Chutni Mahato
Chutni Mahato, also known as Chutni Devi (born 1959), is a social worker from Jharkhand, India. Once a victim of witch-branding, she now works to help others who have been branded as witches and spreads awareness about superstitions and witchcraft.[1] In 2021, she was awarded the Padma Shri for her social work, India's fourth highest civilian award.[2]
Life
[edit]Mahato was born in Bholadih village, Seraikela-Kharsawan district in Jharkhand in 1959. Married off as a child, she was labelled a witch in 1995 after a family member fell ill. The villagers grabbed her property, ill-treated her including sexual abuse, forcing her to drink urine and being paraded semi-naked. She ran away, finding her way back to her parents house.[1] On approaching the police, they demanded a hefty sum to register the case.[3] An Indian Administrative Service officer connected her to social workers who were working in the area of prevention of witch hunting.[3] Following this, for over two decades, she has taken up the cause against superstitious practices and beliefs in Jharkhand.[4] Chutni has skilled her daughters to also fight against the practice.[5] In 1996 a documentary captured her life and social work.[3] In 2014, a Bollywood movie "Kala Sach– The Dark Truth" was supposedly inspired by her; however it turned out to be a normal stereotyped Bollywood horror movie.[3][6] A web series is in production.[7]
In 2019, 27 women died following witch-related accusations in her state.[1] According to National Crime Records Bureau 372 people killed in India in related-incidents between 2016 and 2019.[8]
References
[edit]- ^ a b c Bisoee, Animesh (29 January 2021). "Branded 'Witch' Years Ago, Chutni Mahato from Jharkhand is Now a Padma Awardee". News18. Archived from the original on 29 January 2021. Retrieved 8 November 2021.
- ^ Ranjan, Mukesh (31 January 2021). "This Jharkhand woman leads war against social evil 'witchcraft', rescues over 120 women". The New Indian Express. Archived from the original on 31 January 2021. Retrieved 8 November 2021.
- ^ a b c d Sarkar, Debashish (26 January 2021). "Jharkhand woman gets Padma Shri for saving women branded as witches". Hindustan Times. Archived from the original on 26 January 2021. Retrieved 8 November 2021.
- ^ "Committed to root out superstition and evil practices: Padma Shri Chutni Mahato". The Avenue Mail. 19 February 2021. Retrieved 8 November 2021.
- ^ Bisoee, Animesh (28 January 2021). "Witch-hunt survivor to Padma Shri glory". Telegraph India. Archived from the original on 28 January 2021. Retrieved 8 November 2021.
- ^ Bose, Rakhi (8 April 2022). "The Witch's Tale: Women In Indian Horror Films". Outlook India. Retrieved 11 September 2022.
- ^ Chaturvedi, Sanjay (8 July 2022). "पद्मश्री छुटनी महतो की दर्दभरी संघर्षों की कहानी, अब फिल्मों में देखेंगे देशभर के लोग, जल्द बनेगी वेब फीचर" [The story of Padmashree Chutni Mahto's painful struggles, now people from all over the country will see in films, web feature will be made soon]. Asianet News (in Hindi). Retrieved 11 September 2022.
- ^ Shukla, Ashwini (3 February 2021). "Exorcising Evil: Chutni Mahato from Birbans in Jharkhand awarded the Padma Shri for her fight against witch-hunting". GaonConnection. Archived from the original on 3 February 2021. Retrieved 8 November 2021.