Ipsita Roy Chakraverti
Encyclopedia
Ipsita Roy Chakraverti is a Wiccan priestess based in India. Born into an elite family in India with a diplomat for a father and royalty for mother, Chakraverti spent her early years in Canada and the US where her father was stationed. There, she was allowed to join a select group of women, who were studying ancient cultures of the world and the old ways. Chakraverti studied with them for three years and finally chose Wicca
as her religion. After coming back to India and getting married, Chakraverti declared herself as a witch in 1986. Amidst the backlash that followed her declaration, Chakraverti explained to the media regarding the Neo Pagan
ways of Wicca and its healing power.
Chakraverti started administering Wiccan ways of healing to the people of India, including traveling to remote villages and teaching the female population there, who were often accused of black magic and "witchcraft" by the male folk, and were murdered. In 1998, Chakraverti campaigned as an Indian National Congress
candidate for the Parliament of India
in the Hooghly district
, but was not elected. She released her autobiography Beloved Witch in 2003. A second book titled Sacred Evil: Encounters With the Unknown was released in 2006, which chronicled nine case studies during her life as a Wiccan healer and gave explanations as to why those events happened. Both books received positive critical reception.
The story Sacred Evil from the book was made into a motion picture by Sahara One
Pictures. Titled Sacred Evil – A True Story, the film starred Bollywood actress Sarika
playing Chakraverti. After its release, the film was a commercial disappointment but received mixed reviews. Chakraverti started the Wiccan Brigade, a platform for those who wants to study Wicca which was followed by Bengali TV channel ETV Bangla
, creating two tele-serials based on Chakraverti's life and her experience with the paranormal. Chakraverti, who believes that Wicca is the first feminist movement in history, has been credited for bringing a new light on the taboo subject of witchcraft in India, and the rest of the world.
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Chakraverti was born on November 3, 1950, to diplomat Debabrata Chakraverti, and Roma Sen, a descendant from the royals. Chakraverti spent much of her early life in Montreal, Canada
, where her father was stationed. He was representative from India to the Council of ICAO
. An only child, she shared her father's passion for reading and devoured books on Indian mysticism and traditions partly because people at Montreal were always asking questions about India. In 1965, while on vacation in the Laurentian mountains
, Chakraverti was invited to an all woman's party by one of her mother's friend Carlotta. There, she was introduced to the Society for the Study of Ancient Cultures and Civilizations, held by Carlotta. The group studied ancient texts, long-forgotten customs and the mystical ways of life. Chakraverti was selected to join them, through a process of initiation, and enrolled for a course with them. For the next five years, she stayed in a chalet
on the mountains and studied about ancient cultures and their long-forgotten rituals with eleven other women, with Carlotta was their teacher. Alcohol, close friendship or anything that distracted from the prescribed hours of study, solitude and meditation, were taboo. Practical training in witchcraft was the only way; it included learning varied techniques of self-development and understanding the significance of ancient chants, movements, symbols, gestures, invoking energy from the elements, and training in the use of the apparatus integral to the craft. Chakraverti later commented, "It started as an academic curiosity. [...] Wicca includes both scientific facts and old lore. We studied Carl Jung
and Friedrich Nietzsche
because Wicca means studying various layers of the human mind." In 1972, near the completion of their course, Chakraverti, along with two other women were asked to choose between Way of Tao
, Wicca
and Kabbalah
as their practiced craft; Chakraverti chose Wicca. She later commented that ancient goddesses like Isis
, Artemis
, Hecate
, Kali
and Freya
, played an important role in deciding her future in Wicca.
At the end of her study, Carlotta gave each new initiate witch certain implements: symbolic gifts of Mother Goddesses who are worshipped by Wiccans. From Athena
, Ipsita received a black cloak, which conferred majesty and regality on herd. Among other gifts were a crystal skull of Kali
and a silver bowl from Venus
to be filled with water and used in particular rituals. However, she did not receive a certain glowing amber
ball of Hecate
, which confers vision and is used for toning up the electro-magnetic system of the body. Carlotta told her, "If you have been and are a true Wiccan, the ball will come to you in some part of your life." That year, Chakraverti was involved in a relationship with singer Elvis Presley
, whom she met in Graceland, through a mutual friend. In 1975, Chakraverti's family decided to come back to India. She stayed for few years in Delhi, before coming back to their home in Kolkata in 1978. There, while teaching at South Point High School, she met Jayanta Roy through some mutual friends and became romantically involved with him. Roy is an erstwhile love-child of the king of Orissa
, an Indian state. Chakraverti and Roy married on August 12, 1978, and on May 30, 1980, she gave birth to their daughter Deepta Roy Chakraverti.
After Deepta's birth, Chakraverti decided to start her work of Wicca and help the women in the villages of West Bengal
, where many used to be killed under the accusation of being a witch. Chakraverti finally declared in front of the media that she is a witch in 1986. A backlash followed, including protest movements and boycotts, urged by the Bengal CPM
leader Jyoti Basu
. However, Chakraverti put all allegations to rest and addressed the media in a press conference. There, she spoke about how Wicca is a Neo pagan
religion and a form of modern witchcraft. It is often referred to as Witchcraft or the Craft by its adherents, who are known as Wiccans or Witches. She declared that she wished to start her own healing center and curb the "witch-killings" happening at that time in rural Bengal. The press was impressed by her knowledge and her straightforwardness in addressing such a taboo subject. She later clarified, "I had the social and economic padding and I decided to use it."
After the incident, Chakraverti started to administer Wiccan way of healing and held sessions at her home. She used to advocate people of the different ways of healing the mind and advice on their day to day problems and their solutions. Chakraverti brought forth the curative powers of crystals and would admonish it for curing people from backache, pains and spinal injuries. She also started investigating and brought to light the plight of women in rural Bengal where many were tortured under the pretext of being a witch. Chakraverti travelled to such villages in Purulia, Bankura, Birbhum and documented such mishaps, sometimes teaching women who were emotionally or physically battered by men to recognize and unleash the power within themselves. "Wicca can do that the empowerment of the goddesses. [...] The village women—simple women accused of witchcraft—would give me stories which were really heartbreaking. It opened my eyes to how much venom there was in these men. [...] I have tried to bring succor to women branded ‘witches' or ‘dayans' who are still today being molested and killed for what they are believed to practice. I have brought their cases before the authorities and the press in an attempt to show up the hypocrisy of their persecutors – mostly men – who are trying to denigrate this ancient branch of learning in order to wreak revenge on these women for some very personal motives."
candidate for the Parliament of India
in the Hooghly district
. She was requested to take up the post on behalf of Sonia Gandhi
, but was not elected. Later, Chakraverti became the Secretary of the West Bengal Pradesh Congress Committee. She then started working on her biography, titled Beloved Witch: An Autobiography. The book tells how she came to be a Wiccan and how she had carried on the tag of being a "witch" in a society where witches are still looked down. The book, after its release in November 2000, was critically appreciated. Nona Walia from The Times of India
commented, "Roy Chakraverti knows that it is unusual for well-bred Bengali girls to become witches and acknowledges her gratitude to her mother for allowing her the right to choose. After all, she says, every strong woman can be a witch in her own right, and that is perhaps the truest message that the book holds for the reader. [...] If there is a problem with the book, it is that much is left unsaid and much of it seems hurried, as if an editor said, 'Don't make it too serious, people won't understand,' just enough for people to chatter about at a cocktail party."
