 While dāna is typically given to one person or family, Hinduism also discusses charity or giving aimed at public benefit, sometimes called "utsarga".This aims at larger projects such as building a rest house, school, drinking water or irrigation well, planting trees, and building care facility among others.Abū Rayḥān al-Bīrūnī, the 11th century Persian historian, who visited and lived in India for 16 years from about 1017 CE, mentions the practice of charity and almsgiving among Hindus as he observed during his stay.