Jhakris at the Banbo festival in Darjeeling. Picture by Suman Tamang

Darjeeling, Aug. 9: The GNLF appeal to hill scholars to start research on shamanism has stoked a fresh controversy in the hills.

Subash Ghisngh’s party has over the years redefined the culture and identity of the Gorkhas and maintained that jhakris (shamans) are an integral part of the community’s culture — a claim many people in the hills refuse to accept.

Earlier, the jhakris also doubled up as local doctors, who could “chase away” the evil spirits from a human body.

B.M. Limboo, vice-chairman, Darjeeling municipality, while defining the role of jhakris in Gorkha culture and their importance in today’s world, said: “Once they go into a trance, they speak a different language. Their body is said to be possessed by different gods and goddess and our scholars should start doing research on this.”

In the limelight of all the controversy, the jhakris today brought out a rally in town and attended the Banbo (nature worship) festival organised by the cultural and information department of the DGHC at Chowrastha.

While the GNLF leadership believes that the Gorkha community is getting alienated from its culture (a part of which is represented by the jhakris), the Opposition today came out strongly against the revival of an obsolete tradition.

“They (GNLF) are trying to revive superstition. The jhakris are obsolete and people have already rejected their practices. A political leadership cannot impose something and say this is ‘culture’ — it has to evolve. No political party should dictate scholars on research areas,” said D.S. Bomzom, the spokesperson for the CPRM, which is a constituent of the anti-Ghisingh coalition in the hills.

Bomzom also raised questions on the source of funding of such festivals and maintained that it was unlikely that the state government would allot funds “to revive superstition”.

Justifying today’s programme, the DGHC said events such as these help to attract tourists.

However, the Opposition pointed out that the programme is always organised on Guru Purnima when only a handful of tourists visit the hill town because of the monsoon.

Deepak Gurung, GNLF Darjeeling Branch president, had earlier said that since the festival is marked on the annual council calendar, the day is marketed to tourists well in advance.