She released a second book in 2003, titled Sacred Evil: Encounters with the Unknown. The book, which was previously known as Good and Evil, chronicled nine case studies during her life as a Wiccan healer and gives explanations as to why those events happened. To promote the book, Chakraverti held a healing session at Oxford Bookstore
in Kolkata, where she read excerpts from the book, and gave demonstration of her healing skills, holding the hand of a volunteer, tapping her with her athame
(wand) and reciting Egyptian chants. After its release, the book received positive reaction from critics. Rajdeep Bains from The Tribune
commented "Sacred Evil is a very coherent account of the author’s dealings with witchcraft and sorcery. Unfortunately, it could add to superstition, which is already prevalent at an unhealthy level in our country. As a work of fiction it would have been laudable; given the cover of truth it becomes a dangerous piece of writing. [...] But what makes Sacred Evil so interesting is the juxtaposition of modern thought with the ageless. After every chapter there are notes on the practices described in it along with modern explanations." Krithika Ranjan from The Hindu
commented, "Throughout [Sacred Evil] Chakraverti refers to herself as a skeptic. Yet the stories she tells are bound to raise the ire of a rationalist. You can almost hear one spluttering about superstition as you read the story Those who return. [...] In the final analysis, the book is a good read — whether you believe in the dark arts or whether you just want to curl up with a spine thriller." Chakraverti started working on her third book, tentatively titled Every Strong Woman is a Witch.
wanted to cast Chakraverti in a film based on a case the Wiccan had encountered while practicing the craft. Ghosh commented, "Till now, I have dealt with relationships and the intricacies of the human mind. With this film, I want to delve into that which lies beyond and observe how this non-conventional spiritualism, Wicca, guides me. [...] It's a story of two time zones, separated by a span of 150 years, two people of different mindsets and different cultures. However, in 2006, the story Sacred Evil from Sacred Evil: Encounters with the Unknown was adapted into a film by Sahara One
Motion Pictures; Ipsita served as creative director. The film, titled as Sacred Evil – A True Story, was a joint venture between Sahara One and Percept Picture Company
. Sacred Evil was the last story in the book and is about a nun who was hounded by her troubled past and for whom the convent eventually sought counseling from Chakraverti. Sahara One had approached August 2004 to make a film on Sacred Evil, but she was reluctant to play herself on the big screen when offered the role, instead chose to be the creative director. Chakraverti helped pen the script, incorporating large amount of dialogue from her story. "I told the production team how the protagonist reacted in certain situations, since I had lived the story, and how the dialogue happened. [...] I also insisted that the film be shot in Calcutta, though others had suggested other places, because it's here where I have done most of my therapies." Actress Sarika
was signed to play Chakraverti's part, to which Chakraverti said: "The other and more important task was familiarizing Sarika with the ways of a Wiccan. We had several sittings before going for the shoot. Sarika wanted to imbibe me. So, she came down to Delhi and lived with me for a while. I showed her how the healing took place and how certain rituals had been conducted."
However, before its release, Sacred Evil – A True Story faced a petition which challenged the Censor Board's decision to grant an exhibition certificate to the film. The petition, filed by lawyer Gerry Coelho, contended that granting certificate to the film, was unethical and indecent on the part of the Censor Board of India
and constituted total non-application of mind. The objections raised by Coelho were based on the film's posters and promotional advertisements. The Censor Board said that they had not been insensitive to Christian sentiments. "We are very careful when we screen sensitive movies [...] But, there is nothing in the movie that is objectionable, or will hurt the sentiments of the community in question." The film was given green signal by the censor board, but was still postponed because of non-availability of theatres. It was finally released on June 23, 2006, and was a commercial disappointment but received mixed reviews from critics. Taran Adarsh
from Bollywood Hungama
commented: "Sacred Evil is a pleasant change and a break from the monotony of the regular Hindi films. However, the subject is one that caters to a niche audience only. However, the fact cannot be denied that the narrative does not go off-track nor does it seem as if some sequences have been incorporated for the sake of it. Despite its slow pacing, Sacred Evil has the knack to hold the interest of its viewer. It's definitely a fine effort by directors Abiyaan Rajhans and Abhigyan Jha. The performances are above average, with Sarika dominating the show." Deepali Singh from The Kolkata Telegraph gave the film three out of ten, stating "If one hopes to discover the secrets of Wiccan ways in Sacred Evil, directed by Abiyaan Rajhans and Abhigyan Jha, one is in for a major disappointment. Beyond a candlelit session, which doesn't really lead anywhere except to a few flickers of vague shadows in the background, the story just about treads into the Wiccan world. [...] Sarika, as Ipsita, ghost walks through another expressionless comeback."
Chakraverti announced the launch of the Wiccan Brigade in November 2006. It was a platform for those interested in studying Wicca and using the branch of knowledge to holistic effect. Though Wicca was predominantly practiced by women, Wiccan Brigade welcomed men also. Chakraverti commented, "Close to 100 people, comprising professionals, some housewives and many students, have approached me on the Net to start the group. I think it’s the right time to institutionalize Wicca. [...] Though it wouldn’t be possible to have here the kind of training we had in the Laurentians, there would be sessions on yoga and meditation, and lectures and group discussions." A batch of 25 people were selected through a screening process who partook the sessions consisting of social, historical, psychological and gender-related issues of Wicca. In July 2007, the National Commission for Minority Educational Institutions (NCMEI) nominated Chakraverti to head a panel tasked with improving the status of young girls in India. She launched the Wiccan Brigade in London in December 2007, named as Ipsita’s Yogini Club. Chakraverti commented, "I’ve always believed the yogini
and the witch are the same, and London seems to me to be a place where various cultures of the world have come together. It has a rich cultural history and an atmosphere in which the spirit of the past lives on. It is the right place for the Yogini Club."
