BHOPAL: It was a different kind of race at village Fanda on the outskirts of Bhopal- a race among elderly women to save their daughters-in-law from what they had been doing all their lives-open defecation.
The race titled “Swachhta Run” had 20 runners, who ran in a group of 10 each and 10 sprinters shortlisted from among them ran for the title.
Three winners were awarded medals by their daughters-in-law. The race was organised by the district administration to celebrate Fanda village achieving the Open Defecation Free (ODF) tag.
The runners carried a "lota" (utensil carrying water) in their hands and at the finish line, they poured water out, signifying that the compulsion to go to fields for defecation is now over. Their daughters-inlaw waited for them at the finish line to welcome them.
Radha Prajapati, Manju Prajapati and Arpita Prajapati stood first, second and third in the race respectively and received medals from their daughters-inlaw Bhawna, Abhilasha and Urmila repectively.
CEO of Bhopal Zila Panchayat Vikas Mishra, who was also present during the race, when asked about the objective of the event, said “It was to give out a message of swachhta.” The elderly women ran with "lota" in their hands, which they threw at the finish line. It was to showcase their resolve not to let their daughter-in-laws do whatever they had been doing all their lives.
“We chose women because they are more resolute and have less digressions and it's easy to motivate them for a good cause like cleanliness. After all, it's the women who keep the house clean and do a lot of other things, but don't have enough sharing in decision-making,” said Mishra.
