These women from Bhubaneswar are ensuring dignity for people after death

Trigger Warning: The article mentions death, dead bodies, and suicides.

Not so long ago, thousands of lifeless bodies lay still beneath the twisted coaches of the Chennai-Howrah Coromandel Express. The sheer force of the impact left blood stains, mangled bodies, and an atmosphere of unceasing grief engulfing the scene.

As Madhusmita Prusty, Smita Mohanty, Swagatika Rao, and Snehanjali Sethi from Bhubaneswar arrived at the accident site to assist in handling the unidentified dead bodies, they were met with a heart-wrenching scene.

While handling dead bodies is a part of their daily work, the tragic circumstances left them deeply shaken and moved by the immense death toll.

“Those two days at the train crash site were horrifying. All we could see was blood stains and parts of different bodies laying here and there,” Madhusmita Prusty describes.

These four women tirelessly helped in the aftermath of the Bahanaga triple train accident on June 2, rescuing bodies and providing first aid to survivors. They took the survivors to the SCB Medical College and Hospital, Cuttack, and cared for the patients by administering medicines, offering food and clothes and tending to their wounds.

However, it was not their first time. These women from Bhubaneshwar have been working together to ensure dignity in death by carrying out the last rites of unclaimed bodies. So far, Prusty has cremated more than 500 unclaimed bodies, Smita Mohanty has cremated 46 bodies, and Swagatika Rao has cremated close to 30.

"We understand that performing last rites is no simple task, but we find solace in the knowledge that we contribute to a greater cause. Each life deserves a dignified farewell, and by doing this work, we aim to provide respect to those who have left us behind,” Prusty tells HerStory.

Personal loss

Eight years back, Pradeep Prusty—Madhusmita Prusty’s husband and ambulance driver—lost his mother in a train accident. He could not get a chance to see her body and perform the last rites.

Since then, he decided to lend a shoulder to those who did not have anyone to perform their last rites, and in 2015, Prusty founded the Pradeep Seva Trust.

Although a difficult task to do alone, he continued to do it. However, in 2018, he slipped and broke his leg while carrying a dead body. After surgery, it became difficult for him to continue with this work.

And Madhusmita, his wife and a nurse helped him in his work. They purchased a van to carry bodies and perform the last rites.

Mohanty, a small cosmetics shop owner, teamed up with Prusty about three to four months ago. Since then, whenever she receives a call for assistance, she promptly closes her shop and attends to it with utmost dedication. 

Years ago, Mohanty lost her younger brother in a tragic accident during his visit to Bengaluru. The family could not see his body or perform any last rites. After this heartbreaking experience, she dedicated herself to the cause of providing dignity to the dead and offering solace to families who couldn't bid their loved ones a final farewell. 

Further, Rao, who works at a bank, and Sethi, a journalist and voiceover professional, joined the cause five months ago.

Prusty recalls that the pandemic was extremely challenging, as families needed help performing the last rites as they could not do it themselves. 

The Bhubaneshwar Municipal Corporation (BMC) informed the group about the bodies of COVID-19 victims, following which they took charge and performed the rites.

Prusty recalls when a woman contracted COVID-19, whose husband also had passed away from the virus. Left with no alternative, she brought her son to the hospital but succumbed to the virus a few days later. Following this tragic incident, BMC called the team to conduct her final rites.

“It was a heart-wrenching scene. That kid was hardly five or six years old, and he wanted to just go to her mother. We took him to a local orphanage afterwards,” she adds.

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[COVID Warriors] This 38-year-old nurse is helping her husband cremate unclaimed bodies of COVID-19 victims

Giving dignity to the dead

The four-member team has a van, which carries the unidentified bodies from various places and cremates them. Explaining the process, Prusty says when such bodies are found, the police take them for post-mortem, and after 96 hours, the unclaimed bodies are given to the group to cremate.

The team typically receive unidentified bodies from railway tracks or suicide victims found in water bodies. Additionally, they offer cremation or burial assistance to families in need.

Prusty remembers that during the pandemic, a son had to perform the last rites of his mother, but he could not because of COVID-19, so he asked the team to conduct the rituals. 

“It was a very sad moment for him, but we performed all the rites like he wanted us to,” Prusty says.

Each cremation costs around Rs 3,000. However, these women have not received any financial support from the government. "We contribute a portion of our salaries, and we get support from people who wish to contribute to our cause," Prusty explains.

Their journey together has not been easy. Mohanty says that some of her neighbours criticise her family for allowing her to do what she is doing. Many people also comment on their work, as in Indian society, women are not generally involved in the last rites. 

Prusty says, “We don’t care about such comments. We get a lot of satisfaction from the work we do, and that is all that matters.”

As such, Prusty and the others say they will keep doing this work as long as possible.

Helplines:

Lifeline Foundation - +91 3340447437 +91 9088030303

Connecting NGO - 9922004305 | 9922001122 (Lines open daily from 12 pm to 8 pm).

Vandrevala Foundation Helpline - 1 860 266 2345 (24x7)