Chakraverti claimed to have cracked the mystic code that shrouds the Konark Sun Temple
in Orissa
, and its curative power. After years of research, she made this revelation in a documentary titled The Konark Code, which was premiered at the Nehru Centre
in London in February 2008. Her theory was that the temple at Konark was a healing spot, a cure centre for various diseases. King Narasimha Deva started making the temple in 1253 AD and it took him 12 years to complete it. "Myth says that Samba, the son of Krishna
, went to the spot to get himself cured of leprosy
. Till date, hundreds of leprosy patients flock to the temple to cure themselves. There are other factors that add to the temple's existence as a healing centre." According to Chakraverti, solar rays and sound frequency also played an important part in healing. The dance that was part of worship was for a purpose. The vibration of the steps of the dancers energized the temple stones. The sun's rays, because of the particular corner in which the temple was constructed, also played an important part. In August, Chakraverti worked on a tele serial for ETV Bangla
called Parapaar. The show was based on Chakraverti's life-journey and her encounters with the paranormal. A dramatized story, where actress Chandrayee Ghosh played her parts, was aired from Monday to Friday, and on Saturday, Chakraverti herself interacted with audiences through phone-ins related to the story. She commented, "I had reservations when I was approached for Parapaar because it’s important to convey the philosophy and atmosphere in Wicca in the right way. But I feel it’s time to reach Wicca to the masses, and since Bengal is the place where the Mother Goddess Durga
is worshipped, it’s important that misconceptions about Dakini
vidya are shattered. People should know who a daini is and what she does."
In June 2009, Chakraverti collaborated with filmmaker Anjan Dutta
and Sarika to make a film called The Loving Doll, with the story taken from Sacred Evil again. It will be filmed in Hindi with bits of English. Sarika plays the central character of a middle-aged woman obsessed about losing her looks. The story revolves around a married couple beset with personal problems, triggered by a doll owned by the wife. Charaverti said: "After the film Sacred Evil, I have been approached by several directors for another film but the inspiration was not there. This time around there was a synchronicity — Sarika phoned me to ask if I was thinking of another film. She has long wanted to play the woman in The Loving Doll [...] Then I happened to see Madly Bangalee, and liked Anjan’s work very much. I think he has the touch to be able to handle the subject of The Loving Doll. So I contacted him and he was very interested in the project. Though he works in a very different genre from mine, I think there is empathy between his work and mine." Chakraverti also said that she may play the part of a healer in the film, "It’s the director’s prerogative. We will do what is best for the film." In April 2010, ETV Bangla created a serial called Dibaratrir Galpo, which was based on Beloved Witch. The plot of Dibaratrir Galpo, directed by Tathagata Banerjee, centres around a dispute between two aristocratic Bengali families, but the lead character (played by Sudipta Chakraborty) was shown as a follower of Wicca who learns to develop her psychic power and uses it to counter the machinations of her enemies. Chakraverti appeared on the commercials for the serial because she felt that her deglamorised presence helped audiences in the suburbs see elderly women, who are often branded as witches, in a positive light. "I felt that the story of Dibaratrir Galpo would take to esoteric ideas very well. It has a women-oriented theme and it will show how the negative aspects of the esoteric can be countered."
, Marilyn Monroe
, Madonna
, Namita Gokhale, Kiran Bedi
—all of them could count as witches." Chakraverti has argued that Wicca is the first feminist movement in history and the oldest women-oriented branch of learning.
In Beloved Witch, Chakraverti stated that "The witches of olden times were learned women. They were goddess worshippers. They were doctors and wiser than the panchayat men." According to scholar Gary F. Jensen, who wrote the book The path of the devil: early modern witch hunts, Chakraverti's self confession of being a witch, brought a new light on the taboo subject of witchcraft in India, and the rest of the world. She paralleled the conflict between women as healers and tribal leaders of Indian villages to the conflict between women, accused of witchcraft and the male-dominated society during Medieval Europe. Jensen added, "I think what Chakraverti has done is open up a new door, not only for India, but for the rest of the world, by showing that women can't be held down by norms. She can be anything she wants." She commented about being a Wiccan as,
Chakraverti's greatest influence has been on her daughter Deepta, who was chosen as her successor to helm the task of promoting about Wicca. Chakraverti commented: "There are certain aspects of Wicca that you can't teach; they have to be absorbed. Something that I am not consciously passing on, something that has to be taken from me. I felt Deepta had the potential and I would have never forced her had she not been so keen. This is not necessarily through a mother-daughter bonding, it can be guru-shishya (mentor
-protégé), or any form of relationship where there is a guiding force." Deepta, was trained by Chakraverti in meditation, physical exercises, studying old religions, and other Wiccan regimen. Chakraverti has also brought forth similarities between Old Wiccan findings and the discoveries of modern physics
and parapsychology
. According to Sudipto Shome of The Hindu
, "You could be called a dayan and burnt alive, or you could be called an enchantress and enlighten an audience on the art of Wicca. Ipsita is the latter, and she has used her social and economic padding to make others listen to her."
Wicca
Wicca , is a modern Pagan religious movement. Developing in England in the first half of the 20th century, Wicca was popularised in the 1950s and early 1960s by a Wiccan High Priest named Gerald Gardner, who at the time called it the "witch cult" and "witchcraft," and its adherents "the Wica."...
as her religion. After coming back to India and getting married, Chakraverti declared herself as a witch in 1986. Amidst the backlash that followed her declaration, Chakraverti explained to the media regarding the Neo Pagan
Neopaganism
Neopaganism is an umbrella term used to identify a wide variety of modern religious movements, particularly those influenced by or claiming to be derived from the various pagan beliefs of pre-modern Europe...
ways of Wicca and its healing power.
Chakraverti started administering Wiccan ways of healing to the people of India, including traveling to remote villages and teaching the female population there, who were often accused of black magic and "witchcraft" by the male folk, and were murdered. In 1998, Chakraverti campaigned as an Indian National Congress
Indian National Congress
The Indian National Congress is one of the two major political parties in India, the other being the Bharatiya Janata Party. It is the largest and one of the oldest democratic political parties in the world. The party's modern liberal platform is largely considered center-left in the Indian...
candidate for the Parliament of India
Parliament of India
The Parliament of India is the supreme legislative body in India. Founded in 1919, the Parliament alone possesses legislative supremacy and thereby ultimate power over all political bodies in India. The Parliament of India comprises the President and the two Houses, Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha...
in the Hooghly district
Hooghly District
Hooghly district is one of the districts of the state of West Bengal in India. It can alternatively be spelt Hoogli or Hugli. The district is named after the Hooghly River.The headquarters of the district are at Chinsura...
, but was not elected. She released her autobiography Beloved Witch in 2003. A second book titled Sacred Evil: Encounters With the Unknown was released in 2006, which chronicled nine case studies during her life as a Wiccan healer and gave explanations as to why those events happened. Both books received positive critical reception.
The story Sacred Evil from the book was made into a motion picture by Sahara One
Sahara One
Sahara One is an Indian Hindi general entertainment channel based in Mumbai. It is operated by Sahara India Pariwar, a company formed by Subrato Roy Sahara who is a managing worker and chairman of the Sahara India Pariwar....
