warn me about
my feet. I dismissed their shouts as usual, but then discovered that they
were trying to warn me of the thorny lumps which I assume are the sand
spurs previously discussed on SBL. Needle sharp and difficult to avoid.

I have never been challenged on British Airways. On the flight to India, we
were even invited to put sh**s in the overhead lockers during the flight.

India was a truly wonderful travel destination, and a country where
barefooting is never 'an issue'

I have started to put together a collection of my barefoot travelling
photos which I will add to when time permits. Follow the link below to see
them.

http://www.doctors.net.uk/DocStore/DSView/Album.aspx?folderid=35155

[Moderators Note: When the request for sign-in comes up click on Cancel and
you can view photos.]

Mark
Hampshire UK