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| Mangalore: My Foot! Who Sets the Rules for Libraries?
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| Published Date: 30 Jun, 2012 (9:19 PM) |
 by Prof Narendra Nayak
Mangalore: This question has to be raised with the authorities in charge of the libraries in Mangalore and Karnataka or can one extend it to the whole of the country?
I had an occasion to visit the public library at the Gandhi Nagar park, Mannagudda, Mangalore where I was asked to leave my footwear outside. In fact, I could see quite a few items of footwear already left outside the premises. The library being a public place run with public funds cannot impose its own rules on people visiting it.
This raises the important question as to how a rule like keeping the footwear outside can be imposed in a place run with public funds. In fact I have come across quite a few shops imposing this requirement on the customers.
Once I was asked by a cloth shop-keeper to keep my footwear outside and I had to tell him that there were other cloth shops and took my custom elsewhere. There are various places of worship where there are such restrictions probably because of superstitions associated with articles made of leather!
Not that I am a visitor to such places but it certainly rankles when one cannot visit a place like a library run on public funds without submitting to arbitrary rules set according to the whims and fancies of people who are paid from public funds to look after the premises.
I have visited many libraries all over India and other parts of the world too and have not seen this sort of a rule that footwear has to be left outside. Is this sort of a rule imposing a superstitious belief on the people permissible? The concept that a place is holy and hence the footwear has to be kept outside is a blatant attempt to saffronize the public places.
Such a concept has no place in a secular democracy and if an explanation is given that the place would become dirty, there were two doormats kept outside on which people could be asked to wipe their footwear clean before they enter.
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| Nicholas, Canada |
Jul 5, 2012 |
Why all this Hungama?Wearing footwear which you is used outside brings dust & unwanted thingsa inside the vincinity which may be avoided by leaving it outside.This also helps in keeping the environment inside library dust free.
Why all people want to observe everything with suspicion?instead try to find the reason behind this order as leaving footwear outside is followed in some old churches,in Jayanagar(Bangalore)& central library from 1980's to keep old books dust free. |
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| Original R.Pai, USA |
Jul 5, 2012 |
| I should provide a quick clarification - My previous post shouldn't be seen as an endorsement of those practices. I was only trying to show how those practices have nothing to do with discrimination or saffronisation. The 'secular' groups may very soon start blaming the existing temples as part of saffronisation process as well!!! There seems to be no end to their madness. |
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| Original R.Pai, USA |
Jul 5, 2012 |
"So, after all it was attempt at saffronisation trying to convert the library into a holy place " - Narendra.
"practice that has its roots in discrimination" - Amar Bantwal, Australia
Dear friends,
The local traditions and culture will always have an influence on many things we do in any given society. Leaving your footwear outside shows a respect towards the place. Don't we do the same at our house? Same thing goes with lighting a lamp at the beginning of an event or a prayer song. I see that even minority communities doing a 'guddali pooja' (ground breaking ceremony) in the presence of priests before building residential / commercial buildings. I guess you guys are caught up with these crazy secular ideas and see saffronisation and disciminatoin everywhere!
I am hoping that our Libraries (funded by tax money) soon make their policies clear and implement a consistent rule in all branches. |
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| Rampa, India |
Jul 5, 2012 |
| "individuals in charge have no right to make rules" I agree, so lets ask the government to make a rule. Chandi muttu paadondu ijjinda pee donkondu ulai poggiyarda encha marayre? |
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| Narendra, India |
Jul 5, 2012 |
The latest on the library-footwear affair- I was denied access to the public library at Gandhi Nagar Park, Mangalore on the 30th June because I insisted on wearing my chappals. I had complained about that to the Chief LIbrararian, Mangalore city. Today I called him to enquire about the status of my complaint. He was not there but his accountant was. I asked him what is the status of my complaint? He replied you want to wear footwear into the library there is no rule preventing that we have instructed all our branches. My reply-I had given a complaint in writing give the reply in writing. He- will you wear your footwear in a temple- I told him I am atheist and the need has not come so far. When it comes I will see. So, after all it was attempt at saffronisation trying to convert the library into a holy place and I was right in my conjecture. His final words- we are trying to some good to the people and you people do not want it. I told him I do not know how you can do 'good' to the people by asking them to remove the footwear when entering libraries! Any way will make a detailed write up about that soon.
