A case of a missing 17-year-old girl in Bengaluru has drawn attention on Twitter as the helpless parents believe that the teen, who has disappeared since 31 October, may have come under the influence of shamanism.
This incident has now raised questions about the practice of Shamanism.
The missing teen
According to an NDTV report, 17-year-old Anushka left her home in Bengaluru with two pairs of clothes and Rs 2,500 in cash. Two months later, neither her parents, nor do the police have any clue where she is.
Her parents have said that Anushka was a regular teen, but in days prior to her disappearance she had become a recluse.
"I took her to a counsellor. The behavioural changes we saw was she stopped talking to us, she was keeping to herself, restricted herself from household activities" Abhishek, her father was quoted as telling NDTV.
⚠️ MISSING GIRL! ⚠️ Please share max! 17 year old Anushka has been missing from home, originally from Bangalore, and her loved ones are trying to locate her. Please RT and contact the number given if you have any information. Thank you for your help 🙏🏼 pic.twitter.com/iwYWByr7E7
— Kamya | Think For Yourself 🌻 (@iamkamyabuch) December 24, 2021
NDTV reported that Anushka had begun looking into the teachings of spiritual life coaches and psychedelic educators like Sahara Rose and Kamya Buch. Her parents suspect she was influenced by reading about shamanism online. She had reportedly spoken to her parents about wanting to pursue shamanism.
Bengaluru police say there were no CCTVs at the place where Anushka was said to have got dropped. They are probing her online activity.
Vinayak Patil, Deputy Commissioner of Police of Bengaluru North said, "We analysed her movement through CCTV cameras. Apart from her online activities which we could gather forensically, we are exploring her interest in the recent past. During this intervening period, she has not contacted anybody. We are looking at a huge database of CCTV."
What is Shamanism?
Shamanism is an ancient healing tradition and moreover, a way of life. It is a way to connect with nature and all of creation.
According to one description, in shamanism, specialists establish and maintain personalistic relations with specific spirit beings through the use of controlled and culturally scripted altered states of consciousness.
The term shamanism comes from the Manchu-Tungus word šaman. The noun is formed from the verb ša- ‘to know’; thus, a shaman is literally “one who knows.” The shamans recorded in historical ethnographies have included women, men, and transgender individuals of every age from middle childhood onward. Anthropologists coined this term and have used it to refer to the spiritual and ceremonial leaders among indigenous cultures worldwide.
It is generally agreed that shamanism originated among hunting-and-gathering cultures, and that it persisted within some herding and farming societies after the origins of agriculture.
It is often found in sync with animism, a belief system in which the world is home to a plethora of spirit-beings that may help or hinder human endeavours.
Shaman practice in India
The shaman has different names in different ethnic communities.
Like the Santals of Orrisa, West Bengal and Jharkhand call them an 'ojha'. Reportedly, Shamanism is prevalent among different tribes in Arunachal Pradesh. Every tribe in Arunachal Pradesh has its own kind of ritual expert for performing rites and sacrifices. Tani people, who trace their ancestry to Abo Tani, believe that the antiquity of Shamanism is as old as the emergence of humankind.
In fact, people from different professions are turning to shamanism for information and healing, giving rise to multiple shaman centres and workshops across the country.
Indonesia's tyrst with shamans
Shamans are very popular in Indonesia.
In fact, the country has several 'rain shamans' who are often hired to keep weddings, concerts, and even government events rain-free.
With inputs from agencies
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