Sadhus & Shamans
Swati Chopra
Sadhus & Shamans presents unique insights into some of the most intriguing spiritual practitioners of the Indian subcontinent and the trans- Himalayan region. It is a land that has provided fertile ground for a diversity of paths to develop and flourish all geared towards uncovering and experiencing the Truth. On the surface, sadhus and shamans might seem to belong to opposite ends of the spectrum. Yet, both are truth-seekers in their own ways. The sadhu sets off on his own journey to find the truth, not content with the version he has been given by others. The shaman, too, attempts to connect with a truth, of an event or a person, an illness or a spirit'. This book follows the sadhu as he wends his way from the high Himalayas to the banks of the Ganga during the Mahakumbh Mela, and through the centuries- from early wandering ascetics of the Indus Valley Civilization to the organized orders started by Jainism and Buddhism, and the beginning of the Hindu monastic orders. In doing so, it attempts to understand the path of the sadhu and the Truth he seeks. Then, we begin another journey, with shamans this time, as they connect with the spirit world, exorcize evil', and re-establish natural balance. Through a collection of unusual and candid photographs, the worlds of sadhus and shamans are brought into being before our eyes, even as we begin to see the common strands that bind them, and us, into a complex whole.
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