Prøve GULL - Gratis

Dawa and Dua

Outlook

|

August 21, 2025

In Uttar Pradesh, India's most populous state, genuine efforts are being made under the District Mental Health Programme to help people with mental illnesses. However, a large section of disadvantaged society is still slipping through the cracks

- Swati Subhedar

Dawa and Dua

On a rainy afternoon in July, a busy highway lined with dhabas on either side took us to Mahona, 25 km from Lucknow. A deserted bypass and a narrow lane led us to a dargah. The iron gate opened to an open ground. Heavy downpour had left behind slushy puddles; sunlight peered through the few trees in the compound. The half-constructed dargah was a vision of peace, but the space was filled with stories—of pain, trauma and suffering.

The dargah was a temporary home for 300 families from Lucknow and the nearby districts. Each was with a family member who was living with some form of mental illness. Some were sitting on the open ground, some had taken shelter in the dargah compound and the others were huddled in the two crumbling shelter homes with their minimal belongings—clothes, ration and small cylinders for cooking.

Dozens of young boys were roaming around in chains; a few were tied to trees—their feet shackled in heavy chains and big locks. There were men and women, young and old, Hindus and Muslims. They all had one hope—that “baba” will cure their “pagal” family members if they stayed there for 40 days or more. Some had been staying there for weeks or months, putting their lives and livelihoods on hold, but their kin showed no sign of improvement. Yet, they hoped for a miracle.

Ram Narayan, a labourer from Lucknow, showed us the diagnosis of his son Abhinesh’s “pagalpan”. It read: depressive psychosis. “His health suddenly started deteriorating a year ago. He would abuse us and beat up his siblings. On some days, he would eat like a maniac, and for days, he wouldn’t eat a morsel. There were days when he would run for hours.

FLERE HISTORIER FRA Outlook

Outlook

Outlook

Jat Yamla Pagla Deewana

Dharmendra's tenderness revealed itself without any threats to his masculinity. He adapted himself throughout his 65-year-long career as both a product and creature of the times he lived through

time to read

5 mins

December 11, 2025

Outlook

Outlook

Fairytale of a Fallow Land

Hope Bihar can once again be that impossibly noisy village in Phanishwar Nath Renu's Parti Parikatha-divided, yes, but still capable of insisting that rights are not favours and development is more than a slogan shouted from a stage

time to read

14 mins

December 11, 2025

Outlook

Outlook

The Lesser Daughters of the Goddess

The Dravidian movement waged an ideological war against the devadasi system. As former devadasis lead a new wave of resistance, the practice is quietly sustained by caste, poverty, superstition and inherited ritual

time to read

2 mins

December 11, 2025

Outlook

Outlook

The Meaning of Mariadhai

After a hundred years, what has happened to the idea of self-respect in contemporary Tamil society?

time to read

5 mins

December 11, 2025

Outlook

Outlook

When the State is the Killer

The war on drugs continues to be a war on the poor

time to read

5 mins

December 11, 2025

Outlook

Outlook

We Are Intellectuals

A senior law officer argued in the Supreme Court that \"intellectuals\" could be more dangerous than \"ground-level terrorists\"

time to read

5 mins

December 11, 2025

Outlook

Outlook

An Equal Stage

The Dravidian Movement used novels, plays, films and even politics to spread its ideology

time to read

12 mins

December 11, 2025

Outlook

Outlook

When Sukumaar Met Elakkiya

Self-respect marriage remains a force of socio-political change even a century later

time to read

7 mins

December 11, 2025

Outlook

Outlook

The Druid's Bitter Medicine

When Nehru wanted Periyar to be kept in a mental health facility for his vitriolic views on Brahmins

time to read

6 mins

December 11, 2025

Outlook

Outlook

The Outpost

There is a growing clash in Tamil Nadu between the Dravidian model of governance and the BJP's brand of development

time to read

1 mins

December 11, 2025

Listen

Translate

Share

-
+

Change font size