7th National Teachers’ Science Congress 2013. Research Paper.

Theme: Science Education for Sustainable Development.

Sub Theme: Science For Society.

Title: DEMYSTIFICATION OF SUPERSTITION BY JATA REMOVAL MOVEMENT

Name of the Author : Dr.Sudhir Annasaheb Kumbhar.

Name & address of Institution : K.B.Patil Vidyalaya & Jr. College , Dhebewadi.

At/Post -Dhebewadi. Tal-Patan. Dist: Satara.

State- Maharashtra. PIN-415112.

School Phone No. 02372 258236.

E mail: kumbhar.sudhir1966@hotmail.com

Introduction: Jata Removal Movement is one of the movements for increasing scientific

temper & awareness through scientific activity initiated by the social revolutionaries in

southwest part of Maharashtra and North Karnataka. Jata, which is hair nugget developed among

women due to unhygienic practices and lack of proper care of hairs, but that has been treated as

development of divine powers among women and further it results in outcast of women from

normal life on account of this body feature. The religious convention and social protocol about

development of such hair nugget is social isolation and worship of certain deity.

A minor degree of hair matting is common, especially in individuals with longer hair, but it is usually reversible by combing or rarely by cutting only small tufts of matted hair.. The exact mechanism is not understood, but. Cutting of the

affected hair and avoiding all possible triggering factors are the only effective treatments

*.Matted hairs can be separated only by manually which requires lot of time.

Objectives:

1. To find out reasons of jata & jata affected woman from society.

2. To make counseling & orientation of jata affected woman & her family.

3. To communicate with the volunteers who are participating in this movement.

4. To remove all nuggets from matted hairs.

5. To give instructions to jata removed woman for post operative actions.

6. To see the performance after jata removal.

Methodology: In this process of jata removal one should be careful about taking real case

history and consent of jata victim person before jata removal activity.

Reasons behind Jata (Matting of hairs):

1. The religious belief systems and the culture of victimization is main reason of

formation of hair nugget . The unmarried and young girls are forced to follow

another evil tradition of Devadasi .

2. The jata condition is emerging out of unhygienic practice, lack of regular washing ,

unavailability of water, shampoo, hair oil etc. is one of the main reason.

3. The hair clump gets developed among women due to lack of proper care of hairs

and general unhygienic behavior.

Types of matted hairs:

1. Numerous locks are matted separately, constituting the variety known as plica

multiformis.

2. The matted hair forms a single coil, plica caudiformis.

3. It may constitute a large and irregular mass without order in its matting, the usual

character of the disease in women (Wilson; 1857).

There are many types of Jata formation occurs. Every case is different.

There are several types of fungus, yeast, parasites as well as bacterial developments

indicated with the matted bunch of hairs. The oil applied on matted hairs, water and some other

fluids create an enrich environment for the development of fungi. Sometimes the eruption grows

out of the scalp and skin gets affected. Black piedra and white piedra (Trichomycosis nodularis),

Trichophyton, tinea capitis, pediculosis are some of the major fungal infections that are seen in

case of matted hairs.

Effect on Body & Behavior: The interviews of jata affected woman & observations done by

researcher.

1. There is continuous itching due to lice.

2. The itching and scratching leads to a persistent irritable mood and focusing on tasks

becomes very difficult for the women with matted hairs.

3. Development of fungal and yeast colonies produce foul smell and

wounds on skin.

4. The patient of matted hairs with several infections finds it difficult to eat with such smell

and irritation around.5. Mostly time the family members of the woman having matted hairs restricted her to

participate in social functions and gatherings which increase stress in them.

6. This also creates additional problems like skin eruptions and itching due to chemical

agents used as the holy powders e.g. turmeric, kunku, bukka.

7. These situations become severe for schoolgirls who have matted hairs. They cannot sit in

pear groups and this isolation affects their personality formation in important

developmental stages.

8. The matted hair bucket put heavy weight on the body and headache, backache, migraine,

neck pain, backbone and neck related problems are common symptoms appearing in the

patient .Hb decreases.

9. In addition, the patient had difficult to sleep on her back because of matted hairs hence

body does not receive proper rest.

10. The physical and psychological health problems occurred in this type of patient carry joint

features and there is need of health intervention found on both fronts.

11. The oil , water & latex of banyan and other ficus trees is applied to jata hairs, as it is sticky

and starch containing material microorganisms & fungi grow fast.

Jata Removal Movement:

There have been rational and scientific revolutionaries in Indian society like Mahatma Jotiba

Phule, Maharishi Vitthal Ramaji Shinde and Hon. Chatrapati Shahu who took up the reformist

agenda and addressed various pertinent socio-religious issues developed. Rooted in the rational

tradition of Gotam Buddha and Charvac, The issue of matted hairs was prominent among the

Devdasi, which were victims of the custom of Devdasi. There is another custom called potraj

where a male is isolated to be servants of god like Devadasi.#

Activists like Dr. Rajendra Kumbhar, Vitthal Banne, Late Prof Anand Vasakr and Pushpa

Vasakr & Dr. Rajan Gavas conducted several activities against the tradition and did excellent

work on jata removal in southern regions of Kolhapur district from Maharashtra. Andhashradha

Nirmulan Samiti and their activists have been conducting matted hair removal for Devadasi and

the women in general in southwest region of Maharashtra, M.N.Roy Institutes Activists like ,

Datta Shewale, Alkesh Ohal, Suhas Patil and From Andhashradha Nirmulan Samiti Prashant

Potdar & N.B.Shaikh have done noteworthy work in Jata Removal Movement in Satara.#

In Maharashtra Rayat Shikshan Sansths branch, Karmveer Bhaurao Patil Vidyalaya & Jr.

