Contemporary Issues in the Anthropology of Tibetan Medicine

Photo Credit: Tim Maylon

Smanla Dorje, a traditional medical practitioner (amchi) from a family medical lineage in the village of Tia in the Himalayan region of Ladakh. Amchi often belong to family lineages going back many generations. In the remote valleys of Ladakh, the amchi is the main source of medicine for the local people. Amchi are experts in local medicinal plants, which they collect form the surrounding valleys. The picture shows Smanla Dorje grinding raw medicinal ingredients using a traditional pestle and mortar. Photograph by Tim Malyon.