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
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
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Branded 'Witch' Years Ago, Chutni Mahato from Jharkhand is Now a Padma Awardee, Bisoee, Animesh. News18(2021-01-29). Retrieved 2021-11-08.
- ↑ This Jharkhand woman leads war against social evil 'witchcraft', rescues over 120 women, Ranjan, Mukesh. The New Indian Express(31 January 2021). Retrieved 2021-11-08.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 Jharkhand woman gets Padma Shri for saving women branded as witches, Sarkar, Debashish. Hindustan Times(2021-01-26). Retrieved 2021-11-08.
- ↑ Committed to root out superstition and evil practices: Padma Shri Chutni Mahato. The Avenue Mail(2021-02-19). Retrieved 2021-11-08.
- ↑ Witch-hunt survivor to Padma Shri glory, Bisoee, Animesh. Telegraph India(28 January 2021). Retrieved 2021-11-08.
- ↑ The Witch's Tale: Women In Indian Horror Films, Bose, Rakhi. Outlook India(2022-04-08). Retrieved 2022-09-11.
- ↑ पद्मश्री छुटनी महतो की दर्दभरी संघर्षों की कहानी, अब फिल्मों में देखेंगे देशभर के लोग, जल्द बनेगी वेब फीचर, Chaturvedi, Sanjay. Asianet News(8 July 2022). Retrieved 11 September 2022.
- ↑ Exorcising Evil: Chutni Mahato from Birbans in Jharkhand awarded the Padma Shri for her fight against witch-hunting, Shukla, Ashwini. GaonConnection(2021-02-03). Retrieved 2021-11-08.