Abstract
This paper critically examines a strategy that the government of the state of Jharkhand in India is using to encourage toilet usage in rural areas - namely, the painting and decoration of toilets that were constructed with the help of government funds. This "toilet art" that is being encouraged, often makes use of elements of the traditional tribal mural traditions of Jharkhand, and in some cases these traditions have been actively promoted for the purpose of decorating toilets as well as for sanitation-related messaging on walls more generally.
The strategy is situated within the context of the Swachh Bharat Mission, which is a pan-India sanitation campaign and which so far has been largely aimed at constructing toilets in rural areas and encouraging their use. Along with examining this strategy, the paper offers suggestions for how it could be made more effective and relevant.