My name is Satyabhama Nayak. We are Hindus. We observe Hindu rituals. The Sisters of Balliguda convent rushed here suddenly during the day of violence. I was cooking here alone at that time and cleaning the rice on the back side of my house when the rioters were moving nearby. The cook of the convent in Badangaon is well known to me. During the last violence (in 2007) also some of the Christians were hidden here for some days.
The sisters came from back side through the bushes. I saw the sisters entering into my house with wounds and bleeding due to running through thorny bushes to save their lives. I was astonished. I asked my nephew to find out why there was such a big noise. He went outside and came back and told me that the rioters are coming near.
I immediately locked the door and put the key inside my blouse and went outside. Meanwhile, the rioters were shouting from a distance. I was frightened and prayed to God to save me and let them not see the sisters who were sheltered in my house.
The rioters asked me, where are you going? I replied that I am disturbed by your noises. `You are a Hindu, why do you run’, they asked. `You go back to your house’. I said that it is not written on anybody’s forehead, who is a Hindu and who is a Christian. They said: `Why are you taking trouble unnecessarily? You go back to home’. I mingled with the mob and when they started attacking church, some had gone to the other side of the road and some stayed on the road itself. I stayed with them on the road. If I had gone back, some of them might come to ask me for water or match box. The sisters were not one or two; they were big number with their cooks sitting inside my house.
Some of the rioters started attacking another house nearby. I told them: `What will you get by attacking this poor small house? Instead of that, you attack the church, so that you will get some credit. If you damage this house, they will get double than this’. They attacked the house as well as the church.
I followed the mob. They were going straight. One boy said: `A pastor is staying nearby. Let us attack him’. They attacked the pastors’ house and torched the gas cylinder and warned me leave the place immediately, since the gas cylinder was about to burst. I thought my child might panic. After destroying the house, they went back. I came back to my house and saw that the sisters were crying.
In the meantime, one lady came from Kanjamendi with food. Their children had already come there. She told us that they raped one sister there and that she might live or die. I informed the sisters about this incident. The sister raped was protected in a Hindu house when the incident happened. The sisters in my house were too afraid. They also thought since they were staying in a Hindu house, the rioters might do wrong to me also. I told them: `Sisters, do not think like that, we are not like that. So please do not be tense. I have grace from above, If I had any fear, I would have sent you out immediately’.
Everybody’s life was in danger. We prepared our food. I told the sisters to hide in the two rooms if any outsiders visited our house. They hid themselves even when our own people came to our house. In one room they slept with our goats by just using one mattress.
Then one of my neighbors, who is wife of a lecturer told me: `The rioters are searching for the Christians, who are hiding in Hindu houses. If you want to be saved, send the sisters out of your house.’ I replied, whatever may happen we will face the consequences. But I cannot send them away. How can I tell them to leave the house?’
I requested for a room in the nearby house. The owner was in Kerala at that time. At least, some sisters could take rest in the day time. But they refused to give shelter. They said: `We will not allow the sisters and fathers to hide in our house. I told the sisters about this matter. This house had the advantage for the sisters to study, for medical care and for food. But they were unwilling to help the sisters. Then I cried. The Sisters also started crying with me. Then they counseled me by saying: `We did not have any shelter. But you gave us shelter. Do not cry’.
Next morning I led them to a nearby forest and sat with them there. My daughter prepared food for them and we served them there. When I left, they were crying out of fear. I gave them my clothes to change and brought their clothes home. Two to Three days they spent in the forest where we served them food.
The police came here after three days in CRPF van which had gone ahead. We were under a tree at that time. My son stopped the van while it was returning. The magistrate and sub collector asked me about the head of this family and also about my son. Then they asked me about my husband. I said, I was divorced seventeen or eighteen years back. I am staying with my children. They asked me to visit the office, but I did not. Then, the Sisters went with them. After two days the sisters came and took their clothes and went to other places.
We also suffered for them. I had my son in law and my son. There is another son in law from Dandapadar. All of us suffered a lot. The entire market was closed. It was difficult to arrange food for them. We managed to arrange somehow. Even the CRPF chased my son. He was saved by pretending as if he had gone out for toilet by removing his trousers. They could have taken him. But by God’s grace they are living happily now.
