I have a very vivid memory from my childhood of an old woman who used to live in my village, Bauka Jhoda, near Itahari. I used to call her ‘grandma’. She was around 60 years old. She lived with her husband and children. Villagers accused her of being a witch. If somebody became ill, the shaman would single her out and blame her, saying she drank blood. She was a poor dallit and had now way of defending herself. My parents warned me against her, but I was always in her house; as far as I was concerned she was an innocent grandma who loved me a lot. We used to take the cows up to graze together. I used to play with her son. I couldn’t help wondering why the villagers accused her being a witch.
She had little land and hut to live in. But because of the campaign of hatred waged against her by the people in the village, she could not stay in the village. So, she planned to sell her property and move to another place. The problem was that everybody was ready to buy her property but nobody was ready to sell land to her. Basically, they didn’t want to take the risk – as they saw it – it of doing business with a woman who was known as witch.
She went to different villages trying to buy some land but they accused her of being a witch and refused to sell to her. It was heart breaking for her – always having to move on.
Finally, she was able to buy a small bit of land in another village. But that land, although it was on the bank of river, was useless and barren.
Today she must be around 70s. Villagers still called her a witch. I last saw her a year ago. I’ve tried over the years to convince people that she is a harmless old woman. Nobody wants to talk to her, and she is still afraid of going to others houses for fear of being abused. Now, she is waiting for death to take her away, weighed down by years of abuse, but retaining her dignity.
I salute you grandma and bow my head in front of your patience. But I can never forgive myself for not being with you now to defend you. I am very sorry!
Meghraj Rasaili
BBC World Service Trust, Nepal
Producer- Sajha Sawal
- See more at: http://bbcnepalidrama.com/main/node/18#sthash.FtUS1KbK.dpuf
No comments:
Post a Comment