Twinn Swan

In the mountain ranges of Nepal, stories exist of the Banjhakri and his wife Banjhakrini. The Banjhakri is believed to be similar to the ape-like yeti, but he is smaller and far more intelligent. While no one has ‘seen’ a yeti, over the years, many have reported sightings of the mysterious footprints of the mythical Yeti. The yeti, which is also known as the Abominable Snowman, is a legendary creature that is said to inhabit the upper reaches of the Himalayas.

The Banjhakri is a descendant of the Sun who was born to protect the forest. His flesh and bones can cure many ailments and heal many wounds. Like the yeti, Banjhākri and Banjhākrini can be seen in our world and not just in the spirit world. However, it is believed that only powerful shamans can see them.

The Banjhakri was a shaman. Stories and tales tell how he not only initiated, but also trained new shamans. Shamanism consists of religious beliefs and practises commonly associated with indigenous societies. It is the shaman–with his connection to the otherworld–that possesses the power to heal the sick, communicate with the spirit world as well as commune with the spirits of the departed. In indigenous societies, the shaman is a bridge between the material world and the spiritual world.

The Initiation

The Banjhakri is always on the lookout for new initiates to become the next generation of shamans. He was, however, very particular and exacting about his choices. If he approved of a potential candidate, he kidnapped them, took them to his cave and put them through rigorous training and tests. The children who were able to remain steadfast and strong through the training and testing were rewarded.

After the rigorous training, they returned to their homes as fully-trained jhakri. They could now play the sacred dhyangro drum, commune with the spirit world as well as cure ailments and diseases. Those who had been initiated could perform the necessary rituals at harvests, weddings and funerals. They sang, danced and beat their dhyangro drums. They even performed voluntary spirit possession. It was when spirits of dead family members possessed the jhakri to communicate with their living family members for a short time to relay an important message about either the past or the future.

Through these initiates could pass on their knowledge to their disciples, no one trained by a human teacher would ever be as powerful as one that had been trained by the Banjhakri himself. The shamans of Nepal regard the original Banjhākri as the founder of Nepali shamanism. Banjhākri is revered and celebrated as a teacher and as the god of the forest.