For many people, a hot shower is a part of their daily routine . Showers can help us to relax, keep us clean, and help to ward off harmful bacteria — as well as a slew of other benefits.
The last thing you’d ever expect is any harm to come to you after a shower , yet that’s precisely what happened to the “World’s Dirtiest Man,” Amu Haji, who died mere months after his first washing in decades .
There are many good reasons why it’s important to shower and maintain proper hygiene.
Personal hygiene plays a vital role in helping to maintain our overall health. Showering/bathing can help to improve your immune function and ease muscle aches and pains.
On top of that, showering cleans your skin by helping to remove dead skin cells.
By removing dead skin cells, you’re also helping to wash away any harmful bacteria that may be festering on your skin. This helps to prevent rashes and other skin irritants.
There’s even evidence to suggest that showering regularly may help to improve your mental health.
Warm water has been shown to help decrease feelings of depression and anxiety . It can also lead to heightened levels of productivity, which in turn helps to boost self-confidence.
With all these reported claims, you’d never expect that showering could one day kill you.
Yet that’s precisely what happened to an Iranian hermit by the name of Amu Hami. Amu, better known as “Uncle Haji” by his friends, died on Sunday, October 23rd in the village of Dezhgah.
Haji was 94 years old at the time of his passing and hadn’t bathed in decades.
That is until a few months ago when a group of villagers finally convinced him to wash. Prior to his death, Amu was known as “The world’s dirtiest man.”
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He was well-known for his vigorous stance against bathing.
A few years ago, a group of villagers tried to take Haji to a nearby river to bathe. He resisted with all his might and wound up throwing himself out of a moving car.
The locals in Haji’s village all understood his condition and treated him with the utmost respect.
Haji’s reason for not bathing was due to his fear that water would make him sick. Apparently, he experienced trauma in his youth that led him to this conclusion.
The few photos that exist of Haji depict a man covered from head to toe in dirt and soot.
There’s one in particular that appears to show him smoking several cigarettes at once. He was unmarried and lived alone in solitude.
His funeral was held Tuesday evening in the nearby city of Farashband.
Now that Haji has passed away, the title of “World’s Dirtiest Man” could pass to another — an Indian man named Kailash Singh. Like Haji, Singh has reportedly not bathed or brushed his teeth in decades .
According to a 2009 report by the Hindustan Times, Singh reportedly doesn’t wash or brush his teeth out of misguided love for his home country.
Instead, Singh gives himself a “fire bath,” wherein he lights a bonfire, smokes a heroic amount of marijuana , and stands on one foot while praying to Lord Shiva.
“I’ll end this vow only when all problems confronting the nation end,” Singh told the outlet.
Unfortunately, very little has been heard from Mr. Singh since the article was published back in 2009. Since his whereabouts cannot be confirmed, the title of “World’s Dirtiest Man” remains vacant.