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| Austin Noronha, Qatar |
Jul 3, 2012 |
| Prof. Narendra Nayak, for your information Drona is a doctor with a fake name. You ask him where you get good tea, cofee, dosa, idli, he is expert in that. |
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| Amar Bantwal, Australia |
Jul 3, 2012 |
| At a mere glance, the article might seem like a 'mere whine' by a man who has 'devoted' his life to the eradication of superstition in India. Whoever cared about the 'Leave your Footwear' outside notices outside Public places? Narendra Nayak has, through this little write up shown how 'superstitions & caste based practices' have now pervaded our daily lives and people have unknowingly/ unwittingly come to accept it as a law of the land. I think 'My Foot' is an educated rebuttal to a seemingly innocuous practice that has its roots in discrimination. |
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| Original R.Pai, USA |
Jul 3, 2012 |
I agree with Prof Nayak on public funded places having their own rules. In my opinion, those places funded by public money need to be consistent in their rules and neutral towards any caste / religion/ political party.
He is wrong on private places such as shops with their own rules. There is nothing wrong in it. You can go to a different shop if you don’t like the rules.
He is also wrong in his attempt to connect this practice to saffronization!! One can easily understand the roots behind this practice. Our society always treated books as gods. Every book is seen as source of knowledge and respecting book is seen as respect towards Goddess Saraswathi. The same religious feelings would have made our people leave their footwear outside the library (similar to house and temple). In fact, I studied in a Government Primary school where we were supposed to leave footwear outside the class room and enter class room in barefoot. Most of the teachers and headmaster were strong supporters of ‘petta-kanji’ Indira Gandhi!! So much for the saffronization!!
Is it a superstition? In my opinion – Yes, it is a superstition if you are doing it to follow the rules in some old book. I would rather focus more on hygiene and mutual respect. I would rather focus more on cleanliness in our house and towns, humane treatment of animals and the issue of corruption. As Puttur Dinesh pointed out, our corrupt politicians are a much bigger threat than a librarian asking to leave your footwear outside!
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| Chris Emmanuel Dsouza, India |
Jul 2, 2012 |
A wonderful and an awe-inspiring piece from the Prof. Nayak. This is a concern to all of us secular citizens of this nation. The religiosity or the obsession with one's own faith and illusions has penetrated deep onto every sphere and it is becoming impossible to question some of these ridicules practices and assertions.
Taking a leaf out of Temples, the catholic church of Mangalore do not want to lag behind in terms of mad superstition and ultra-superficial-values. They have built million dollar churches and named it 'shrines', in order to attract foreign funds and funds from poor superstitious konkani Catholics. And preach 24/7 irrational bigotry and ultra-sentimental stories. their contribution for the benefit of poor Catholics is absolutely nill.
