5 Things in my Indian House That Just Make Sense
India has seen centuries of civilizations and millions of inventions. One of the oldest civilizations — Indus Valley Civilization is known for, amongst other things, the best designed products that were ever created in the Bronze Age. In fact we still use some of them with little or no modifications. In my opinion this exemplifies great design — The quality of sustainability, timelessness and economic viability along with usability and innovation. Their sewage system, particularly speaks of their intellect and capability. Their utensils are used till date.
Centuries later, boasting of an extremely diverse and varied population, speaking more than a hundred languages, India is the country of jugaad — A flexible and creative approach to problem-solving that uses limited resources in an innovative and optimum way. Most ideas, innovations and inventions come out of necessity. India not only engineers these but does so economically and sustainably.
It is no surprise that its rich culture and heritage inspires some of the most logical and simple designs. India, certainly has been doing ‘life hacks’ before life hacks were cool.
Most of these ‘hacks’ or designs are overlooked because well designed products have a quality of being unobtrusive and consequently humans have a tendency to ignore good designs.
1. Matka
One such brilliant example of a good product is the Indian pot — Matka. It is made from clay and is used to store water. Other than its basic function of storing water, it fulfills one other important purpose — Keeping the water at a pleasant temperature. India, especially the tropical regions, gets extremely hot and humid during summer. The Matka not only stores cool water but also gives the water an earthy flavor, making it super refreshing and replenishing.
It is further improvised by burying it in mud and leaving just its opening for reaching water/ perishables and keeping the mud around it wet. A lot of the rural population still uses this as a makeshift refrigerator.
2. Pressure Cooker
Curry and well cooked food is one of the few things majority of Indians enjoy. Pressure cooker makes the job of cooking easier and faster — especially for food that takes longer to macerate. It is an airtight pot that cooks food in the steam it builds when put on an energy source. It is easy to operate and to clean. It is available in non stick options, making cooking an even smoother process. It is mainly used to cook rice, lentils, pulses and meat.
3. Back Scratcher
Ever had an itch that you couldn’t reach for the life of you? That one spot where even Yoga Gurus cannot reach themselves? This one, handy, cheap, light weighted product seems heaven sent, especially during summer. It replicates a small palm (with fingers) attached to a rod, making the purpose and utilization apparent. The level of satisfaction after just one scratch is unparalleled. Easy to use, simple, crisp design. We call it — The scratch pro.
4. Dabba
Home cooked food is big in India. So big that Maggi had to rebrand their product to make it seem like it was home cooked and not processed. The Dabba culture arose because of this massive popularity and obsession. The typical design is even more popular especially in Maharashtra.
Its containers are stackable, fit right in their stand/holder and turns into a good, sturdy handle which makes it easier to carry. It is simple and elegant and definitely a life hack, because who wants their chapatis touching their curry?
5. Foil Packaging
A few products leave an impression on the mind of users but lesser create that kind of impact with their packaging. One such example is the Aluminum Foil packaging. The box has a built-in cutter which very satisfyingly cuts the foil paper straight. It’s time and energy saving and easy to use. It’s a blessing for perfectionists and people with OCD.
Conclusion
Innovation has always existed right in the heart of India. A whole lot of other designs that are used by and popular among Indians exist in plain sight. Hidden, because of our ability to look past great design. To recognize and appreciate good design is a constant, conscious effort but it is refreshing and challenging and important for the mental and physical growth of a people. It is how good products are made better and better products made best. Evolution, after all, is the secret for the next step.
