We’ve been in China for almost a month and a half now, and we’re about to head off on our first Visa run to Malaysia. I’m excited about that—especially because I’ve never taken the family to Malaysia before.
But before that journey begins, I wanted to write about something far more unexpected: the Eastern toilet.
When we moved from the Sindhi Muslim Society in Karachi to Clifton, Karachi, my father and his three brothers—four chachas in total—built very similar houses. Almost identical, in fact. Except for one detail.
Only one chacha chose to install an Eastern toilet.
I remember being both curious and slightly intimidated by it. I was about six years old at the time, and there were always conversations floating around about how sitting on an Eastern toilet was “good for you”—better for your body, better for digestion, better for doing your number one or number two.
In our own house, though, we had Western (resting) toilets. That’s what I got used to. If I remember correctly, when a bathroom that was eventually meant to be mine was being finalized, I even pushed—very deliberately—for a Western toilet. It felt familiar. Comfortable. Normal.
Fast forward to today.
We’re now living in Kunming, China, in our apartment on Longjiang Street. And interestingly, every morning, I find myself genuinely appreciating the Eastern toilet here. Using it first thing in the morning feels like the best way to start the day. It naturally stretches my muscles, forces me to squat properly, and honestly—it wakes me up better than coffee.
The more I think about it, the more I realize there are real benefits. Physical ones. Practical ones. Even hygienic ones.
One thing that really stands out is this: after using an Eastern toilet, I don’t actually feel the need to use toilet paper the way I used to. I know this might sound like too much information for a blog—but it’s fascinating. The idea of properly washing and cleaning afterward just makes sense. It’s thorough. It’s refreshing. It’s… civilized in a way we don’t always acknowledge.
And it makes me grateful.
The East really did figure out a lot of things early on. Sometimes I look at modern Western bathrooms—with their fancy heated seats and warm water jets—and I can’t help but smile. In many ways, they feel like high-tech versions of practices that already existed in the East long before. What we now call innovation is often just a rediscovery.
I remember having a similar conversation a few years ago at Akeel bhai’s house. He said something that stuck with me: the Eastern toilet is simply better for you.
So yes—East or West?
These days, it really does feel like the East is best. (Unlike what Jim Morrison told me about the West)…