‘World’s dirtiest man’ dies in Iran, only a few months after first bath

How often do you take baths? At least once every day, isn’t it? Now imagine someone who hasn’t taken a single bath for more than five decades. Sounds impossible and gross? Well, it certainly is.  

But what if we told you such a man did really exist, until recently. Nicknamed as ‘World’s Dirtiest Man’, an Iranian hermit Amou Haji (endearing nickname of an elderly person) died at the age of 94 years, just a few months after taking his first bath in more than half a century.  

Okay, where exactly in Iran did he live? Well, that would be in the village of Dejgah, in the southern province called Fars. In fact, he also died in the same place he spent his entire life.  

But why did he not take a shower for years? Sources suggest that it must have been a result of “emotional setbacks in his youth” that forced him to refuse wash for more than 60 years. In fact, those who knew him will tell you how Amou Haji was always covered in thick layer of soot and chose to live in a cinder-block shack built by the villagers. His daily habits included eating roadkill and smoking pipe filled with animal excrement. He also believed that staying clean and eating freshly cooked food would make him sick. There are also images that prove that he was a chain smoker, at times smoking multiple cigarettes at once.  

What’s interesting here is that, only a few months ago, local people who knew him managed to convince him to take a bath with soap and water for the first time in years and had therefore taken him to a community bath site.  

In 2013, a short documentary film titled “A Strange Life of Amou Haji” was made about his life by an amateur Iranian filmmaker and had become quite a stir across the nation.  

Interestingly, now that Amou Haji is gone forever, the nickname of ‘World’s Dirtiest Man’ could possibly go to an Indian man who is known to have remained unbathed for a major part of his life. His name is Kailash “Kalau” Singh and he lived in a village right outside the holy city of Varanasi. Sources cite that he hasn’t had a proper shower in more than three decades. The logic behind his super unhygienic lifestyle? To help end all problems confronting the nation. He would also reject water in favour of what he liked to call “fire bath.” He even went extra miles to show his loyalty towards fire, by lighting bonfire, smoking marijuana and standing on one leg and praying to Lord Shiva every evening. Kalau is also reported to have said that if he decides to ever take a bath, that would be in fire, as he believes fire kill all germs and infections present in human body.