Public Health Malaise and the Practices of Ritual Healing:An Analytical Discussion in the Contemporary Societies of Darjeeling Hills

The nature of human life is beyond science. It is perhaps the most precious creation of god on earth. As stated in the Hindu philosophy that life is constituted by the five elements of nature viz; vayu (air), agni (energy), jal (water), prithvi (earth) and aakash (sky). It is believed that the perfect equilibrium in all these elements in human body is often considered as a healthy body and mind. Every human being desires to live his life with optimum peace and dignity which infact is possible only through healthy body and mind. So, good health is an urgent need of human life. It is also well evident that the practices of healthcare system and the methods of diagnosing diseases vary across the world in terms of technological advancement, regional variations and cultural orientations. India, being a highly pluralistic and diversified culture, has always been a witness to such kind of divergent nature of health practices and healthcare system in its various parts. Thus the present study attempts to explore an idea about the healthcare practices and its socio-cultural legacy associated with Gorkha Community of Darjeeling Hills in the larger public health terrain of Indian Union.