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Mahasamund: In a surprising turn of events, authorities have shut down a so-called ‘Baba’s Darbar’ in the village of Butipali, where a man claimed to help women conceive by having them lick a lemon.
The practice, led by 36-year-old Pitambar Jagat, had attracted people from across Chhattisgarh and neighbouring states like Odisha, Jharkhand, and even as far as Kashmir.
Pitambar Jagat, known locally as Jagat Baba, held sessions every Tuesday and Saturday at his residence. He claimed that women who were unable to conceive could do so by simply licking a lemon and eating a ‘Madar’ flower. The unusual promise drew crowds of up to 2,000 people daily.
The issue came to light when Dr. Dinesh Mishra from the Andhashraddha Nirmulan Samiti reported the activities to the Mahasamund district collector. Following the complaint, a team comprising a tehsildar, SDM, Block Medical Officer, and police was dispatched to Butipali to investigate. The team recorded statements from attendees and gathered evidence about the activities at Jagat Baba’s sessions.
After a thorough investigation, the administration banned the gatherings at ‘Darbar’, which had been operating for the past five months. Jagat Baba also claimed to cure ailments through exorcism, further raising concerns about his practices.
Despite the shutdown, many locals continue to express faith in Jagat Baba. Villagers recount that Baba was supposedly visited by a deity, ‘Thakur Dev’, who took him to a forest cave for seven days of worship, after which he began performing exorcisms. However, Chief Medical Officer Dr. P. Kudeshiya condemned the activities as blind faith and took steps to close the ‘darbar’.
The case of Jagat Baba is not isolated; Chhattisgarh has many such figures claiming to heal and fulfill wishes through rituals and amulets. Critics argue that there is a pressing need for stringent action against these practices, but authorities often wait for formal complaints before taking action.
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In this instance, the police acted following the complaint from the Andhashraddha Nirmoolan Samiti. Initially, senior police officials in the district had acknowledged awareness of the gatherings but cited a lack of formal complaints as a barrier to intervention.
