There are billions of people in this world, and most of them live lives that are so vastly different from ours that it can be hard to imagine. This is one such story, the story of a man who lived life very differently.
Continue reading for more information.
Showering or bathing is something that cuts across most cultures for most people. While people may not agree on how often someone should shower per week, the idea that it’s something to be done regularly remains the same.
But Amou Haji had a different idea. He decided not to shower for 67 years. And according to the late Persian, he had good reasons for that.
Amou Haji lived in Iran and was a hermit who hadn’t taken a bath in over 60 years. He was known to indulge in carrion and was also said to have smoked animal dung from a pipe.
He hailed from the village of Dez Gah in Iran and is said to have been born in 1928. While his real name wasn’t known, people referred to him as ‘Amou Haji,’ which means ‘old man’.
There’s a rumor about him that explains why he became a hermit; he had a broken heart in his life. He was said to have lived in a cinder block house on the edge of the village, and people didn’t mind his presence.
The only ‘hygiene’ he paid attention to was that he would burn off the hair on his head and beard with fire when he felt it was getting too long. His skin and hair had a consistent gray color.
He lived to the age of 94, and people agreed that despite his questionable hygiene, he seemed quite healthy in all his years.
There was speculation that he was afraid of water, but that wasn’t the case when it came to drinking. It was said that he drank up to 5 liters a day from a dirty tin can.
As for his diet, he preferred to scavenge for his own food. While people offered him fresh food, he often chose to find his own. He even claimed to prefer animals on the road, with his favorite being the porcupine. Rumors had it that he ate the dead animals he found completely raw, no matter how rotten or old the meat seemed.
He also had a pipe in which he smoked animal dung. There were also rumors that he was a fan of cigarettes and was once photographed smoking multiple at once.
Despite his dubious hygiene and diet, he was reportedly healthy despite it all. He passed away at the age of 94, a few months after villagers managed to convince him to take a bath.
Dr. Gholamreza Molavi from the Tehran University of Medical Sciences School of Public Health had conducted tests on the old man before his death. Surprisingly, they discovered that despite his lifestyle, he was in good health.
However, he had contracted trichinosis, a foodborne parasitic disease. Given that he enjoyed eating carrion, this wasn’t surprising. However, it didn’t have a significant impact on his health.
The life of Amou Haji is undoubtedly fascinating. What did you think when you read about his life? Let us know in the comments! Also, share this fascinating story with others.
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