It was an unprecedented rush day for the staff members of the Sulabh International Museum of Toilets because a remarkable piece of news had heightened its prestige globally. The Time magazine of the USA, in its survey of selecting ten weirdest museums of the world, had placed our museum at the third position. Earlier also some other international publications including the Oman Times dated Oct. 18, 2013 had conducted similar exercises for naming ten quirkiest museums and the Sulabh museum had secured mention at higher positions in each. However, the Time magazine has its own prestigious position and hence, we in Sulabh feel elated. As a matter of fact the magazine had released this list on May 18, which happens to be the World Toilet Day.
When Dr. Bindeshwar Pathak had a meagre beginning of establishing this museum in 1992, he never imagined that within 22 years, it would achieve this great honour. Anybody who hears about the existence of a toilet museum, at the first instance is surprised and then inspired to visit once. Since the Gandhi Centenary days (1968), Dr Pathak had been exerting to liberate scavengers from the demeaning profession of carrying human waste on head. In the scheme of his multiple initiatives in this regard, the extablishment of a toilet museum also figured in the high priority list. Let me repeat it once again that he himself did not foresee the shining future of this paltry beginning.
By now some 28,00,000 people have visited this museum website. We are flooded with worldwide enquiries about the history of this ‘glorious throne’ and several other sanitation related matters. The museum appears to have played and will continue to tread on that track to create awareness in the community about ‘toilet for all’. Beyond the precincts of Sulabh campus, it is for every Indian to feel proud of. Three cheers to sulabh and Dr Pathak !!!
No comments:
Post a Comment