Pictures. Titled Sacred Evil – A True Story, the film starred Bollywood actress Sarika
Sarika
Sarika was born on 3 June 1962 into a Maharashtrian family in New Delhi, India, and became an acclaimed National Award winning Indian actress.-Career:...
playing Chakraverti. After its release, the film was a commercial disappointment but received mixed reviews. Chakraverti started the Wiccan Brigade, a platform for those who wants to study Wicca which was followed by Bengali TV channel ETV Bangla
ETV Bangla
ETV Bangla is a popular 24-hour, Bengali language, television channel. It is a part of the ETV Network group of channels owned by the Ramoji Group of Hyderabad, India...
, creating two tele-serials based on Chakraverti's life and her experience with the paranormal. Chakraverti, who believes that Wicca is the first feminist movement in history, has been credited for bringing a new light on the taboo subject of witchcraft in India, and the rest of the world.
1948–72: Early life and introduction to Wicca
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, where her father was stationed. He was representative from India to the Council of ICAO
International Civil Aviation Organization
The International Civil Aviation Organization , pronounced , , is a specialized agency of the United Nations. It codifies the principles and techniques of international air navigation and fosters the planning and development of international air transport to ensure safe and orderly growth...
. An only child, she shared her father's passion for reading and devoured books on Indian mysticism and traditions partly because people at Montreal were always asking questions about India. In 1965, while on vacation in the Laurentian mountains
Laurentian mountains
The Laurentian Mountains are a mountain range in southern Quebec, Canada, north of the St. Lawrence River and Ottawa River, rising to a highest point of 1166 metres at Mont Raoul Blanchard, north east of Quebec City in the Reserve Faunique des Laurentides. The Gatineau, L'Assomption, Lièvre,...
, Chakraverti was invited to an all woman's party by one of her mother's friend Carlotta. There, she was introduced to the Society for the Study of Ancient Cultures and Civilizations, held by Carlotta. The group studied ancient texts, long-forgotten customs and the mystical ways of life. Chakraverti was selected to join them, through a process of initiation, and enrolled for a course with them. For the next five years, she stayed in a chalet
Chalet
A chalet , also called Swiss chalet, is a type of building or house, native to the Alpine region, made of wood, with a heavy, gently sloping roof with wide, well-supported eaves set at right angles to the front of the house.-Definition and origin:...
on the mountains and studied about ancient cultures and their long-forgotten rituals with eleven other women, with Carlotta was their teacher. Alcohol, close friendship or anything that distracted from the prescribed hours of study, solitude and meditation, were taboo. Practical training in witchcraft was the only way; it included learning varied techniques of self-development and understanding the significance of ancient chants, movements, symbols, gestures, invoking energy from the elements, and training in the use of the apparatus integral to the craft. Chakraverti later commented, "It started as an academic curiosity. [...] Wicca includes both scientific facts and old lore. We studied Carl Jung
Carl Jung
Carl Gustav Jung was a Swiss psychiatrist and the founder of Analytical Psychology. Jung is considered the first modern psychiatrist to view the human psyche as "by nature religious" and make it the focus of exploration. Jung is one of the best known researchers in the field of dream analysis and...
and Friedrich Nietzsche
Friedrich Nietzsche
Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche was a 19th-century German philosopher, poet, composer and classical philologist...
because Wicca means studying various layers of the human mind." In 1972, near the completion of their course, Chakraverti, along with two other women were asked to choose between Way of Tao
Taoism
Taoism refers to a philosophical or religious tradition in which the basic concept is to establish harmony with the Tao , which is the mechanism of everything that exists...
, Wicca
Wicca
Wicca , is a modern Pagan religious movement. Developing in England in the first half of the 20th century, Wicca was popularised in the 1950s and early 1960s by a Wiccan High Priest named Gerald Gardner, who at the time called it the "witch cult" and "witchcraft," and its adherents "the Wica."...
and Kabbalah
Kabbalah
Kabbalah/Kabala is a discipline and school of thought concerned with the esoteric aspect of Rabbinic Judaism. It was systematized in 11th-13th century Hachmei Provence and Spain, and again after the Expulsion from Spain, in 16th century Ottoman Palestine...
as their practiced craft; Chakraverti chose Wicca. She later commented that ancient goddesses like Isis
Isis
Isis or in original more likely Aset is a goddess in Ancient Egyptian religious beliefs, whose worship spread throughout the Greco-Roman world. She was worshipped as the ideal mother and wife as well as the matron of nature and magic...
, Artemis
Artemis
Artemis was one of the most widely venerated of the Ancient Greek deities. Her Roman equivalent is Diana. Some scholars believe that the name and indeed the goddess herself was originally pre-Greek. Homer refers to her as Artemis Agrotera, Potnia Theron: "Artemis of the wildland, Mistress of Animals"...
, Hecate
Hecate
Hecate or Hekate is a chthonic Greco-Roman goddess associated with magic, witchcraft, necromancy, and crossroads.She is attested in poetry as early as Hesiod's Theogony...
, Kali
Kali
' , also known as ' , is the Hindu goddess associated with power, shakti. The name Kali comes from kāla, which means black, time, death, lord of death, Shiva. Kali means "the black one". Since Shiva is called Kāla - the eternal time, Kālī, his consort, also means "Time" or "Death" . Hence, Kāli is...
and Freya
Freya
In Norse mythology, Freyja is a goddess associated with love, beauty, fertility, gold, seiðr, war, and death. Freyja is the owner of the necklace Brísingamen, rides a chariot driven by two cats, owns the boar Hildisvíni, possesses a cloak of falcon feathers, and, by her husband Óðr, is the mother...
, played an important role in deciding her future in Wicca.
1975–80: Finishing Wicca study, return to India and marriage
While studying in the chalet, Chakraverti came across a number of prophecies left by a fifteenth century Wiccan Luciana, who was brought to trial and questioned for her craft, persecuted, and escaped to a castle on the Rhine. Chakraverti translated the scrolls and believed that she was the reincarnation of Luciana. She commented in her book Beloved Witch,
"Even though Wicca does not believe in fortune telling or divination, Luciana left a few quatrains like Nostradamus, prophesying about generations to come. I was the one who sat at a chalet monastery in the Laurentians years ago and translated them from an ancient dialect to English. I knew I had to. That was my purpose. For I was Luciana returned. To take revenge for the wrongs she had suffered, to vindicate all women who are battered and bruised as witches in India till today. I have a purpose – I know that. Through the eyes of Luciana I see this world.
- I am She – I rise with the storm
- I was killed – now I am born
- On the winds of revenge
- Blood, lust and greed, I will avenge.
