Decoding the Superstitious: Spirit Possession and Ritual Healing as an Indigenous Knowledge Framework for Mental Health
July 20, 2026 Sristi Swayansha Swain
Spirit possession and ritual healing in India offer an indigenous framework for addressing mental illness that challenges the dominant biomedical paradigm. Practices such as exorcism, trance, and ritual healing, particularly at the Mehendipur Balaji temple, externalize psychological distress through culturally meaningful narratives of possession, mobilize performative emotions through rituals, and integrate family and community participation. Colonial and postcolonial psychiatric institutions have historically marginalized these systems by labeling them as superstition. The paper argues that dismissing ritual healing as irrational overlooks its social and psychological functions and advocates for a pluralistic approach to mental health care that recognizes the coexistence of biomedical psychiatry and culturally grounded practices, essential for addressing the treatment gap in India and decolonizing psychological knowledge.