Faith-Healers in the Himalaya

This book is a reprint of a long out-of-print classic anthropological study of the shamans of Nepal. With the introduction of western medicine and so-called modern amenities, this is a fascinating account of a traditional way of life that is slowly disappearing in the Himalayan kingdom. Spirit possession, magic, witchcraft and occult healing ceremonies are still daily realities in the villages of Nepal. Who are the people who deal with these realities on behalf of afflicted members of the community? This absorbing in-depth study reveals the amazing secrets of traditional Himalayan shamans (known locally as "jhankris") and their clients in the Dolakha district, a remote mountainous region of Nepal inhabited by the Thami people. Although initially describing Nepalese shamans or spirit masters in anthropological terms, author Cap Miller presents these spirit masters in dramatic action, beginning with their roles in an annual "Pilgrimage for Power" to a sacred mountain top, the scene of magical battles.