At the end of her study, Carlotta gave each new initiate witch certain implements: symbolic gifts of Mother Goddesses who are worshipped by Wiccans. From Athena
Athena
In Greek mythology, Athena, Athenê, or Athene , also referred to as Pallas Athena/Athene , is the goddess of wisdom, courage, inspiration, civilization, warfare, strength, strategy, the arts, crafts, justice, and skill. Minerva, Athena's Roman incarnation, embodies similar attributes. Athena is...
, Ipsita received a black cloak, which conferred majesty and regality on herd. Among other gifts were a crystal skull of Kali
Kali
' , also known as ' , is the Hindu goddess associated with power, shakti. The name Kali comes from kāla, which means black, time, death, lord of death, Shiva. Kali means "the black one". Since Shiva is called Kāla - the eternal time, Kālī, his consort, also means "Time" or "Death" . Hence, Kāli is...
and a silver bowl from Venus
Venus
Venus is the second planet from the Sun, orbiting it every 224.7 Earth days. The planet is named after Venus, the Roman goddess of love and beauty. After the Moon, it is the brightest natural object in the night sky, reaching an apparent magnitude of −4.6, bright enough to cast shadows...
to be filled with water and used in particular rituals. However, she did not receive a certain glowing amber
Amber
Amber is fossilized tree resin , which has been appreciated for its color and natural beauty since Neolithic times. Amber is used as an ingredient in perfumes, as a healing agent in folk medicine, and as jewelry. There are five classes of amber, defined on the basis of their chemical constituents...
ball of Hecate
Hecate
Hecate or Hekate is a chthonic Greco-Roman goddess associated with magic, witchcraft, necromancy, and crossroads.She is attested in poetry as early as Hesiod's Theogony...
, which confers vision and is used for toning up the electro-magnetic system of the body. Carlotta told her, "If you have been and are a true Wiccan, the ball will come to you in some part of your life." That year, Chakraverti was involved in a relationship with singer Elvis Presley
Elvis Presley
Elvis Aaron Presley was one of the most popular American singers of the 20th century. A cultural icon, he is widely known by the single name Elvis. He is often referred to as the "King of Rock and Roll" or simply "the King"....
, whom she met in Graceland, through a mutual friend. In 1975, Chakraverti's family decided to come back to India. She stayed for few years in Delhi, before coming back to their home in Kolkata in 1978. There, while teaching at South Point High School, she met Jayanta Roy through some mutual friends and became romantically involved with him. Roy is an erstwhile love-child of the king of Orissa
Orissa
Orissa , officially Odisha since Nov 2011, is a state of India, located on the east coast of India, by the Bay of Bengal. It is the modern name of the ancient nation of Kalinga, which was invaded by the Maurya Emperor Ashoka in 261 BC. The modern state of Orissa was established on 1 April...
, an Indian state. Chakraverti and Roy married on August 12, 1978, and on May 30, 1980, she gave birth to their daughter Deepta Roy Chakraverti.
1981–95: Coming out as a witch and social work
West Bengal
West Bengal is a state in the eastern region of India and is the nation's fourth-most populous. It is also the seventh-most populous sub-national entity in the world, with over 91 million inhabitants. A major agricultural producer, West Bengal is the sixth-largest contributor to India's GDP...
, where many used to be killed under the accusation of being a witch. Chakraverti finally declared in front of the media that she is a witch in 1986. A backlash followed, including protest movements and boycotts, urged by the Bengal CPM
Communist Party of India (Marxist)
The Communist Party of India is a political party in India. It has a strong presence in the states of Kerala, West Bengal and Tripura. As of 2011, CPI is leading the state government in Tripura. It leads the Left Front coalition of leftist parties in various states and the national parliament of...
leader Jyoti Basu
Jyoti Basu
Jyoti Basu was an Indian politician belonging to the Communist Party of India from West Bengal, India. He served as the Chief Minister of West Bengal from 1977 to 2000, making him the longest-serving Chief Minister of any Indian state. Basu was a member of the CPI Politburo from the time of the...
. However, Chakraverti put all allegations to rest and addressed the media in a press conference. There, she spoke about how Wicca is a Neo pagan
Neopaganism
Neopaganism is an umbrella term used to identify a wide variety of modern religious movements, particularly those influenced by or claiming to be derived from the various pagan beliefs of pre-modern Europe...
religion and a form of modern witchcraft. It is often referred to as Witchcraft or the Craft by its adherents, who are known as Wiccans or Witches. She declared that she wished to start her own healing center and curb the "witch-killings" happening at that time in rural Bengal. The press was impressed by her knowledge and her straightforwardness in addressing such a taboo subject. She later clarified, "I had the social and economic padding and I decided to use it."
After the incident, Chakraverti started to administer Wiccan way of healing and held sessions at her home. She used to advocate people of the different ways of healing the mind and advice on their day to day problems and their solutions. Chakraverti brought forth the curative powers of crystals and would admonish it for curing people from backache, pains and spinal injuries. She also started investigating and brought to light the plight of women in rural Bengal where many were tortured under the pretext of being a witch. Chakraverti travelled to such villages in Purulia, Bankura, Birbhum and documented such mishaps, sometimes teaching women who were emotionally or physically battered by men to recognize and unleash the power within themselves. "Wicca can do that the empowerment of the goddesses. [...] The village women—simple women accused of witchcraft—would give me stories which were really heartbreaking. It opened my eyes to how much venom there was in these men. [...] I have tried to bring succor to women branded ‘witches' or ‘dayans' who are still today being molested and killed for what they are believed to practice. I have brought their cases before the authorities and the press in an attempt to show up the hypocrisy of their persecutors – mostly men – who are trying to denigrate this ancient branch of learning in order to wreak revenge on these women for some very personal motives."
1996–2004: Election candidacy, Beloved Witch and Sacred Evil
In 1998, Chakraverti campaigned as an Indian National CongressIndian National Congress
The Indian National Congress is one of the two major political parties in India, the other being the Bharatiya Janata Party. It is the largest and one of the oldest democratic political parties in the world. The party's modern liberal platform is largely considered center-left in the Indian...
candidate for the Parliament of India
Parliament of India
The Parliament of India is the supreme legislative body in India. Founded in 1919, the Parliament alone possesses legislative supremacy and thereby ultimate power over all political bodies in India. The Parliament of India comprises the President and the two Houses, Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha...
in the Hooghly district
Hooghly District
Hooghly district is one of the districts of the state of West Bengal in India. It can alternatively be spelt Hoogli or Hugli. The district is named after the Hooghly River.The headquarters of the district are at Chinsura...
. She was requested to take up the post on behalf of Sonia Gandhi
Sonia Gandhi
Sonia Gandhi is an Italian-born Indian politician and the President of the Indian National Congress, one of the major political parties of India. She is the widow of former Prime Minister of India, Rajiv Gandhi...
