Supernatural Power of Body Adornment: Beliefs and Practices Among the Newars of Kathmandu Valley (Nepal) (Report‪)‬

As a result of development in science and technology, people are enjoying a comfortable life. Progress in medical science; provides quick relief from diseases and people entertain longevity, but, most of the people these days are fed-up with the medical side effects of modern medicines and mental stress. In several countries, traditionally people used to achieve their good health and strength without facing such side effects (Personal observations in certain Asian and European countries). People in modern societies are stepping towards the ancient methods of therapy, meditation, yoga, herbals, ayurvedic medicine, etc. In this article, I try to deal with the practice of the utilisation of body adornment as a means of prevention against certain illness, precaution for mental and physical strength and increasing the resistance power through natural healing among the Newars of the Kathmandu valley. Though, this system of therapy still popular in the society, the young generations have less faith on the supernatural healing power through corporal decoration. Hence, the aim of this article is to reveal the facts concerning such beliefs and their merits. This article is based on the field observation among the Newar society of Kathmandu valley. It is neither an analytical article is an attempt nor to relate with any philosophical and anthropological theories existing in the accademic world. The article is a part of my Ph.D. Dissertation, Bijoux et Parures traditionnels des Newar au Nepal: Une approche anthropologique et historique (Universite Paris X, France, 1998).