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| A Madiyan, India |
Jul 2, 2012 |
| I agree 100% with Prof Narendra Nayak. The practice is really a manifestation of absence of rational thinking. I Can not understand the logic behind the practice. |
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| Austin Noronha, Qatar |
Jul 2, 2012 |
| I fully agree with Prof.Narendra Nayak. As per my opinion this is one kind of an irrational belief if it is done just for the sake of sanctity or whatever belief it is, other than the reason for hygiene. And it is not irrational if it is done to keep the floor clean provided they ensure that the floor is clean always and whoever comes barefoot should wash their feet before entering. This cannot be compared with houses because in the house we cook our food, eat our food, which has to be clean and we live in house most of the time. It is true that majority of the people are not wearing footwear inside their house but still their houses are in dirty & shabby condition. |
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| Subramanya Hegde, India |
Jul 2, 2012 |
| Even if I had a shop, I would not let a customer wear footwear because of the dirt. Indian roads are not made of concrete and we often travel on mud. So it'd be very inefficient if we wear footwear inside the library and one has to clean it twice or thrice in a day or so especially in a place like Mangalore in a rainy season. Somebody(Mr. Arun) has pointed out that many in India walk bare foot but I do not think group of people visiting the library walk bare foot. Middle class hardly walks without footwear now. While I agree that this rule can not be acted upon us at public places I think it is better if we co-operate in such situations. |
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| R K Sudan, India |
Jul 2, 2012 |
| This library in Mangalore is perhaps too superstitious in its approach which should be rectified. Leaving footwear out on the pretext of sacredness of a library is not justified. However, maintaining silence, switching off mobile phone, and not distracting others in any manner are the unwritten and well understood rules of public libraries. |
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| Maxwell'sDemon, India |
Jul 2, 2012 |
We need a small real world survey to actually get to the truth.
I see two hypotheses made:
A) Barefoot-hypothesis:
Many people may walk in bare-foot, in which case they would muddy the floor anyway. So it does not make sense to ask people to leave their footwear outside.
We need evidence to see what percentage of people who walk in are barefooted. If we could get that data, we can resolve the conflict surrounding this hypothesis!
B) Cleaning-hypothesis:
We need the data to establish that the govt. funds allocated are enough to hire a cleaner, cleaners are available at that rate and are willing to work. We should also have a survey that seems the reasonable number of times the library must be cleaned per week.
Just because the author thinks once a day is good enough, or a commentator thinks that barefooted people come all the time, does not mean either guesses are valid.
We need evidence to establish these claims!
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| Narendra Nayak, India |
Jul 2, 2012 |
Well the issue is that a dress code is being imposed on me in a public place. If one were to place restrictions on my entering their personal premises with footwear on, I would respect it and decide whether it is worth entering the premises or not.
This is a part of the communalisation process. It starts with the upper classes feeling upset with the lower castes entering their place wearing footwear or even wearing them. In some villages of Tamilnadu and North India the dalits have to remove their footwear and carry in their hands when they are walking in upper caste areas.
Since, you cannot pinpoint them now,make it compulsory for all. If it were a place where people sit on the ground or an ICU of a hospital I would understand the point and not go in with my footwear or even wear a gown over my street clothes. But a place like a library does not qualify for this and is an office like any other. If one fears contamination with outside dust keep foot mats.
@Politically right- the practical reason is casteism as I have explained above.Such a undercurrent exists every where.If there is any other reason the same should be there at all govt. offices, transport and every place for that matter which is accessible to the public. What I have pointed out is that in a public place funded by the public funds the individuals in charge have no right to make rules about personal apparel. I have written a letter to the in charge librarian asking him to state specifically whether footwear is allowed or not. He said one cannot cannot be prevented from entering with that but it is only a request- if that was the case I should not have been prevented from entering the library.
@ Irrationalist, India- they are paid servants not social workers of any voluntary service organisation. So, there is no need to glorify them. They are doing the job for which they are paid for and keeping the premises clean is also one of their duties.
@ Drona- I don't go to temples or mosques.If you are interested in going to one it is for you to decide. |
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| Dr Prakash Harischandra, USA |
Jul 1, 2012 |
| I think the case has argues well with adequate explanation, I wish and hope Prof Nayak will be kind to revert back with the comments. I have travelled to places far east and west , any where the floor is made of pristine material which of public funds they advise you to remove your shoes and wear Pseud leather protective shoe cover. So I find the article myopic and biased. Well said by all the commenterators. In the west they call it safety , when a Indian does it its Culture. Mangalore one center at light house hill, Old basilicas and Monuments do as well advise , So pointing at a simple well thought solution for a regional problem is uncalled for . |
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| Arun, India |
Jul 1, 2012 |
| Dr Prakash and others,while you have mentioned that fotwear carry dirt or mud inside you have ignored the fact that there are many people who walk barefoot in India. Do they not carry the same inside? but no effort is made to stop them at temples or other places. So Prof Nayak is right in pointing the superstition behind this. |
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| politicallyright, USA |
Jul 1, 2012 |
| If only the author had thought about the practical reasons instead of raising the bogy of secularism, democracy, public funding and what not! |
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| Asim, Oman |
Jul 1, 2012 |
| With due respect, Your argument is vague |
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| sreekumar, UAE |
Jul 1, 2012 |
Dear Prof.
