Girl postpones marriage till a toilet gets constructed at her would be husband’s house

BILASPUR: A girl refused to marry till a toilet was constructed in her would be in-laws’ residence. The incident happened at village Baihakapa in district Mungelli, about 50 km from here. The marriage that was earlier scheduled for May 15, 2015, was postponed and took place on June 5, 2015, after the groom showed a picture of the completed toilet at his house to the bride, which was also attested by the villagers.
According to information Phuleshwari Banjara, a resident of village Devkirari Bilha, was to be married to Suraj Prakash Banjara of Baihakapa on May 15, 2015. Before the marriage ceremonies the bride asked whether there was a toilet at her would be husband’s residence, to which her would be father in-law Khemraj Banjara informed that they don’t have a toilet at their house and were waiting for it be constructed under the government scheme. At this Phuleshwari informed her would be husband and in-laws that she would wait and would agree for marriage only after the toilet was completed. Suraj Prakash and his father Khemraj then returned to their village and began constructing a toilet at their house. Once the construction was completed they photographed it, got it attested by the villagers and went to Phuleshwari’s house accompanied by sarpanch of their village Rajkumar Bharadwaj and showed it to her and her parents. SSoon afterwards a new date for marriage was decided upon and the marriage was completed on June 5, 2015.
Step taken by Phuleshwari has also inspired others in the village, as according to sarpanch Rajkumar all those villagers who don’t have a toilet at their houses have decided to get it constructed by June 30, 2015. According to him construction of toilets in about 80 per cent houses of the village is nearing completion and the remaining houses would have toilets constructed by June 30, 2015.