Rakshabandhan, the Indian festival that celebrates the brother-sister bond was celebrated on Thursday across the world.
On this occasion, brothers gift their sisters after they tie rakhi on the wrist.
Indian newspaper The Times of India reports that some brothers in rural parts of Rajasthan, India gifted toilets to their sisters this Rakshabandhan.
35-year-old Prem Chand Sharma works at a private firm in Rajashtan. On Rakshabandhan, he constructed a toilet in the house of one of his married sisters in Rohini village of Nagaur.
He has also pledged to build toilets for his remaining six sisters in the coming year.
Sharma told TOI, "I am inspired by the Swachh Bharat Mission of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Nagaur district collector has encouraged villagers to construct toilets. We also got a grant of Rs 12,000 to construct these toilets. I really felt bad watching my sisters going to fields for defecation. In our village, women wait for dawn to go to the fields. I have gifted a toilet to one of my married sisters and will gift other sister by next year."
Prem, who is a father to a daughter, said, "I am not rich but when I see my daughter going to the fields for nature's call it hurts me. The respect for my sister in her family has increased when the toilet was constructed. This is the best thing which a brother can do to mark the Raksha Bandhan," he said.
"The toilet has a geyser facility too and the total cost of the toilet was Rs 92,000," added Sharma.
Following Sharma’s examples, others in Udaipur too have signed up for this grant and have committed to building toilets for their sisters.
"Seven persons gave their consent and signed a commitment letter that they will free their sisters from the miseries of open defecation," said Udaipur collector Rohit Gupta.
"I didn't realize it earlier but when they told me how much difficulty ladies face daily to relieve themselves I decided to set up a toilet in my home. What better could be a Rakhi gift for my sister?" Madanlal Dangi, a resident, said.
