Description:
The article discusses the role of shaman as folk curer. Their popularity remains strong in contemporary medicine in Nepal. The shamanistic healers are popular and have different names like jhankri, dhami, janne, or jharphuke. The article estimates 600 shamans (broadly grouped as one type) present in the 19 village panchayat areas which were surveyed with a total population 67,000 in 1971. None of the panchayat were seen without shamans. The article mainly discusses two types of shamans - dhami and jharphuke. The article discusses two popular shaman-curers in Kathmandu as a case study. There are two appendices on the case book of jharphuke and dhami in 2032 B.S. The author suggests a program of deliberate attitudinal change among the shaman-curers aimed at their acceptance of a role ancillary and not opposed to modern medical practice. (Rajeev Ranjan Singh 2007-01-09)
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