M Mariswami, a resident of Ballari taluk, Hubli, has taken the Swachh Bharat mission a little further by printing his wedding cards with a four page literature on the importance of constructing toilets in houses. It's his job as district social development consultant in Ballari Zilla Panchayat that prodded Mariswami to come up with the idea.

His wedding card had all the usual details like wedding date of May 15, but also a message encouraging people to construct a toilet compulsorily in their house to lead a healthy life. Mariswami had printed out 1,300 wedding cards, each costing him Rs 10.

Each wedding card enlightens people on the need for toilets and how to make use of facilities offered by the government. Each page also features catchy slogans and quotes on the subject. Mariswami said, "I've been working as district social development consultant in Ballari zilla panchayat for over one year on temporary basis. My job also deals with educating people and motivating them to construct toilets in their houses by utilising facilities given by the government. When my marriage was fixed, I immediately hit upon the idea of using my wedding cards to create awareness about toilets."

Predictably, his novel idea didn’t go too well with his parents, relatives and friends. "They told me not to print anything about toilets in the wedding cards. They felt it was disgusting to have the word like toilet in the card. Even as they opposed, I decided to go ahead with my plan and took extra care and printed many slogans and quotes of great personalities, including Gandhiji, who propagated the importance of toilets," he informed.

On the first page of the wedding card, the slogan Swachha Bharat Mission is printed in bold letters advising people why we should have toilet. On the second and third pages of the wedding card, apart from the name of bride and groom there are catchy slogans. On the last page is the appeal, in bold letters, to use subsidy given by the government to construct toilets. Later his efforts to educate people about toilets through the wedding cards were appreciated by his people. “I want to see 100 per cent achievement in constructing toilet in Ballari taluk. Hence, I am doing my bit," he concluded.