Marta694059068 at 12:46, 21 December 2023

2023-12-21T12:46:57Z

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{{Short description|Indian social worker}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2021}}

'''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.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|last=Bisoee|first=Animesh|date=2021-01-29|title=Branded 'Witch' Years Ago, Chutni Mahato from Jharkhand is Now a Padma Awardee|url=https://www.news18.com/news/buzz/branded-witch-years-ago-chutni-mahato-from-jharkhand-is-now-a-padma-awardee-3360944.html|url-status=live|access-date=2021-11-08|website=News18|language=en|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210129123835/https://www.news18.com/news/buzz/branded-witch-years-ago-chutni-mahato-from-jharkhand-is-now-a-padma-awardee-3360944.html |archive-date=29 January 2021 }}</ref> In 2021, she was awarded the [[Padma Shri]] for her social work, India's fourth highest civilian award.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Ranjan|first=Mukesh|date=31 January 2021|title=This Jharkhand woman leads war against social evil 'witchcraft', rescues over 120 women|url=https://www.newindianexpress.com/good-news/2021/jan/31/this-jharkhand-woman-leads-war-against-social-evil-witchcraft-rescues-over-120-women-2257294.html|url-status=live|access-date=2021-11-08|website=The New Indian Express|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210131061730/https://www.newindianexpress.com/good-news/2021/jan/31/this-jharkhand-woman-leads-war-against-social-evil-witchcraft-rescues-over-120-women-2257294.html |archive-date=31 January 2021 }}</ref>

== Life ==
Mahato was born in Bholadih village, [[Seraikela Kharsawan district|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.<ref name=":0" /> On approaching the police, they demanded a hefty sum to register the case.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web|last=Sarkar|first=Debashish|date=2021-01-26|title=Jharkhand woman gets Padma Shri for saving women branded as witches|url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/jharkhand-woman-gets-padma-shri-for-saving-women-branded-as-witches-101611658823088.html|url-status=live|access-date=2021-11-08|website=Hindustan Times|language=en|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210126112215/https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/jharkhand-woman-gets-padma-shri-for-saving-women-branded-as-witches-101611658823088.html |archive-date=26 January 2021 }}</ref> An [[Indian Administrative Service]] officer connected her to social workers who were working in the area of prevention of witch hunting.<ref name=":1" /> Following this, for over two decades, she has taken up the cause against superstitious practices and beliefs in Jharkhand.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2021-02-19|title=Committed to root out superstition and evil practices: Padma Shri Chutni Mahato|url=https://avenuemail.in/committed-to-root-out-superstition-and-evil-practices-padma-shri-chutni-mahato/|access-date=2021-11-08|website=The Avenue Mail|language=en-US}}</ref> Chutni has skilled her daughters to also fight against the practice.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Bisoee|first=Animesh|date=28 January 2021|title=Witch-hunt survivor to Padma Shri glory|url=https://www.telegraphindia.com/jharkhand/witch-hunt-survivor-to-padma-shri-glory/cid/1804901|url-status=live|access-date=2021-11-08|website=Telegraph India|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210128005329/https://www.telegraphindia.com/jharkhand/witch-hunt-survivor-to-padma-shri-glory/cid/1804901 |archive-date=28 January 2021 }}</ref> In 1996 a documentary captured her life and social work.<ref name=":1" /> 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.<ref name=":1" /><ref>{{Cite web |last=Bose |first=Rakhi |date=2022-04-08 |title=The Witch's Tale: Women In Indian Horror Films |url=https://www.outlookindia.com/magazine/art-entertainment/the-witch-s-tale-women-in-indian-horror-films-magazine-190558 |access-date=2022-09-11 |website=Outlook India}}</ref> A web series is in production.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Chaturvedi |first=Sanjay |date=8 July 2022 |title=पद्मश्री छुटनी महतो की दर्दभरी संघर्षों की कहानी, अब फिल्मों में देखेंगे देशभर के लोग, जल्द बनेगी वेब फीचर |trans-title=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 |url=https://hindi.asianetnews.com/jharkhand/jamshedpur-news-a-village-talkies-will-make-web-film-on-based-on-life-of-padmashri-chutni-mahato-sca-repndg |access-date=11 September 2022 |website=[[Asianet News]] |language=Hindi}}</ref>

In 2019, 27 women died following witch-related accusations in her state.<ref name=":0" /> According to [[National Crime Records Bureau]] 372 people killed in India in related-incidents between 2016 and 2019.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Shukla|first=Ashwini|date=2021-02-03|title=Exorcising Evil: Chutni Mahato from Birbans in Jharkhand awarded the Padma Shri for her fight against witch-hunting|url=https://en.gaonconnection.com/exorcising-evil-chutni-mahato-from-birbans-in-jharkhand-awarded-the-padma-shri-for-her-fight-against-witch-hunting/|url-status=live|access-date=2021-11-08|website=GaonConnection|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210203073418/https://en.gaonconnection.com/exorcising-evil-chutni-mahato-from-birbans-in-jharkhand-awarded-the-padma-shri-for-her-fight-against-witch-hunting/ |archive-date=3 February 2021 }}</ref>

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Mahato, Chutni}}
[[Category:Indian social workers]]
[[Category:Modern witch hunts]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Padma Shri in social work]]
[[Category:1959 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]

Chutni Mahato - Revision history

Marta694059068 at 12:46, 21 December 2023