Comparative Chapals

Chapals is the Tamil word for sandals. Sometimes referred to as slippers they differ from shoes which are called shoes, some Tamil English mixed language. Chapals should definitely not be worn with socks (just a tidbit of fashion advice especially white tube socks with champion logos like my parents). There are so many types of sandals it's hard to recreate the experience I am having with all the different varieties, take notice of how I said varieties instead of styles. Ok, so the styles in the shops are nice and all but this blog is about the hard core wear and tear of this dusty life of toiling in the fields and walking and walking and walking. This may be why many south Indians in Tamil Nadu choose to go without any protective footwear. Their feet are caloused and cracking with cuts and blisters, but apparently they have no concern for potential infection or fungal attacks. There is quite a discrepancy in the prevalence of people wearing shoes between the north and south. I would guestimate 99% of norther people wear shoes while maybe only 79% of southerners wear shoes. This percentage is definitely increasing with the availability of low cost models, but still health education will affect the rate change as well. You can see so many abandoned chapals on the side of the road and in trash piles ranging from mud covered single shoes to pairs of new looking chapals, there are foam varieties, but more rare is an abandoned pair of childrens footwear. I've met people who hobble around with chapals that look as if they've been worn for the past 25 years. The heel is completely worn through leaving holes at various angles depending on where the majority of their weight falls. Also many people wear chapals that they can just slide their foot into and flop around in loosely while walking. No matter if there are straps or ankle support they leave them open and redefine what a flip flop should be. I've been running for a train and my chapal has completely dislodged itself from my foot leaving me to retrieve it and attempt running again. That is what you get when you import Havianas or some other foreign product and attempt using it regularly in India. Mostly the chapals have a place for your big toe and then where ever the rest of your foot places itself seems like luck of the draw also taking into consideration the varietly of foot ailments and deformities. Today I saw someone with two feet, fortunately, but all their toes grew at 45 degree angles toward the pinky toe. This person was not wearing shoes and unfortunately there was a bag of bananas blocking my view of his foot when he sat behind me. There is also a common birth defect, potentially and highly likely to be from inbreeding, where there is an extra appendage at the end of your set of hopefully 5 toes just hanging out sticking off the outside side of your foot or hand. With sandals this node would probly enjoy itself dragging along the dusty ground as the rest of your toes were protected by the footbed of your chapal, but at the same time this may be best because when ever I see this defect I want to pluck the appendage off myself or just cut it quickly with my pocket knife. I think you would need an extra wide variety to protect this type of genetic deformity. Unfortunately I have yet to see any custom styles like that for someone who doesn't have enough money to seek medical attention in the first place to have it removed. I just got some new chapals from the Bata company which may be the most prominent commercial chain in India for shoes after my last chapals broke and I tried to repair them myself with superglue. I made four do it yourself attemps and after that failed they went in the waste bin. Whatever chapals you are wearing it is definitely best in a footwear optional culture to make sure that yours are easily removeable and replaceable. Don't get too attached because the quality of Indian shoes does not support the motto built to last. Maybe built to get dusty and fall apart is a more suitable motto for this country.