Indian Toilets (Orissa Pan): Sizes, Sunk Floor and Fitting Tips

The Indian squat toilet, which most shops call an Orissa pan, is still a regular choice in Bengaluru homes. It is simple, hard-wearing and easy to wash down with a bucket of water. Many families who have western toilets in the bedrooms still want one Indian toilet somewhere in the house.

Why families still choose one

• Habit and comfort. Older family members and many others are simply more comfortable squatting.
• Health reasons. Many people believe squatting is a more natural position for the body, and prefer it for that reason.
• No contact with a seat. For a common toilet used by guests, visitors or workers, a squat pan avoids shared seat contact.
• Durability. With no seat, hinges or cistern on the pan itself, there is less to break. This is why it is often used in outdoor toilets, staff or servants' toilets, and toilets near the parking or garden.

Sizes

Pans are usually sold by approximate length in inches. Exact sizes vary by manufacturer.

Pan heights usually range from about 150 mm to 300 mm. This height decides how deep the floor must be sunk, so check it before the civil work is done.

Sunk floor and the trap below

Unlike a western toilet, an Indian pan sits into the floor, with its rim at or just above the finished tile level. To make this possible:

• The floor slab must be sunk below the toilet area. The depth depends on the pan height plus the trap that goes beneath it. Your mason or plumber will need the exact pan and trap you plan to use.
• A separate trap (usually P or S type) is fixed under the pan outlet to hold water and block smells. It connects to the drain line, so the trap type must match where the drain runs.
• The sunk area is filled and waterproofed after the pan and trap are set, then tiled to finish level.

Getting this right at the start saves a lot of trouble. Retrofitting an Indian pan into a flat floor means breaking the slab. If you are unsure whether your drain goes into the floor or the wall, our western toilets page explains S trap and P trap in detail.

Footrests and tiles around the pan

Most pans come with raised, ribbed footrests moulded in. Some are fitted as separate footrest pieces. They help the user stand in the right place and give grip.

The floor around the pan gets wet with every use. Use anti-skid tiles with a matt or textured surface, and give the floor a gentle slope toward the pan or a floor drain. A 300x300 mm tile is easy to slope and cut around the pan. Our anti-skid tiles explained guide covers how much grip to look for.

Mixing Indian and western toilets

A common layout in independent houses is:

• Western toilet or one-piece toilet in the master and children's bathrooms.
• An Indian toilet in the common bathroom, the ground-floor toilet used by elders, or an outdoor toilet.

This way every family member has an option they are comfortable with.

Cleaning

The glazed surface of the pan wipes clean easily. Pour water after use, brush the inside with a long-handled toilet brush, and use a mild cleaner for scale. Avoid strong acid cleaners regularly, as they can dull the glaze and attack the grout around the pan.

Plan the floor first

Decide your pan size before the floor is cast so the sunk depth is right. Contact the shop to ask which Indian toilet sizes are in stock and see them in person.