A man who hasn't taken a bath for 37 years

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Pakhi Hussain

24 June, 2011

He is the man who abstained from taking a bath for 37 years for an exemplary son. Although his wish is yet to be fulfilled he is waiting for his next birth when karma would play a role and he would have his wish.

KAILASH SINGH met a holy man and his and his family’s life changed forever as he took a vow to never take a bath again. The holy man advised him not to take a bath in order to have an extremely intelligent and much prized son, and he for 37 years, followed that advice. The irony of the situation is that he is blessed with seven daughters, and still he is keen to keep his vow so that he might have a son in his next birth.

However bizarre this may sound, the real effect of his decision is felt by his wife and daughters as he gives an awful stench for obvious reasons. A man from one of the villages of the Holy City, Varanasi, he is a farmer, and all day long tends to the cows under the Indian summer heat.

After that not taking a dip that too for half his life (as he is 65) would obviously mean a disaster for his wife. The man took such a vow after a few months of his marriage and initially his wife threw tantrums and stated clearly that she would not sleep with him if he continues but he was so devoted to his cause that ultimately she had to give in.

The strong headed man has 6 ft deadlocks, which he has not chopped off since 1974. Kalavati Devi, 60, his wife has reconciled to the wish of her husband. She recounts a time when everyone forced him to take a bath and Kalyan singh ran away. She also says, “He says he'd rather die than take a bath and only a son could change his mind. It has been so many years now I've got used to it.”

Even the neighbours make fun of him but he is not to be swayed from his tapasya. He, however, cleanses himself with a fire bath every evening. After work, every evening he sits beside a bonfire, dances, prays to Lord Shiva and smokes marijuana. This way he feels as if all the grim and the dust of the entire day leave to have him cleaned.

The only time that he uses water is to wash his face and mouth. His family members at one point tried everything to convince him to take a bath but now they have stopped asking. His youngest daughter who used to be very angry due to her father’s anomalous behaviour has become something of a star in her school as her friends wants to see the person who has abstained from taking a bath for so long.

As to the man who is creating all the ripples, he is of the view, “I have no son, so I will never wash again. Maybe when I am born again I will wash."