The mysterious world of Nepal’s shamans

In the remote trans-Himalayan district of Humla across the border from the sacred Mount Kailash in Tibet, the cult of the Dhami and Dangri still acts as a go between the physical human form and its spiritual divine manifestation.

They are derivatives of shamanism and reflect the diverse social fabric of the Himalaya, and have its roots in socio-religious antecedents of the region’s present day inhabitants that predates the arrival of institutionalised religions.

The remnants of this shamanistic cult can still be found on both sides of the border in the upper Karnali Basin in Nepal and the sacred Lake Manasarovar and Mount Kailash in China. Passed down through generations, the Dhami and Dangri institution is deeply ingrained in Nepali culture, especially in the hard-to-reach Himalayan regions like Humla.

The institution of Dhami, the oracle shaman, is believed to be established through 'Avatarilo' (by incarnation), while the Dangri institution is established through 'Bangsyalo' (by heredity). When a reigning Dhami passes away, the knowledge and abilities of the Dhami is passed on to another person through a spirit transfer. The Dangri, meanwhile, imparts their expertise and knowledge within close clan members through teaching.

The Dhami serves as the medium for communication with the divine, while the Dangri is the spiritual helper and mediator between humans and the Dhami.

The spirit of the Dhami can move to any person, but the receiver must accept it. If a suitable receiver is not found, it is believed that the spirit waits for the right person, sometimes temporarily entering the body of the Dangri.

The Dangri also acts as the community's oral record keeper, passing on information exclusively to close family members. The Dangri provides all information to the Dhami, invites the God spirit, translates the language, and most importantly, updates and maintains the oral record of important events.

Read Also: Between a rock and a hard place in Humla, Nabraj Lama

There are two contrasting world views when it comes to fulfilling one's desires, the old way, relying on divine power, and the new way, relying on state power. The old world view is followed by indigenous people living in peripheral regions of the Himalaya who rely on religion and magic. They are governed by divine power through faith and fear.

The new world view is prevalent in mainstream society, where so-called civilised people reside. They depend on state power, science, technology, and the rule of law to meet their needs.

The Dhami and Dangri institution plays a variety of roles in the daily lives of Nepalis in the high mountains. The Dhami is responsible for providing consultation, horoscope reading, fortune-telling, advice, wish fulfillment, health healing, conflict resolution, judgment, and socio-religious leadership. The Dhami demonstrates his authenticity through 'Sat' (spiritual perfection in fulfilling commitments) and 'Bidh' (exhibition of extraordinary miracle power). People value the 'sat', which represents their demand, but the power of 'bidh' is shown to validate his power of 'sat'.

The institution of Dhami and Dangri is mutually inclusive and begins with the Dangri inviting the spirit of a deity into the Dhami's body through prayers and offerings. The Dangri initiates the ritual by inviting the god from Heaven to the 'Kang-Tsho' (the fulcrum of the Himalaya). From there, the God descends through each Himalayan eco-zone (alpine, sub-alpine, temperate, sub-tropical, tropical, and the aquatic layer), symbolically mounting on the creatures of every layer. By doing this, the God is expected to grant wishes and prosperity to devotees.

Once the God arrives at the shrine site, the Dangri requests it to enter the Dhami's body to induce a trance. In this state, the Dhami is believed to become a divine being, unaware of their normal human life. Devotees can then ask questions to the Dhami through the interpretation of his Dangri.

The Dhami, in a trance, acts as a surrogate for God and responds to queries and communicates divine language called 'akhar', which is only understood by his Dangri. The lay devotees can understand it only through the Dangri's interpretation.

Read Also: The geopolitics of pilgrimage, Nabraj Lama

During the ritual, the Dangri makes specific requests to the God, asking for and fulfillment of desires. The God is asked to transform each place into valuable items like gold, conch, or turquoise, radiating vibrant colours. While the deity's journey takes place, male retinues are requested to accompany it on the right side and females on the left.

The desires of the indigenous people living in mountainous communities are often centered around basic needs: bridges over raging rivers, protection from rock falls along trails, a balance between sun and rain, restoring water to dried streams, adequate grass for livestock in the upland meadows, good harvests, children for couples struggling with infertility, opportunities for the young, longevity for the elderly, and nourishing food and sleep for those in need.

As modern lifestyles encroach even to the remotest high valleys of the Himalaya traditional institutions like Dhami and Dangri are in danger of disappearing. But their resilience in the face of modernisation is a testament to their continued importance in the everyday lives of the people of far-flung parts of Nepal. It still plays a vital role in enforcing communal law, guiding human behaviour, and preserving cultural and religious practices.

Tshewang Lama (Chhakka Bahadur Lama) is a Lama-turned-academic, hailing from Humla. He is a former MP from Humla and is currently the President of the Institute for Socio-Cultural Research and Analysis (SCRAnalysis).

Nabraj Lama is a research scholar and his work focuses on geopolitics, indigenism, international affairs. [email protected]