The sisters stayed here for 7 days. Altogether, we had to prepare food for thirteen people. The Sisters were seven in number and one sister from Chatrapur with one girl and girls from the convent. Altogether there were thirteen. But two of them stayed with small children.
The seminary students also took food here in my house. We had to cook throughout the day. We had a sack of 50 kg rice and again we bought 25 kg rice. By God’s grace rice was there. We are very poor people. We eat only when we buy. God provided us food in the right time.
I think God is with us. See, our people hated us. Forget about Hindus, even Christians hated me. They asked me: `You do not allow people with shoes to enter your house. How could you allow them to your worship place with shoes and also during the menstruation period?’
I told them: `The situation was bad. That was why we had to do it’. When they started going on with such talk, I said: `I did not keep human beings in my house. I kept Gods. You may hate me, but God is not hating me.’ That was the way things passed. I have never been with wants. Every day, I am getting my food in peace. God is helping me.
I am worshiping Hindu God. But I also call to Jesus to save me and my children. Recently, one man came from outside to our village. Not for giving medicines. But only for praying. From childhood I had a problem in my stomach. Even the Christians were not cured there. But I got healed there.
The wife of a person named Stephan from another village told me: `There are many Christians were not healed in this meeting, but you are healed. You believe in every religion. That was why.’ Many Christians had told me that they were cured. But they complained again later. But I have no problem. My chest pain and stomach problems are gone forever.
Recently, I was called to Bhubaneswar. A lady on the other street falsely spread rumors that the Christians gave me 300,00 rupees. If they could give us such money, we could have enjoyed the life for some time. I have never seen 300,000 in my life. I would not have gone to work, then. Let them say whatever they want.
Once I argued with them in a group. When I asked them five thousand to meet my needs, they said: `Why, you have plenty of money. The Christian priests have given you money’. I asked: `Who said so? Even if the priests are not giving, God is giving me. No Father or Sister gave me money and I never beg for that. But the Almighty is providing me. If they give me I will not refuse and I am not going to ask.’ I argued in this manner.
Now, we do not have good relationship with these people who spread such lies. Previously even when a small chick deity offer was done, they would share it with me. We are living with our own hard work. Why should we expect something from others? They do not come to my house any more.
Whenever I get frightened, my heart beat increases. And I feel that something may happen. But this time, I did not feel anything. My heart beat increased only when the crowd came towards our house. When the sisters came to my house, almost immediately after that, the crowd came from the other direction. I had no time to tell them where to hide. That was why I was afraid. After that I did not fear.
When the sisters came to my house I was happy. At a time of sorrow, they came to our house. When the rioters took the dead body of Swami Laxmanananda (who was killed by the Maoists) in a procession, I had gone to see the body, even though I had an injury on my foot. He is our religious leader. That was why I had gone to see.
There was a heavy rain during the procession with the dead body. I went with the dead body up to fire station. By that time, people started throwing stones on a church. I was searching for my child, then. They burnt one motor cycle in the bus stand. My children were there. But again I thought that my children were gone, so I came back. I was afraid that they might get injured by stones.
When I moved from there, I could see that the Christians were running towards the forest along with children, for safety. From there I came back. I had a plan to go up to Hanuman Temple.
People were scattered everywhere. When they saw the Christians, some Hindu boys started chasing them in order to attack them. But people like Kalu Panda, Binayak Panda and Sana Dash stopped them. `What we have done is enough’, they said. `There is no need to be violent. Children are running with fear. Why are you chasing them? What have these children done to you? No need to harm them’. Then they stopped and I come back. Next day morning, the sisters came to my house.
People like Niaz Pathan and Rabi Palo have been praising me for what I have done. Once when I was talking to them, they said: `Though you are single woman, how could you be so brave to keep them? People were running here and there. But you protected them. God will keep you alive for 100,000 years.’
I told them: `I may die today or tomorrow. Forget about 100,000 years.’ But they said: `There is a difference to get blessings from God than from men.’
Interviewed by K.P. Sasi