 |
| A Banjhakri performing his rituals |
Folk tales, though they are malicious in nature have played an imperative part in Sikkimese society. Each and every tribe in Sikkim has their own folk tales to say. Among them, the Lepchas of Sikkim have preserved many such tales which are very much different from today’s acquisitive world. Though, in today’s scenario, those tales have lost their popularity but, a single generation before they used to be one of the favourite time pass in the remote villages of Sikkim. Banjhakri (a wild enchanter) was the popular character in the Sikkimese folk tale. Many old people in the villages still claim to have seen those enchanters during their childhood. If we have to believe on their stories the Banjhakri used to have his wife too. She was known as Lyam Lyamey. It is believed that the Banjhakri used to take away children from different villages to give them sermon in the field of supernaturalism. There are many dominant sayings about the incidents where people had to confront the Banjhakri, the people under the custody of Banjhakri had to go through rigorous practices. The pupils had to take snails, earthworms, sand, clay, mud etc. to get perfection and to avoid themselves from the furious Lyam Lyamey.
 |
| Jhakri- A village magus or a enchanter executing his sacrament |
The pupils after getting perfection from the Banjhakri were left at the same place from where they were picked up earlier. They were now the perfect witch doctors who had attended mastery over witch-crafty. Now they had to serve the villagers with their knowledge which they inherited from their master or so called Banjhakri.
