In continuation of the series ‘The Stories Untold’, ‘Hausla Na Ruthe’ released on 21st November 2018, depicts the story of ‘Charu Maa’, a super courageous woman from the village of Gundalba, Odisha, India who refused to give up and led a group of 30 women to fight against nature’s fury and restored an entire forest cover that got destroyed in 1999 Orissa Super Cyclone.
On 29th October, 1999 the Orissa Super Cyclone struck Odisha causing large scale devastation killing around 50000 people. There are many stories of destruction, grief, struggle and survival in this period of devastation. The village of Gundalba in the state of Odisha, India is a beautiful rural setup along the coastline of Bay of Bengal. It is blessed with a big forest cover of Casuarina trees which act as a filter between the salty sea water and the green paddy fields in the village. The 1999 super cyclone destroyed the entire forest cover and in a flash the natives lost their source of livelihood. ‘Charu Maa’ decided not to give up and led a courageous fightback with a group of women to restore the entire forest cover. It is a supreme tale of courage, fearlessness and determination to stand up for what one believes in.