, but was not elected. Later, Chakraverti became the Secretary of the West Bengal Pradesh Congress Committee. She then started working on her biography, titled Beloved Witch: An Autobiography. The book tells how she came to be a Wiccan and how she had carried on the tag of being a "witch" in a society where witches are still looked down. The book, after its release in November 2000, was critically appreciated. Nona Walia from The Times of India
The Times of India
The Times of India is an Indian English-language daily newspaper. TOI has the largest circulation among all English-language newspaper in the world, across all formats . It is owned and managed by Bennett, Coleman & Co. Ltd...
commented, "Roy Chakraverti knows that it is unusual for well-bred Bengali girls to become witches and acknowledges her gratitude to her mother for allowing her the right to choose. After all, she says, every strong woman can be a witch in her own right, and that is perhaps the truest message that the book holds for the reader. [...] If there is a problem with the book, it is that much is left unsaid and much of it seems hurried, as if an editor said, 'Don't make it too serious, people won't understand,' just enough for people to chatter about at a cocktail party."
She released a second book in 2003, titled Sacred Evil: Encounters with the Unknown. The book, which was previously known as Good and Evil, chronicled nine case studies during her life as a Wiccan healer and gives explanations as to why those events happened. To promote the book, Chakraverti held a healing session at Oxford Bookstore
Oxford Bookstore and Stationery Company
The Oxford Bookstore formerly known as Oxford Bookstore and Stationery Company is an Indian book store-chain established in 1920 by the Primlani family, a Sindhi business house who were pioneers in book wholesaling in India. It has no connection with Oxford University Press...
in Kolkata, where she read excerpts from the book, and gave demonstration of her healing skills, holding the hand of a volunteer, tapping her with her athame
Athame
An Athame or Athamé is a ceremonial dagger, with a double-edged blade and usually a black handle. It is the main ritual implement or magical tool among several used in the religion of Wicca, and is also used in various other neopagan witchcraft traditions. It is variously pronounced or...
(wand) and reciting Egyptian chants. After its release, the book received positive reaction from critics. Rajdeep Bains from The Tribune
The Tribune
The Tribune is an Indian English-language daily newspaper published from Chandigarh, New Delhi, Jalandhar, Dehradun and Bathinda. It was founded on 2 February 1881, in Lahore , by Sardar Dyal Singh Majithia, a public-spirited philanthropist, and is run by a trust comprising five eminent persons as...
commented "Sacred Evil is a very coherent account of the author’s dealings with witchcraft and sorcery. Unfortunately, it could add to superstition, which is already prevalent at an unhealthy level in our country. As a work of fiction it would have been laudable; given the cover of truth it becomes a dangerous piece of writing. [...] But what makes Sacred Evil so interesting is the juxtaposition of modern thought with the ageless. After every chapter there are notes on the practices described in it along with modern explanations." Krithika Ranjan from The Hindu
The Hindu
The Hindu is an Indian English-language daily newspaper founded and continuously published in Chennai since 1878. According to the Audit Bureau of Circulations, it has a circulation of 1.46 million copies as of December 2009. The enterprise employed over 1,600 workers and gross income reached $40...
commented, "Throughout [Sacred Evil] Chakraverti refers to herself as a skeptic. Yet the stories she tells are bound to raise the ire of a rationalist. You can almost hear one spluttering about superstition as you read the story Those who return. [...] In the final analysis, the book is a good read — whether you believe in the dark arts or whether you just want to curl up with a spine thriller." Chakraverti started working on her third book, tentatively titled Every Strong Woman is a Witch.
2005–07: Sacred Evil – A True Story and The Wiccan Brigade
In 2005, The Kolkata Telegraph reported that director Rituparno GhoshRituparno Ghosh
Rituparno Ghosh is a Bengali film director. He has won 8 National Film Awards in India and several awards at international film festivals abroad.- Early life and background :...
wanted to cast Chakraverti in a film based on a case the Wiccan had encountered while practicing the craft. Ghosh commented, "Till now, I have dealt with relationships and the intricacies of the human mind. With this film, I want to delve into that which lies beyond and observe how this non-conventional spiritualism, Wicca, guides me. [...] It's a story of two time zones, separated by a span of 150 years, two people of different mindsets and different cultures. However, in 2006, the story Sacred Evil from Sacred Evil: Encounters with the Unknown was adapted into a film by Sahara One
Sahara One
Sahara One is an Indian Hindi general entertainment channel based in Mumbai. It is operated by Sahara India Pariwar, a company formed by Subrato Roy Sahara who is a managing worker and chairman of the Sahara India Pariwar....
Motion Pictures; Ipsita served as creative director. The film, titled as Sacred Evil – A True Story, was a joint venture between Sahara One and Percept Picture Company
Percept Picture Company
Percept Picture Company is an Indian film production and distribution company, established in 2002 and a division of Percept Limited, an entertainment, media and communications company based in Mumbai...
. Sacred Evil was the last story in the book and is about a nun who was hounded by her troubled past and for whom the convent eventually sought counseling from Chakraverti. Sahara One had approached August 2004 to make a film on Sacred Evil, but she was reluctant to play herself on the big screen when offered the role, instead chose to be the creative director. Chakraverti helped pen the script, incorporating large amount of dialogue from her story. "I told the production team how the protagonist reacted in certain situations, since I had lived the story, and how the dialogue happened. [...] I also insisted that the film be shot in Calcutta, though others had suggested other places, because it's here where I have done most of my therapies." Actress Sarika
Sarika
Sarika was born on 3 June 1962 into a Maharashtrian family in New Delhi, India, and became an acclaimed National Award winning Indian actress.-Career:...
was signed to play Chakraverti's part, to which Chakraverti said: "The other and more important task was familiarizing Sarika with the ways of a Wiccan. We had several sittings before going for the shoot. Sarika wanted to imbibe me. So, she came down to Delhi and lived with me for a while. I showed her how the healing took place and how certain rituals had been conducted."
