What would you do if you saw dogs eating pieces of flesh which look like human flesh? Be repelled by the sight and walk away fast? Curse the government for not doing anything and encourage a thousand more to curse the government? Drive away the dogs, collect the pieces of flesh and cremate it according to tradition? Your answer would show your mettle. Meet Dr. Laxmi Gautam, whose life mission was decided when she saw such a gruesome, heart-wrenching sight, decided instantly, to choose the last option. A thousand questions would have crossed your mind as to whose body it must have been, where was this, which religion did the dead person belongs to, and more … Read on…
“Most people work in the area of social service and then enter politics. I did the reverse. I was the Deputy Mayor of Vrindavan in 1995 and 2000. In 2010, I saw dogs biting into the flesh of a corpse and I became a humanitarian.” With the air of humility and grace, Dr. Laxmi Gautam tells her story. It is the story of human apathy, sorrow and the power of a human to rise above all odds to do the right thing.
How do you identify yourself?
I am the daughter of Vrindavan and daughter of the widows of Vrindavan.
How did you start doing the work you do?
When I saw the dogs eating the human corpse, I knew I had to do something about it. I realized it was the body of an abandoned widow. I drove away the dogs and collected all the pieces of flesh in a gunny bag and took it in a rickshaw to the crematorium. With some help, I cremated the body. The next day I approached some widows to know more. With great difficulty I found an old woman who was willing to talk. She told me that whenever an abandoned widow died, people used to just bundle the body into a gunny bag and the municipality people would come and take it away. Nobody knew what happened after that. This was horrifying. While these widows did not have any respect while alive, they had no respect even in death! I knew instantly that I had to do something about it.
What happened after that?
The Hindu put out a short article with this information, and people were enraged. The Supreme Court then asked for a Survey (2011) about this and I was part of the Survey team. The old lady who had disclosed this to me bravely said the same thing in Court too. A second survey was carried out (in 2012) and finally the then State Government (2013) and Supreme Court had to accept this to be a fact.
In the meantime I had already started doing the duty of cremating the bodies of the dead widows, completely on my own.
Do you try to contact the relatives of the widows after their death/cremation?
Most of these widows have been abandoned and their families do not want to hear from them ever. Even after their death, if I call them, they are not interested in knowing about it. Now, unless anyone on their deathbed specifically tells me to inform their relatives, I do not make any effort to contact them.
Where do these widows usually come from?
They come from all over Bharat. But more than 70% of the widows are from West Bengal. Even in this day and age, young girls there, are married off to men over the age of 50 and 60 years of age. Soon they become widows and their families do not want to take care of them. (Note: For me this was a revelation. A state which worships Maa, a state which till very recently believed in Communist ideology and still believes in liberal thought, a state which has some of the best literates in the country, accounts for more than 70% of the abandoned widows! Being confused about your Dharma definitely makes you forget your Dharma!)
What is your opinion about these women being abandoned/preferring to die in Vrindavan?
If one were to see from an Adhyatmic viewpoint, I can understand why these widows prefer coming to Vrindavan to die. It is believed that the soul of one who dies here, reaches Vaikunth Dham ie. Moksha. But from the viewpoint of humanity, it is very wrong. It indicates a perverse diversion (Vikruti) in society.
How do you come to know of any death? Who informs you?
Rickshaw drivers, ashrams, local people – all have my mobile number. They call me up whenever there is a death. Even self-financed ashrams have started calling me to cremate a dead inmate.
What are the rituals that you do?
I myself bathe the body and apply Chandan. I put Charanamrit & Gangajal into the mouth of the dead person, put a Patka on them and then set fire to the body. Many people say that as a woman I should not give Mukhagni but I have surrendered to Banke Bihari ji – He will decide whether I am right or wrong. As far as I am concerned, as a daughter of the dead widow, I am doing my duty.
On the 13th day, I feed some people and every year, on Amavasya day of Pitru Paksh, I give tarpann and feed some people in memory of those who have died.
How much are the expenses that you have to bear?
The expenses for just the cremation come to about Rs. 4 – 5,000 and I spend about Rs.10,000 per widow totally. Till about a year back I was bearing all the expenses myself. I dip into our family finances for this. But since the past few months, some people have started contributing money and helping in the cause. They have also contributed a little to buying an ambulance, educating poor girl children, etc.
Do you feel overwhelmed after the cremation?
I feel that I have done an Ashwamedha Yagya.
Dr. Laxmi Gautam is an Associate Professor at the Institute of Oriental Philosophy. She is the founder of the Kanaka Dhara Foundation. She has been called the ‘Mother of Vrindavan’ and the ‘Angel of Vrindavan’. She has received the Nari Shakti award of the Ministry of Child and Women Development given by the President of India, in 2015. The Central Police Reserve Force (CRPF) acknowledged oher work towards widow uplift in 2013. On International Women Day (8th March) 2015, she met with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on uplift of widows of Vrindavan. She wears her awards very lightly but takes pride in having a double doctorate in History and Hindi. She has also done MA in Ancient Bharatiya History and Culture, Hindi and Sanskrit. Her listing in top 100 Women Achiever Awards 2016 is just a small recognition of the tremendous work she does.
Those wishing to help Dr. Laxmi Gautam in her work and to help her buy ambulance and other items required, can donate to her Kanak Dhara Foundation. Details are as below:
Account Name : Kanak Dhara foundation
A/c no. : 134910031422
Bank and Branch : Dena Bank Vrindavan 281121
IFSC code : BKDN0721349
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