What emerges in the exchange between father and son, is the painting of Chaandidasi Gangadasi Bayen and her inner landscape (mann). We meet Chaandi through her son’s eyes and it is in this telling that witch hunting becomes more than a news report. The fictive nature allows the story to be a reflective medium, for us to feel and imagine Chandi, Malinder and Bhagirath as they navigate through all that goes into the making of a witch.
This story was originally written in Bengali by an activist and writer Mahashweta Devi in 1976.
This audio adaptation in Hindi is from the English version of the story, translated by Mahua Bhattacharya, published by Katha in the anthology, Separate Journeys.
Translated, narrated, and produced by Madhuri Adwani
The song ‘Aa Jao Sone’ is sung and composed by Astha Sharma
The cover image has been extracted from an original work by Baaraan Ijlal and commissioned for digital use by The Third Eye for its series on witch hunting.
Background voices for crowd scene by Shivam, Kulsum, Gurleen, Suman, Sadia, and Samiya
Music track ‘Dadra’ is by Zeb and Haniya
This audio story is a part of “Like Soot or Gossip: Feminist Series Against Witch-Hunting”.
Check out our Crime edition for more pieces that demonstrate a feminist lens to look at Crime.