However, before its release, Sacred Evil – A True Story faced a petition which challenged the Censor Board's decision to grant an exhibition certificate to the film. The petition, filed by lawyer Gerry Coelho, contended that granting certificate to the film, was unethical and indecent on the part of the Censor Board of India
Central Board of Film Certification
The Central Board of Film Certification is a Government of India regulatory body and censorship board of India controlled by Ministry of Information and Broadcasting. It reviews, rates and censors motion pictures, television shows, television ads, and promotional material...
and constituted total non-application of mind. The objections raised by Coelho were based on the film's posters and promotional advertisements. The Censor Board said that they had not been insensitive to Christian sentiments. "We are very careful when we screen sensitive movies [...] But, there is nothing in the movie that is objectionable, or will hurt the sentiments of the community in question." The film was given green signal by the censor board, but was still postponed because of non-availability of theatres. It was finally released on June 23, 2006, and was a commercial disappointment but received mixed reviews from critics. Taran Adarsh
Taran Adarsh
Taran Adarsh is an Indian film critic, journalist, editor and film trade analyst. He is also a former producer and screenwriter. He is the son of film director and producer, B.K. Adarsh....
from Bollywood Hungama
Bollywood Hungama
Bollywood Hungama is a leading Bollywood entertainment website, owned by hungama.com....
commented: "Sacred Evil is a pleasant change and a break from the monotony of the regular Hindi films. However, the subject is one that caters to a niche audience only. However, the fact cannot be denied that the narrative does not go off-track nor does it seem as if some sequences have been incorporated for the sake of it. Despite its slow pacing, Sacred Evil has the knack to hold the interest of its viewer. It's definitely a fine effort by directors Abiyaan Rajhans and Abhigyan Jha. The performances are above average, with Sarika dominating the show." Deepali Singh from The Kolkata Telegraph gave the film three out of ten, stating "If one hopes to discover the secrets of Wiccan ways in Sacred Evil, directed by Abiyaan Rajhans and Abhigyan Jha, one is in for a major disappointment. Beyond a candlelit session, which doesn't really lead anywhere except to a few flickers of vague shadows in the background, the story just about treads into the Wiccan world. [...] Sarika, as Ipsita, ghost walks through another expressionless comeback."
Chakraverti announced the launch of the Wiccan Brigade in November 2006. It was a platform for those interested in studying Wicca and using the branch of knowledge to holistic effect. Though Wicca was predominantly practiced by women, Wiccan Brigade welcomed men also. Chakraverti commented, "Close to 100 people, comprising professionals, some housewives and many students, have approached me on the Net to start the group. I think it’s the right time to institutionalize Wicca. [...] Though it wouldn’t be possible to have here the kind of training we had in the Laurentians, there would be sessions on yoga and meditation, and lectures and group discussions." A batch of 25 people were selected through a screening process who partook the sessions consisting of social, historical, psychological and gender-related issues of Wicca. In July 2007, the National Commission for Minority Educational Institutions (NCMEI) nominated Chakraverti to head a panel tasked with improving the status of young girls in India. She launched the Wiccan Brigade in London in December 2007, named as Ipsita’s Yogini Club. Chakraverti commented, "I’ve always believed the yogini
Yogini
Yogini is the complete form source word of the masculine yogi- and neutral/plural "yogin." Far from being merely a gender tag to the all things yogi, "Yogini" represents both a female master practitioner of Yoga, and a formal term of respect for a category of modern female spiritual teachers in...
and the witch are the same, and London seems to me to be a place where various cultures of the world have come together. It has a rich cultural history and an atmosphere in which the spirit of the past lives on. It is the right place for the Yogini Club."
2008–present: The Konark Project, Parapaar and The Living Doll
Konark Sun Temple
Konark Sun Temple is a 13th-century Sun Temple , at Konark, in Orissa. It was constructed from oxidized and weathered ferruginous sandstone by King Narasimhadeva I of the Eastern Ganga Dynasty. The temple is an example of Orissan architecture of Ganga dynasty...
in Orissa
Orissa
Orissa , officially Odisha since Nov 2011, is a state of India, located on the east coast of India, by the Bay of Bengal. It is the modern name of the ancient nation of Kalinga, which was invaded by the Maurya Emperor Ashoka in 261 BC. The modern state of Orissa was established on 1 April...
, and its curative power. After years of research, she made this revelation in a documentary titled The Konark Code, which was premiered at the Nehru Centre
Nehru Centre
Nehru Centre was conceived in 1972 in Bombay, India. It includes the Nehru Planetarium: A centre for scientific study of astronomy and for meeting of scientists and scholars for discussions and lectures-External links:*...
in London in February 2008. Her theory was that the temple at Konark was a healing spot, a cure centre for various diseases. King Narasimha Deva started making the temple in 1253 AD and it took him 12 years to complete it. "Myth says that Samba, the son of Krishna
Krishna
Krishna is a central figure of Hinduism and is traditionally attributed the authorship of the Bhagavad Gita. He is the supreme Being and considered in some monotheistic traditions as an Avatar of Vishnu...
, went to the spot to get himself cured of leprosy
Leprosy
Leprosy or Hansen's disease is a chronic disease caused by the bacteria Mycobacterium leprae and Mycobacterium lepromatosis. Named after physician Gerhard Armauer Hansen, leprosy is primarily a granulomatous disease of the peripheral nerves and mucosa of the upper respiratory tract; skin lesions...
. Till date, hundreds of leprosy patients flock to the temple to cure themselves. There are other factors that add to the temple's existence as a healing centre." According to Chakraverti, solar rays and sound frequency also played an important part in healing. The dance that was part of worship was for a purpose. The vibration of the steps of the dancers energized the temple stones. The sun's rays, because of the particular corner in which the temple was constructed, also played an important part. In August, Chakraverti worked on a tele serial for ETV Bangla
ETV Network (India)
ETV2 is first 24-hour Telugu news channel in Andhra Pradesh, India. It is one of the many channels which telecast news in pure Telugu language....
called Parapaar. The show was based on Chakraverti's life-journey and her encounters with the paranormal. A dramatized story, where actress Chandrayee Ghosh played her parts, was aired from Monday to Friday, and on Saturday, Chakraverti herself interacted with audiences through phone-ins related to the story. She commented, "I had reservations when I was approached for Parapaar because it’s important to convey the philosophy and atmosphere in Wicca in the right way. But I feel it’s time to reach Wicca to the masses, and since Bengal is the place where the Mother Goddess Durga
Durga
For the 1985 Hindi Film of Rajesh Khanna see DurgaaIn Hinduism, Durga ; ; meaning "the inaccessible" or "the invincible"; , durga) or Maa Durga "one who can redeem in situations of utmost distress" is a form of Devi, the supremely radiant goddess, depicted as having eighteen arms, riding a lion...
is worshipped, it’s important that misconceptions about Dakini
Dakini
A dakini is a tantric deity described as a female embodiment of enlightened energy. In the Tibetan language, dakini is rendered khandroma which means 'she who traverses the sky' or 'she who moves in space'. Sometimes the term is translated poetically as 'sky dancer' or 'sky walker'. The dakini, in...
vidya are shattered. People should know who a daini is and what she does."
