‘The Midwife’s Confession’ retraces dark age tales from rural Bihar
Image credit The Raisina Hills
BBC documentary revisits female infanticide by midwifes in rural Bihar
By Raisina Correspondent
New Delhi, October 3: Thirty years ago, midwifes would give sharp twists to necks of baby girls at births. The baby girls after breathing a few breaths would die. The midwifes would carry their bodies to forested areas and either throw them for wild animal to eat or bury.
Acclaimed journalist Amitabh Parashar taped confession of a midwife decades ago. Bihar of the 1990s still grappled with infanticide as midwifes at behest of the family killed girl babies.
But women activists came on stage to train and sensitise the midwifes and they began saving the baby girls. Parashar in a BBC documentary connects several dots to tell a poignant tale from the past of Bihar.
Also Read: Harivansh recalls ‘why I shouldn’t become Naxalite’ letter to editor
Parashar has already made his name for making gripping documentaries on events of past from Bihar. His documentary on blinding of anti-social elements in the 1980s won him a national award.
Parashar directed The Midwife’s Confession along with Syed Ahmed Safi. Parashar goes back thirty years to revisit the story of female infanticide that he had first come across as a young news reporter.
Siro, a midwife, had on tape told him that she had killed a few girl babies at birth. They followed instructions of families.
“The family would already have three or four daughters and they would say kill the baby if another girl was born. I will give a sharp twist to necks of the babies or put salt on their tongues. Afterwards, I will carry bodies to forested areas and either throw or bury them,” Siro confessed to Parashar three decades ago.
Prashar tells the tale of female infanticide through Hakya Devi, Dharmi Devi, and other midwifes. “I have been following Siro’s story for 30 years,” said Parashar, adding that he had interviewed her and others in 1996.
Also Read: Book Excerpts: When Persia, Iran, attacked India for insult of envoy
“Hakiya Devi, the eldest of the midwives I interviewed, told me at the time she had killed 12 or 13 babies,” Parashar recalled. He also said that another midwife, Dharmi Devi, had admitted to killing at least 15-20 girl babies.
Anila Kumari, a social worker, zeroed in on the midwifes who had been killing girl babies. She started working with them in Katihar in Bihar. Anila asked the midwives, “Would you do this to your own daughter?”
The change began after the work of Kumari. Parashar in the documentary traces a girl baby who was saved by one of the midwifes.
The girl saved by the midwife was later adopted by a couple in Pune. She grew up as Monica Thatte. Parashar brings Thatte to face the midwife who possible might have saved her life.
When tother, the two women cry their hearts out while Parashar watches in the documentary. Thatte also meets Kumari, the woman who brought the change of heart among the midwifes.
Also Read: Book Excerpt: Formulas and Techniques for Preparing Hair Dyes in Ancient India
The short documentary powerfully tells the grim past reality of the rural life of Bihar.
“The midwives got some financial help from community groups. They stopped killing baby girls,” said Parashar.
He recalled speaking to Siro in 2007. “Now, whoever asks me to kill, I tell them: ‘Look, give me the child, and I’ll take her to Anila Madam,” Parashar recalled the impact of the works of Kumari on midwifes.
Join WhatsApp channel of The Raisina Hills
About The Author
