I was reading an article about Professor Peter Wilderer, 64, the head of water quality control and Waste management at the technical university of Munich in Germany. The article was explaining that Professor Wilderer’s office and labs are tucked away in the back corner of the university’s research campus at Garching, near the Munich airport. According to the article many may think this out-of-way location, next to the city of Garching’s municipal wastewater treatment planet, might seem less than perfect, but Professor Wilderer can not be happier! He said: “It allows us to pump actual wastewater directly into our lab to conduct our experiments.”
It is quite amazing where others would see muck and nastiness, some like Professor Wilderer see opportunity.
The article went on talking about statistics of water and wastewater and problems associated with them. What catch my eyes was his insight into not only the wastewater and its methods of treatments, but also looking into affordable solution for which the community cultural values have been considered, too.
Professor Wilderer was explaining for the above reasons he is currently developing a project involving the development of affordable, single-home wastewater treatment and drinking waster supplies. But apparently there are complications abound-especially in the developing world.
And these problems are as likely to be cultural as technical!! Couple of interesting exampleshe indicated:
1. In India, Ganges River is considered holy by the Hindus. People pour in the ashes of cremated family members, and they use the river for drinking water and bathing!!
2. Some African tribal people believe that water originating from the sky is religiously clean, whereas water pumped from the ground is religiously unclean. They drink water from open sources such as ponds, but they refuse to drink from wells.
3. Some Muslim cultures are hesitant towards technology offered to them-including potable water processing and wastewater treatment.
Talking about cultural difficulties as well as technological ones indicated above I wish to open up and criticize something that has been apparently in our culture for many centuries and seems truly outdated.
Just recently, the father of a good friend of mine passed away. For his burial ceremony we went to Behesht-e Zahra cemetery. A place located south of Tehran mega city.
The process of burial starts with the fact that corpse is washed and gets ready for burial ceremony. This process is getting completed when the cadaver is carried on top of the hands of the close family on a simple carrier with shout of La-Elaha Elallah (There is no god except Allah). After the body is located in front of the crowed; people start to pray. After praying is done the body is transferred to burial area. I have to indicate the entire mentioned process is being done in very crowded area, since many people are there for the same reason.
The worst case, in my humble opinion, in regard of cultural and religious values takes place when the body is set into grave. When the body is in there, once of the following, son, son in law or brother no women (i.e. daughter or wife) though, can do this, must climb into grave and with every sentence of the person outside of the grave who reads the Koranic verses, opens up the shroud and brings up the face of the passed away person and also shove him/her to the side for at least tree times!! Consider this is being done when there is pile of soil on the side of grave and there is danger of sliding the mud! Not to mention the condition that close family member who is doing this is in it.
I personally feel that we should revise and relook into this matter of our life. We should perhaps review this for a better and less painful tradition for those who have lost a family member. In the end, I again and again indicate that this is an ever changing world and we should get used to changes or changes will be forced upon us!
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