Ban-jhakri Falls: Its historical significance and people’s faith

SHAILESH SHRESTHA

Ban-jhakri Falls is a well known tourist spot in Gangtok and over a few years time it has become a-must-visit place ever since it has received a face-lift just about a year or so back by a local entrepreneur, under whose management it is being run.

"Ban-jhakri" as such does not have its direct English translation, however, the nearest expression would be "a forest dwelling Shamanist". The commonly known Ban-jhakri Falls is located along Gangtok- Ranooka road, about five km from Gangtok,  M. G. Road, towards Ranka.

This spot apart from being a tourist interest destination, established by the RDD, Sikkim state government, and presently being managed by some local entrepreneur, under the state Tourism Department, the importance of this place is quite significant and rare as it holds the unique historical and cultural heritage of our hill state dating back ages. Besides, in recent times this has become quite a happening spot for the revellers as well.

It has been believed and there are evidences that Ban-jhakri used to exist in earlier times as an entity having mystic powers. As an unusual practice the Ban-jhakri would pick some individual, who would qualify his terms or have some merit, for few days to weeks, and teach him all his esoteric and paranormal traits and knowledge and leave him at the spot from where he was picked up. The disciple having received this special knowledge would be called a "Jhakri", and he had the social responsibility to heal diseases by performing pujas (chinta) and exorcise the evil spirit possessed.

As per prevailing common belief among the hilly people, inhabitants, Ban- jhakri is a short statured man, measuring not more than 18 to 24 inches tall, thinly built and have dark complexion, dwelling only in dense forest areas. He wears no cloth except some wood barks or large leaves to cover his genital areas, have long and matted hair, adorned on his shoulder bow and arrows, and in one hand his customary "dhyangro" (drum made up of some animal skin) for his rituals and a "dudheri" (a small long cup shaped bamboo saucer) for the purpose of carrying milk. Altogether his appearance makes an awe-inspiring look unlike the common man. Some respect him as their guardian deity also. It is believed that during olden times in Sikkim, when the major portion of its land was covered by thick forests and the inhabitants scarcely scattered, the appearance and encountering with the Ban-jhakri used to be a common place.

Unlike the present time, where in the name of modernization and developments, the forest areas and its pristine beauties have been so badly transgressed that the practices of dwelling of the cow herds, yaks, sheep and horses in forest areas have almost completely ceased. This practice no longer exists today except some herds of cows and sheep are said to be still in existence here and there in high altitudes areas, on the base lines of Mount Khanchendzonga, along the Khanchendzonga National Park. Amongst many one of the unusual practices of those time was that the owners of the horses in the jungle areas used to fix a small mirror on the foreheads of their horses. The reflection of the mirror used to scare away the predators like tigers, leopards and

There is a rarely known tale about this Ban-jhakri falls which dates backs more than 80-90 years ago. At present time it looks like a fable or folklore, but the protagonist of the tale is still surviving, a nonagenarian, Mr. Chabilall Adhikari, who is still alive and presently residing at Lepcha Busty, near Darjeeling. In a place called Timburbong in West Sikkim, about 100 km of motorable road from this falls, there was a cave where a Baan-jhakri used to have his abode. The cave used to be neat and clean and used to be brightly lit inside by his supernatural powers. Mr. Chabilall recalls that he was picked up by a Baan- jhakri when he was about eleven years old. Along Chotta Rangit and Rambang river he was taken to his cave in Timburbong. From there the Baan- jhakri used to bring Chabilall early in the morning, before the sunrise, to this Ranka falls to take bath in no time and get back to the cave. Such was the prowess of a Ban- jhakri. Once under the spell of the jhakri and when he  takes hold of his disciple he would become invisible to the world whereas he can see and hear every thing but can do nothing. This is how the day of a Baan-jhakri would start with his captive disciple. In this short stint of a week or so the Baan-jhakri had taught him everything about how to perform ritualistic puja (chinta) with a typical way of beating the dhyangro, how to do away the evil spirit from the possessed person, how to perform puja for the protection of a human habitation from the onslaught of the evil spirits, and also used to share the knowledge of herbs and different wild medicinal plants to treat various diseases. Matter of fact it used to be quite useful and the only means of treatment or providing a respite in those days in the absence of the present day like medical facilities.

In the cave Ban-jhakri used to provide "kheer", a specially prepared rice pudding, which used to so delicious that Chabilall says, "I have never had such a taste in anything else in my entire lifetime. Once the kheer is eaten that would satiate hunger for three days. He says, he was picked up thrice in his lifetime.

Inside the cave is a small area enclosed with a fence made twigs of some wild thorny plants where the "Lhyamlymey", the consort of the Ban-jhakri, resides. She is also a short statured woman having dark complexion, visible fang like teeth on both sides of her mouth, tongue wagging outside the mouth and bloody eyes with dishevelled hair, making quite an ugly and revulsive creature at sight. As her husband, Ban-jhakri, she also does not wear any cloth and covers her torso with banana leaves, cracked feet and half her body length breast sagging in front - quite a loathsome and abominable creature is what a Lhyamlymey looks like.

It is said that she always eyes on the captive disciple of her husband with a menacing gesture as she is fond of devouring human creature. But the Ban-jhakri ensures the safety of his disciple by keeping his wife, the Lhyamlyamey, within the confines of her area, affording him all protection, which is restricted and shrouded by the powers of his mantra, the mystic powers or the attributes.

Customarily the Ban-jhakri after cooking the special kheer, the disciple has to receive on the dorsal side of his hand, the opposite of the palm, where he would be tricked to receive earthworm instead of kheer. The disciple has to throw the earthworm from above his head on the back. The Lhyamlyamey, who is constantly eying on the disciple, would instantly spread her long tongue where the earthworm would fall and she will devour.

In olden times parents and elderly members of a family would warn their children not to venture out deep into the forest alone lest that one may come across Lhyamlyamey who is said to be found wandering preying for earthworm carrying a sickle (khurmi) and a bamboo woven basket (daalo). They used to advise that in the event of encountering a Lhyamlyamey one should run down hill as she is incapable of running fast because of her large sagging breasts. But if the Lhyamlyamey were to chase somebody up hill, she would catch within no time as she is quite agile and efficient in running up hill.

Today Ban-jhakri falls has become quite a popular destination, for both domestic and from outside the state visitors, but unfortunately they remain bereft of the actual historical knowledge and the importance of the falls, which carries the history of the mysterious and esoteric occultism and its scenic beauty and the serenity of the place. That is why this short literature in Ban-jhakri and Lhyamlyamey is to address this concern.

A significant take away of this story and the characteristics of a Ban-jhakri and his consort, the Lhyamlyamey, is the evidence of the fact that there is the existence of both good and evil juxtaposed in one single abode.

This is a brief historical fact of Ban-jhakri and the relevance of the name "Ban-jhakri Falls".