In June 2009, Chakraverti collaborated with filmmaker Anjan Dutta
Anjan Dutta
Anjan Dutta is a popular artist of the 1990s Bengali music scene defined by anyodharar gaan . Anjan Dutta's style of music is different from the others in the sense that it has simple tunes, one that is reminiscent of western folk music. His lyrics are simple and more natural...
and Sarika to make a film called The Loving Doll, with the story taken from Sacred Evil again. It will be filmed in Hindi with bits of English. Sarika plays the central character of a middle-aged woman obsessed about losing her looks. The story revolves around a married couple beset with personal problems, triggered by a doll owned by the wife. Charaverti said: "After the film Sacred Evil, I have been approached by several directors for another film but the inspiration was not there. This time around there was a synchronicity — Sarika phoned me to ask if I was thinking of another film. She has long wanted to play the woman in The Loving Doll [...] Then I happened to see Madly Bangalee, and liked Anjan’s work very much. I think he has the touch to be able to handle the subject of The Loving Doll. So I contacted him and he was very interested in the project. Though he works in a very different genre from mine, I think there is empathy between his work and mine." Chakraverti also said that she may play the part of a healer in the film, "It’s the director’s prerogative. We will do what is best for the film." In April 2010, ETV Bangla created a serial called Dibaratrir Galpo, which was based on Beloved Witch. The plot of Dibaratrir Galpo, directed by Tathagata Banerjee, centres around a dispute between two aristocratic Bengali families, but the lead character (played by Sudipta Chakraborty) was shown as a follower of Wicca who learns to develop her psychic power and uses it to counter the machinations of her enemies. Chakraverti appeared on the commercials for the serial because she felt that her deglamorised presence helped audiences in the suburbs see elderly women, who are often branded as witches, in a positive light. "I felt that the story of Dibaratrir Galpo would take to esoteric ideas very well. It has a women-oriented theme and it will show how the negative aspects of the esoteric can be countered."
Influence and legacy
Chakraverti's advance and declaring of herself as a witch came at a time, when India still considered the word "witch" as a taboo. Author Kumkum Bhandari said that "Ipsita was a pioneer. Remember, call someone a 'witch' and you could be in for slander. Legally. But she was easily accepted. Partly because of her packaging and presentation—she is elegant, articulate and poised. People listen when she speaks. [...] Life and magic course through and around her. Being a witch is about ripping away layers of social conditioning, gender limitations and protective shields. It is, in a sense about moving towards being the complete and total woman. There is intensity, conviction and passion in the way Ipsita talks about witchcraft, or Wicca—the Craft of the Wise—and its relevance throughout history." Chakraverti also observes that "If I had come from a different rung of society, or was illiterate, the reaction wouldn't be the same. I have observed that it is always the person they will accept, and then the word Wicca. Witches are not born, they are made. Or perhaps they sculpt themselves." According to her, every strong women can be considered a witch. "A witch is the total woman. Strong daring women who have dared to live their own life, whatever it is. Jacqueline Kennedy, Indira GandhiIndira Gandhi
Indira Priyadarshini Gandhara was an Indian politician who served as the third Prime Minister of India for three consecutive terms and a fourth term . She was assassinated by Sikh extremists...
, Marilyn Monroe
Marilyn Monroe
Marilyn Monroe was an American actress, singer, model and showgirl who became a major sex symbol, starring in a number of commercially successful motion pictures during the 1950s....
, Madonna
Madonna (entertainer)
Madonna is an American singer-songwriter, actress and entrepreneur. Born in Bay City, Michigan, she moved to New York City in 1977 to pursue a career in modern dance. After performing in the music groups Breakfast Club and Emmy, she released her debut album in 1983...
, Namita Gokhale, Kiran Bedi
Kiran Bedi
Kiran Bedi is an Indian social activist and a retired Indian Police Service officer. Bedi joined the police service in 1972 and became the first woman officer in the IPS. Bedi held the post of Director General at the Bureau of Police Research and Development before she voluntarily retired from...
—all of them could count as witches." Chakraverti has argued that Wicca is the first feminist movement in history and the oldest women-oriented branch of learning.
In Beloved Witch, Chakraverti stated that "The witches of olden times were learned women. They were goddess worshippers. They were doctors and wiser than the panchayat men." According to scholar Gary F. Jensen, who wrote the book The path of the devil: early modern witch hunts, Chakraverti's self confession of being a witch, brought a new light on the taboo subject of witchcraft in India, and the rest of the world. She paralleled the conflict between women as healers and tribal leaders of Indian villages to the conflict between women, accused of witchcraft and the male-dominated society during Medieval Europe. Jensen added, "I think what Chakraverti has done is open up a new door, not only for India, but for the rest of the world, by showing that women can't be held down by norms. She can be anything she wants." She commented about being a Wiccan as,
"A Wiccan knows how to live life. There is no negativity no dullness, no pulling back. That effortlessness is there. Before you can draw energy from the elements to rejuvenate yourself, you have to love nature, attune and identify with it. To bring it to more practical and understandable levels, you must have an almost sensuous and sensual relation with what is around you. Attune your senses finely to recognize the sensuous touches of nature. Winter flowers are not fragrant, but there is a smell to them. Identify it. Only as you become finely-honed and centered will you be able to sense and use the presence of earth energy or that of other elements. The more you sensitize yourself, the more Nature reveals her secrets."
Chakraverti's greatest influence has been on her daughter Deepta, who was chosen as her successor to helm the task of promoting about Wicca. Chakraverti commented: "There are certain aspects of Wicca that you can't teach; they have to be absorbed. Something that I am not consciously passing on, something that has to be taken from me. I felt Deepta had the potential and I would have never forced her had she not been so keen. This is not necessarily through a mother-daughter bonding, it can be guru-shishya (mentor
Mentor
In Greek mythology, Mentor was the son of Alcimus or Anchialus. In his old age Mentor was a friend of Odysseus who placed Mentor and Odysseus' foster-brother Eumaeus in charge of his son Telemachus, and of Odysseus' palace, when Odysseus left for the Trojan War.When Athena visited Telemachus she...
-protégé), or any form of relationship where there is a guiding force." Deepta, was trained by Chakraverti in meditation, physical exercises, studying old religions, and other Wiccan regimen. Chakraverti has also brought forth similarities between Old Wiccan findings and the discoveries of modern physics
Modern physics
The term modern physics refers to the post-Newtonian conception of physics. The term implies that classical descriptions of phenomena are lacking, and that an accurate, "modern", description of reality requires theories to incorporate elements of quantum mechanics or Einsteinian relativity, or both...
and parapsychology
Parapsychology
The term parapsychology was coined in or around 1889 by philosopher Max Dessoir, and originates from para meaning "alongside", and psychology. The term was adopted by J.B. Rhine in the 1930s as a replacement for the term psychical research...
. According to Sudipto Shome of The Hindu
The Hindu
The Hindu is an Indian English-language daily newspaper founded and continuously published in Chennai since 1878. According to the Audit Bureau of Circulations, it has a circulation of 1.46 million copies as of December 2009. The enterprise employed over 1,600 workers and gross income reached $40...
, "You could be called a dayan and burnt alive, or you could be called an enchantress and enlighten an audience on the art of Wicca. Ipsita is the latter, and she has used her social and economic padding to make others listen to her."