Shamans of the Himalayas

In the shadow of the snow capped mountains of Himachal Pradesh, India the ordinary and the occult co-exist, as they have for centuries. This is a world of myth and magic, where individualistic Gods, Goddesses, Nature Spirits and Demons are part of the daily life of local village communities as “living Gods”.

Straddling these worlds of ordinary and non-ordinary reality are the Shamans, who mediate between the material and spirit worlds. Anu Malhotra, an acclaimed film maker, delves into this mysterious and mystical world, “Every journey is a search….a quest….to unravel the self.”

Along her journey, Anu encounters unique living traditions, capturing compelling images of vibrant village festivals, wherein Gods and Goddesses, carried on palanquins, participate in full vigor.

“The way of life here is emotionally vibrant… so far removed from my urban existence. This was a different reality sustained by a rich mythic belief system which formed the collective consciousness- a common truth – of the people here.”

She meets several unforgettable Shamans (Gurs), some of whom are also oracles, trance mediums and exorcists. It is her quest to lift the veil over their shadow worlds.

“This time I go forth to encounter the reality of experience, the collective consciousness of a system of belief, unique in its cultural context but common to all our histories.”