In different parts of the world, witch accusations and persecutions continue to represent a serious form of gender-based violence, even in the 21st century. In Nepal, where centuries-old superstitious beliefs are deep-rooted in the social and cultural structures of society, beliefs in witchcraft often lead to physical and psychological violence, with most victims being poor, single or marginalised women living in rural environments and, particularly, Dalit.

One example of superstition’s prevalence is the Ghost Festival, which takes place annually on the banks of the Kamala River, in the Dhanusha and Siraha districts of Nepal. Thousands of pilgrims visit with their dhamis (shamans), who claim to have the power to eradicate misfortunes such as failing crops, illness, or family difficulties. Here superstitious beliefs correlate with structural injustices, including gender discrimination, access—to health services, education, economic opportunities and legal advice—as well as corruption.

This photo essay documents the dire need for awareness to be raised at both grassroots and national levels, and, following this, for change. This body of work is not against any religion, culture or ethnic groups in Nepal.

During my childhood, I witnessed the superstitious and violent treatment of a witch-doctor upon my mother, who was suffering from a mental health condition. Later on, while a student in Kathmandu, I used to read news of Witchcraft Accusations and Persecution (WAP) in national dailies time and again. I was really shocked by the news of WAP in February 2012. Thageni Mahato, a 40 year-old woman, had been burnt to death by villagers led by dhamis (shamans) in the Chitwan district of Nepal.

The following year, I read the news of Parbati Devi Chaudhary’s death by beating, perpetrated by a group of neighbours in the remote village of Supauli, in the Parsa district of Nepal. That night, Parbati and three other women were identified as witches by a dhami brought into the village by a neighbour. Two of the women fled the village, and the third one, Rajpati Devi Chaudhary, was still living in isolation and terror at the time of my visit.

I decided to document the event and its aftermath in the form of a photo story and went to Supauli a week after the incident. I took help from security forces as there was a threat from the villagers and neighbours who were involved in the murder.

After visiting the Chaudhary family, I continued documenting the stories and experiences of women being branded as witches. 

On 10 December 2013, the last day of the 16-day global campaign against violence against women, Chanamati Magrati was beaten to unconsciousness by her neighbours in a remote village of the Dhading district. Chanamati, who is from a modest farmer community, was living with her two children in the village, while her husband was working as a labourer in Kathmandu to sustain his family.

After the incident, Chanamati said, “They attempted to kill me with a sickle, but I managed to save my neck”. Pampha Magriti, a 30 year-old Dalit woman, was also beaten unconscious in her attempt to save Chanamati Magrati. “The physical wounds in my body may recover as time goes, but the pain in my heart will never recover. They accused me of being a witch”, Chanamati added with great grief.

Kulpi B. K. and Kalli Kumari B. K., the two other victims of witch accusations portrayed in this story, are, like Chanamati Magrati, Dalit and therefore socially and economically vulnerable.

Each year, hundreds of thousands of people visit the Kamala River on the eve of the full moon of Kartik, the seventh month of the Nepali calendar.

They come with dhamis with the hope that they will help them eradicate their illness, which they believe is caused by either the family god Kula-dèvatā, a ghost, or an evil person in their surroundings. A series of rituals involving worship, exorcism, trance, and purification take place in the lead up to the full moon. The devotion of thousands of people toward the dhamis renews centuries-old superstitious beliefs and maintains the superior position of dhamis, who frequently engage with violence.

I heard about the festival in 2011 and first visited in 2014. I have returned three times since.

Back in 2019, Urmila Yadav, from the Dhanusha district, believed that she was possessed. The dhamis she consulted in her district identified that she was possessed by twenty-seven ghosts and witches. Urmila and her family believed that those ghosts and witches were the cause of the family’s financial problems, deaths and poor relations between members. At the Ghost Festival, Urmila faced violent exorcism at the hands of dhamis.

As a documentary photographer, to see violence in front of you is really difficult. In these situations, I am a witness with a camera and I must conceal my aim of capturing violence. I tell my subjects that I am here to document their culture, which gives me a licence to observe them. If I witness a situation that is life-threatening, I react and act. I see in my photographs the potential to challenge structural violence.

Shamanism is integral to cultural and religious practices in Nepal. Mostly on the occasion of the August and November full moons, shamans gather in festivals in different locations across Nepal to practice their rituals. Janai Purnima and Kartik Purnima are two such festivals. During Janai Purnima, thousands of Hindu and Buddhist pilgrims flock to Gosaikunda Lake in their quest for holy water.

Shamans called jhakaris or dhamis are traditional healers who are believed to cure sickness caused by evil spirits, thanks to their ability to communicate with spirits and gods. They practice exorcism and chant magical incantations, and in some cases use traditional herbs and medicinal techniques to cure those who visit them. Some shamans even refer to doctors if they see that the sickness needs modern medical treatment. 

However, many shamans also resort to violent exorcism and are responsible for identifying someone as a witch—in particular in Nepali villages with limited access to modern healthcare facilities—which leads to hurt, trauma or loss of life. While the cultural elements of shamanic practice are precious, more urgent still is the need to raise awareness of unethical practices among shamans in order to eradicate violence and witch accusations and persecution.

Since 2020, I have taken my documentary research to the village of Chikana, in the Siraha district of Nepal. Mostly constituted of Dalit households, Chikana is located on the bank of the Kamala River, where the annual Ghost Festival takes place.

In Chikana I am looking for meaningful visuals that testify to the specific socioeconomic and political landscape of the place, and the underlying discrimination and corruption. Education, health, gender relations and land poverty are some of the issues which, I believe, directly or indirectly lead to cases of witchcraft accusations and persecution. 

Unlike my previous photo works, this series does not represent violence; instead, it observes the conditions that facilitate that very violence. This new phase of my work is still in progress at the time of writing, in spring 2021. 

Reports:
“Literature Review on Harmful Practices in Nepal“, UNFPA Nepal, 2020
“Witchcraft Accusations & Persecution in Nepal“, Witchcraft and Human Rights Information Network (WHRIN), 2014

Conversations:
“Branded as Witches: A Conversation across Geographies and Times—Nabin Baral with Anna Colin“, WOW Week 2021, 5 March 2021
“Witch Accusation and Persecution: Marani Devi in conversation with Pallavi Payal“, WOW Virtual Nepal 2020, 22 October 2020
“Witch Accusation and Persecution: Nabin Baral in conversation with Anjana Luitel“, WOW Virtual Nepal 2020, 2 September 2020

Compiled by Nabin Baral:
“Complexities of injustice“, The Kathmandu Post, 30 November 2019
“Witch Accusation and Persecution“, short documentary, British Council Nepal, August 2020

Relative to Nabin Baral’s work on the subject:
“Celebrating indigenous women narratives“, by Srizu Bajracharya, The Kathmandu Post, 4 December 2019

All photos are by Nabin Baral, documentary photographer based in Kathmandu, Nepal.

This webpage was compiled and edited by Nabin Baral, together with independent curator Anna Colin, UK. It was developed and designed by Ravindra Adhikari.

This web presentation was made possible thanks to the British Council.