If you can ensure that the shoes are clean, this is ok. Many cases, you will be walking through the dirt in the road, some time night soil or dog extreta, or cow dung, this give a stink smell inside the hall, which is poorly ventilated. Or incase you are wearing a leather shoe in the rainy day smelling like hell what will be the fate of people inside. In Indian condition, it is better to keep shoes outside |
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| Ravi, India |
Jul 1, 2012 |
| You could have asked them to write a request note in front of the door and not make it appear a rule for visitors. why simply use the argument of public funds, secular democracy and what not. if you want to protect secular democracy there are many other problems more worth of your attention |
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| Kenneth D'Souza, India |
Jul 1, 2012 |
| May be since it is a public library, he thinks it is not required to be kept clean. We Indians only want our house to be clean. Narendra Nayak must read Dr Prakash Harischandra, USA's explanation. He has written the practical problems whereas Nayak's article is a very monotonous rule book which does not consider practical situations. |
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| Isubu, India |
Jul 1, 2012 |
| There is no rule required to keep a premises clean. It is a part of Indian culture that the librarian may have applied to this public library. So long as it doesn't harm the public - what is wrong in practicing it? |
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| Puttur Dinesh, USA |
Jul 1, 2012 |
I belive Indians generally respect books may be the library is asking to maintain sanctitiy of the place.
When in doubt it is good to ask the librarian. The more pressing issue is politicians of BJP and congress and other parties patricipating in religious functions at government expense. |
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| Flywon C. Miranda, Saudi Arabia |
Jul 1, 2012 |
| That why India is called as Incredible India!. |
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| Drona, India |
Jul 1, 2012 |
| Does Prof Nayak know that you are suppossed to leave your foot wear outside masjid and wear the wooden platform shoe given by them before entering the place? Does he have a problem with that as well?Just curious. Come out of that 'saffron'phobia Prof Nayak.Prof Nayak probably is unable to make his point effectively with that small piece he has tried to type as article. Go again Prof Nayak. Cheers. |
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| Vittalanad, USA |
Jul 1, 2012 |
I HAVE SEEN-IN EUROPEAN COUNTRIES AND USA PERSONS EVEN SLEEPING ON THE BED WITH SHOES ON. CHILDREN JUMPING ON THE BED AND SOFA WITH SHOES ON.
BUT IS IT HYGENICALLY ACCEPTABLE? yOU WALK ON THE ROAD , STEP ON ALL KINDS OF DIRT , MUD , SPIT AND DUST.
DO YOU ADVOCATE TAKING THAT INTO TEMPLE , LIBRARY OR EVEN INSIDE ONES HOUSE-UNLESS UNAVOIDABLE ?
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| Irrationalist, India |
Jul 1, 2012 |
| When you enter your house where do you keep your dirty chappals/shoes??...there are so many shoes outside the library ....people respect it and come there to enjoy reading...such a lovely place of knowledge for all the people who use it...PLease look at the service they offer not the negative things... |
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| Dr Prakash Harischandra, USA |
Jun 30, 2012 |
| I agree with the article but disagree with your reference. The public use of funds in India is such a mess . probably theh poor librarian cannot have dog poo or dung being stampeded around the library floor and she may not have a hand to clean up the mess. During moonsoons in Mangalore you either wade in sewer or somebody else urine. What about all the hifi doctors clinics who also ask the patients to keep their footwear outside. the SAnd in the footwear wears off the polish on all tiles. India is not well paved as compared to the west . we have something call a road and then open path full of raw earth. Hopefully this can throw some light on your article. |
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