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World's Biggest Toilet -cum -Bath Complex

Perhaps no other civilization in the world has given so much attention and importance to sanitation and cleanliness as the Harappans did. The quality and workmanship of the domestic toilets, bathrooms and drains and the drainage system of Harappa were remarkable and displayed immaculate forethought and planning. Unfortunately, in the maze of centuries that followed, this sparkling example of our ancient civilization has been lost. Embarking upon a prestigious and ambitious project Sulabh has constructed probably the world's biggest toilet-cum-bath complex at Shirdi, Maharashtra, at the footsteps of the holy shrine of Shri Sai Baba. The splendid legacy of the holy man of Shirdi has put the town of Shirdi on the spiritual map of the globe. Every year millions of devotees from the country as well as abroad, visit the holy shrine. The shrine was in dire need of an appropriate toilet complex to meet the ever-growing requirement of the multitudes of devotees who thronged the town and the shrine everyday. To meet the demand, at behest of the Shri Saibaba Sansthan, Shirdi, the Sulabh International Social Service Organisation, Maharashtra Branch, got constructed an aesthetically exquisite and visually appealing, colourful toilet-cum-bath complex, spread over an area of over two acres at a total cost of Rs 1.53 crores. Sri Saibaba Sansthan, Shirdi provided the funds for the sprawling complex, which was inaugurated by Shri D.M. Sukhthankar, Chairman of the Sansthan. Speaking on the historic occasion Dr Pathak said, “Such facilities should be provided on a ‘pay-and use’ basis at all places of congregation where people throng in large numbers for worship and meditation”. The toilet complex provides a variety of facilities to its users including 120 WC's, 108 bathing cubicles, 28 special toilets, six dressing rooms, rows of urinals, immaculately laid out to avoid congestion. The complex is capable of serving approximately 30,000 users everyday. The self-sustaining complex has three excreta based, biogas-generating Sulabh plants which provide electricity to the entire complex for illumination and water heating. The water discharged from the complex is recycled for irrigating the beautifully laid out green area. To provide a sylvan touch to the complex a variety of trees have also been planted all around the area. Telephone services are available at the counters and provision for 5000 lockers has also been made to facilitate the tourists for safekeeping of their belongings.