Foot and Footwear

About washing the feet

Feet and footwear are two most important aspects of our life. The former gets us around and the latter helps the former get us around.

When my grandfather used to stay with us, I associated him with one oft repeated statement. ‘Did you wash your feet?’ If I as much as went into the bathroom to wet my face or rinse my mouth, he would ask me, did you wash your feet? When I returned from school, play, portico or neighbour’s house, he would cough again…Did you wash your feet?

And then there was one more rule … wet your ankles or bad luck will ride on them. And, what with embarrassing red lines in the report card and ‘Meet the Princi’ orders, I did not dare risk bad luck riding on my ankles. So I faithfully washed them.



wet ankles in the Beas in Manali



Washing the feet (and the ankles) is an important ritual in Hindu weddings and some lady-functions like Huveelya and Sumangali puja. You will have to Google or wait for tomorrow's post if you don't know what that is. !!

When I was in my thirties I became wiser?? I stopped believing in bad luck riding on ankles. I stopped washing my feet so frequently. But I remained the middle-class Indian. So I had barely 2 pairs of footwear. One for daily use and one party wear. The feet cried out for help. But mostly their cries fell on deaf ears.

In ten plus years the world of Indian city life has transformed itself. Wetting bathroom floors, padding around barefoot and washing ankles ten times a day are passé. But we have pedicure. We have foot creams and sole massages. We have bubble sole slippers. We have dedicated footwear catering to differing needs.



assorted footwear at Dilli Haat

Happy days are here again

For feet … And footwear companies

Look! Even I have 4 pairs of footwear!

And did you wet your ankle?

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Is there a superstition that forced you to do the right thing? share pls