Yes, Yes.. it is one of those posts that is Kryptonite for some of my friends.. brings all those taboo blog topics into one single post!
Most of you saw my recent rant on Facebook about switching to Nike swimwear instead of my tried and trusted Dolphin shorts, for Bikram Yoga class and the disastrous side effects of ripping hair off. Given that I was one step shy of becoming Sanjay Ramaswami, and gave valuable feedback to the shorts industry, there are still not that many good options for Men's yoga shorts.
Earlier this week, my classmate suggested : Why not wear a "komanam" and do yoga?
For those of you who are unfamiliar with the concept, a "komanam" or "langot" is just the way people in India used to wear a cloth folded into a string around the waist. It is probably the oldest known design for an underwear that was also the "only wear", and fit a multi purpose design and functionality for
- poor men who could not afford anything more
- saints and monks who have given up everything and wanted to show they "minimized" on material comforts
- default clothing for kids
- athletic wear for wrestlers, fighters and Yoga practitioners
While searching for why my grandfather was the last one in our family to wear this, and how the VIP Frenchie/ Jockey has dinosaured the Komanam in South India, came across many interesting links. Some of these links while educational, may not be considered safe for work.
Also learned that this was the best way to protect wrestlers from "rupturing their groins". Why would anyone indulge in an activity that would potentially rupture their groins? is beyond me. Anyway, lets move on..
If you look at Yogis whose name has made it to the western world, you can see that the lowest common denominator for apparel from Thirumalai Krishnamacharya, BKS Iyengar (man had same style from his 30's to 90's) , Pattabhi Jois, Baba Ramdev, Bishnu Ghosh, and my favorite , or a group of Yogis (this one is from 2013), the choice seems to be either a "Komanam" aka "Langot" or a speedo!
In order of preference for a hot yoga class, suggest men go as close to the right as possible. Refer picture below that shows three things I have worn to class with the first two making it very difficult.
Now what does my friends suggestion have to do with tampons and the power of ideas?
There is a back story from 2009. It started with an India trip and accupuncture. Hindsight being 20/20 or better, that might not have been required if I had found hot yoga earlier! Two classes would have fixed it. Think the hot lamp did as much work as the needles and the voltages.
The accupuncture only fixed it temporarily. Within a few months, my feet started hurting. So off I went to the hospital and they said my foot was flat and the "arch" was disappearing. Then we had to go measure the flatness of the foot and get new customized inserts for the shoes, socks with elastic in them, etc.. None of that was helping anyone except the hospital and the shoe store. Part of the problem was that I could not wear these sneakers at work, especially given the formal wear didn't go with the sneakers!
Then a colleague saw me limping and said "why don't you take a tampon and put it in your shoes?".
Came home and thought about it. Hmm.. tampons in your shoes? Why not? Then I realized that Sanitary napkins would be a better bet, given they have a sticker which can be used to stick it to the sole and I can custom cut them to any shape!
When San came home that evening, I asked her "Can you give me a sanitary napkin?"
Her reaction was a kodak moment. It is not everyday that your hubby asks you for a sanitary napkin. Being lost for words, she pointed me to a cabinet.
Took a napkin, cut it in two pieces to match what would have been my arch and nicely stuck the two pieces into the shoes after peeling off the sticker. The next day I went to work with my napkin fixed formal shoes and was walking comfortably. Why not? It was like walking on a cotton cloud! Guess the added benefit to doing this was that any extra moisture inside the shoes is absorbed by the napkin and it makes for a more comfortable walking experience.
This went on for two days and I told my colleage "By the way, thanks for your idea! It has changed my life" .. He spit out his coffee. Apparently he was being sarcastic and was joking. I told him that he has no idea, how good his ideas are, because he doesn't take them seriously.
There is also a lesson in this for inventors. Patent the idea, even if you never plan to put it in practice or implement it. Some other guy like me, who is not afraid to try those ideas, might come along and actually put it in practice and it might work, very well!
Well, now you know the back story of why giving me ideas comes with its pros and cons..
Might actually try them!
