AHMEDABAD: Coating our sedans with cow-dung for braving the scorching summer heat might not be a feasible proposition for most of us, but a home-maker in Ahmedabad has done it, as she claims it keeps her car cool even without air-conditioning.
Sejal Shah's Toyota Altis became an internet sensation soon after its photos went viral, thanks to the thick coat of cow dung all over it. The woman's sedan is an eye-catcher on the streets with the coating and the red and white rangoli-like designs on the edges.
Ms Shah says the coating keeps her car within limits and makes her feel cooler in summers and warmer in winters. It is also her bid towards saving the environment at a time when global warming is a major concern, she says.
"It not only keeps my car cool but also helps in preventing pollution. The harmful gases that are released while we use car AC increase the temperatures and contribute to global warming. I drive my car switching off the AC as the cow-dung keeps it cool," Ms Shah told news agency ANI.
"I got this idea as I used to put cow-dung on the floor and walls of my house. It keeps the house cool. Hence I decided to put it over my car," she said.
Applying cow dung paste on the walls and floors of mud-houses is a common practice in rural India. It keeps the house temperature within limits, cool in summers and warm in winters.