College, Dhebewadi (Dist- Satara) is doing this work. The students & youth have solved about

32 such cases in last six years under leadership of this Researcher.

Jata Removal Programme includes three steps :

Actual Methodology:

I) Before Jata Removal.

II) At the time of Jata Removal.

III) After Jata Removal.

In every step precaution is taken that affected woman can’t be afraid to solve the Jata or

become anxious about happening badly with her or her family members. For demystification of

superstitions about jata we are doing lot of things in every step.

I) Before Jata Removal : It requires a lot of time & sittings in some cases.

We do following things with scientific & social aware.

Taking case history of each is important for getting information how long that woman is

suffering from Jata reasons behind the situation.

Counseling to family members & affected woman for solving this Jata problem with help

of students & youth volunteers.

Showing previous photographs & news about Jata removed cases of every type of various

aged woman by us to increase her confidence.

Training some new volunteers in every case is necessary.

II) At the time of Jata Removal: This is actual hard & important step .

We do following things in this step.

Collect required material to separate Jata (hair nugget/ matted hairs.)

Like big combs, blade, shampoo, Dettol, pins & plastic paper etc.

Ask the woman that she is ready to solve jata . If any questions we answer the entire

enquiry done by them. It’s necessary thing.

Measure the Jata size & shape for planning from where to start for separating hairs of the

jata and discuss the strategy with volunteers. Every case is different.

Check how much live hairs are there. Start to separate hair nugget manually. Every

nugget of matted hair is separated. At last we wash hairs with shampoo 2-3 times and

worm water is used to clean all hairs.

Giving necessary cleaning & caring suggestions for some next weeks. Then the

programme ends happily.

III) After Jata Removal: It is necessary to tell them how to care their hairs.Suggesions are

given to woman in front of family members.

For Combing 3-4 times daily. Frequently taking care for not getting nugget again.

Washing hairs as many times as possible with shampoo, soap or shikekai in week.

We visit the patient after some weeks to see any problems with them or not.

The Methodological Approaches

There are two methods used by activist for removing matted hairs.

1. Cutting of jata directly using scissors or shaving head completely. This requires hardly

30 minutes.

2. Separating hairs manually by untangling matted hairs. This requires 4-5 hours in some

tedious cases.

* Before & after removal of Jata – Matted Hairs *

Researchers Participatory Approaches In Research

Initially began as intellectual action of people with scientific temper, the Jata Removal

Movement emphasized on educating the community on scientific thinking about various action.

The author has taken Jata Removal Movement at school level through integrating it in the

science club and other student activity agenda..Involving the neighbors, relatives and people

from community always helped the activists carrying out jata removal to build a positive

atmosphere for the particular woman and her post jata removal development

. Joy on face after Jata removal …No Age Problem To Show Happy End.

Community involvement also includes:

Teachers and the doctors from primary health centers.

Local journalists for making NEWS.

Private sector entities in jata removal help in building social opinion and educating

larger community about scientific temper.

The volunteer conducts photo-reflexive orientation.

More the participation more is the outcome enhancement in the jata removal

movement .Scientific action is the very important step in this participatory method.

Students & Youth Participation And Taking Training

Conclusions:

1. Researcher with communicative approach solved 88 cases of woman having Jata in

their hairs.

2. It is observed that jata affected women choose separation of hairs method than that of cutting jata hairs.

3. No negative impact or post psychological treatment requires for any case in this

method required.

4. Our mission is scientific; people are awaking now for these anti superstition activity.

Students, youth & public participates join in this movement after awareness.

5. Many physical & psychological problems related to jata issue were solved after jata

removal of affected woman.

6. Demystification of blindbelifes is easy if we use scientific attitude of school & college

students.

References:

# Kumbhar Sudhir & Dhaske Govinda , Jata Removal Movement Unfolding The

Gender In Politico Religious Society., Cambridge Scholars Publishing,U.K.,2009.

* Dogra Sunil, and Amrinder Jit Kanwar, P.G.Institute of Medical Edu. and Research, Chandigarh, India, Plica Neuropathica: A Mystery

** Dabholkar Narendra, Andhashadha Vinashay., Jata Nirmulanachi Katha Ani Vyatha Rajhans Prakashan,Pune,2008. ***Arde P.R., Prashnachinha Ani Purnviram.,ANS Prakashan,2009 Acknowledgement:

Rayat Shikshan Sanstha, Satara (Maharashtra state).

K.B.Patil Vidyalaya & Jr. College , Dhebewadi.

M.N.Roy Institute for Nonformal Education & Research, Karad (Maharashtra state)

Andhashradha Nirmulan Samiti, Satara.