The paraphernalia of the Shamans of the Nepalese community in Darjeeling Himalaya
Mukesh Gurung
International Journal For Multidisciplinary Research February 17, 2026 DOI: 10.36948/ijfmr.2026.v08i01.69094 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Theoretical or philosophical paper Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Population | Nepalese community in Darjeeling Himalaya |
| Topics | Shamanism |
| Keywords | Trance Veneration Population Faith Consecration Indigenous Paraphernalia Ethnology Anthropology Animism Modernization theory Ancient history Realm Ethnic group Traditional medicine Ceremony Commodification Gentry |
| Key points | Argues that shamanic knowledge persists in Darjeeling despite modernization, with shamans using paraphernalia and animist practices to treat spirit-caused illness. |
Abstract
This paper examines the significance of paraphernalia used by the shamans of Darjeeling Himalaya. The grant of Darjeeling on the 1st of February 1835 by the Chogyal of Sikkim to the English became a major turning point in the history of Darjeeling. The plantation of tea in the hills intensified the migration from Nepal. The emigrants carried their culture and traditions along with them. The legends of the sacred drum, Ban-Jhankri, porcupine quills, and pheasant feathers are frequently stated in the Nepalese population of Darjeeling. The shamans of different Nepalese ethnic groups acquired these gears. Each gear carries its own prominence and is used to cure people who are suffering from the malevolent spirits. The philosophy of animism relies on the idea of spirits present in both moving and stagnant entities. They held that rivers, forests, mountains, and trees are a living entity that consists of spirits. If humans disturb them with their undertakings, they tend to cause illness. The study delves into the uses of different shamanic items to cure illness; if they fail, then the séance has to be conducted by the family of fatalities. The shamans fall into a trance and act as the intermediaries between the human realm and the spirit realm. Shamans are also experts in herbal medicine. The medicines are supplemented with faith healing for better recovery. The paper also vividly points out the shamanic concepts of Phuk-fak, Jhar-phuk, and Jokhana. The findings suggest that although modernisation and cultural assimilation have obscured certain rituals, the people of Darjeeling preserve the shamanic knowledge while adapting to changing socio-historical contexts.
Comparable studies
Other theoretical and historical papers on shamanism, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ayahuasca Shamanism in the Amazon and Beyond | 2014 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| Shamanism as the Original Neurotheology | 2004 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| Cognitive Neuroscience, Shamanism and the Rock Art of Native California | 1998 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| From Culture to Experience: Shamanism in the Pages of the Soviet Anti-Religious Press | 2020 | Historical analysis | |
| Anthropology, Shamanism, and Alternate Ways of Knowing–Being in the World: One Anthropologist's Journey of Discovery and Transformation | 2010 | Reflective essay or personal narrative |