Amchi Medicine or Sowa Rigpa “The Science of Healing” is a form of localized Tibetan ayurvedic medicine (Sustainable Healthcare) that is still practiced and preserved in the Himalayan region of Ladakh, India. In laymen’s terms “doctors” or practitioners of amchi medicine are called Amchi and they usually belong to a family of a medical lineage that travels back several generations, many professing six or more. Due to the remoteness and isolation of Ladakhi villages from the outside world, Amchis with their experiential wisdom and knowledge in Himalayan herbs, and Ayurveda, played an important role in providing free medical treatment to the needy.
Tibetan medicine often overlaps with Tibetan Buddhism, for example, according to the Gyushmi the main medicinal text of Amchi, there are 6 general causes of disease: seasonal or climatic conditions, harmful spirits, incorrect treatment, poison, diet, and negative karma, thus Amchi is an integrative approach that encompasses both science, rituals, and religion.
Amchi system in Ladakh is a traditional medicine practice that is said to have originated from Tibet; i.e the system initially sprouted from Tibetan medicine. But today the system is being followed in many other Himalayan regions as well. The actual practice is quite complex and takes years of learning and guidance from a professional Amchi. Usually, the practice is being passed down to the next generation of the same family and primarily to the sons of the family. The diagnosis and following treatment of diseases require great skills and techniques without using the present-day equipment. Checking pulse, body temperature, and testing other physiological disorders are all done with the sheer expertise of the individual, and no modern equipment is used in the process.
In every corner of Ladakh, an Amchi is born to carry forward the legacy and to help in treating diseases where highly equipped instruments are not available and high qualified modern-day doctors are not stationed. They use mainly plant sources to make their medicines and fortunately many of the medicinal plants are found out there in the wild in the pristine mountains of Ladakh.
History & Legacy
In the past, Amchis were patronized by the King and are highly respected in society, however, in modern days; rapid development and globalization have fundamentally changed the social and economic structure of the Ladakhi society, posing a challenge to the traditional Amchi system. Needless to say, Amchi practitioners withhold a deep knowledge of their local tradition, customs, beliefs, kinship networks, not to mention centuries of cumulative wisdom in Himalayan herbs and Ayurveda that we can learn from. Due to modern education and health care, some of the hereditary lineages were suspended and much of Amchi knowledge is disappearing in the Himalayas.
One of the perks of living in a city is the availability of anything and everything at our fingertips. From mild fever to a serious ailment as cancer gets treated in no time. On the other hand, the people living in remote areas take a longer time to even realize what problems their bodies are facing. They go on with their everyday lifestyle with no knowledge of proper sanitation; diet or anything that is a must keep their body fit. Where on one side of the world people are way too conscious of in-depth details about their body and its health, there is the other side where people are yet to be educated and taught to better care about their health.
And one such part of this world is situated in far areas of Ladakh where modern-day technology and its miraculous benefits haven’t made it reach yet. Health care facilities must be the priority of any locality. Amchi’s practice becomes a boon to the people belonging to these areas. Therefore, the practice must be encouraged and Amchis must receive their due appreciation to make the system available for years to come.
Besides being expensive for people coming from poor families the modern-day medicines and various tests are not easy for them to go for. Amchi medicines have always been equally and even more reliable and appreciated by people and are also accessible at minimal or no cost for them. Since no high-tech machines are required they can also cover many villages that are situated at distance. The very inspiring system that helps our society stay healthy and free from diseases must be encouraged to widen its horizon and teach younger generations as much as possible and induce interest in learning the Amchi practice.
Current Status
Punchok Angchuk a 6th-generation Amchi Practitioner belonging to the Durbuk Lharje Lineage is a highly respected leader in his community. From a young age, he started learning Tibetan Medicine from his father and since then has been providing medicines to remote villages on a donation basis for many decades. Today he is 65 years old and continues to transfer this ancient knowledge to his son and grandson.
Larjey family of Durbuk village has been practicing Amchi for many generations now. There’s an interesting story behind their becoming an Amchi family. While renovating a stupa just outside their house one of their great grandfathers found an inscription on the stone that disclosed Amchi roots. Ever since the legacy has been passed down in the family and been passionately practiced by the next generation. Meme Paljor inherited the skills from his father Meme Sonam, but he had only daughters in the family and therefore couldn’t pass it down to his children.
He married off one of his daughters at an early age and taught his son-in-law the Amchi practice who was only 12 at that time. And likewise, the inheritance of the great skills and knowledge of the practice followed down their next generations from Meme Sonam Stanzin (the son-in-law) to Meme Tsewang Stanzin and at present Phuntsog Angchuk is skillfully bringing his skills into as much help for the people as he could.
Challenges And Way Forward
Amchi’s practice is not an easy job. It takes years of studying texts and training could take up to 15 years. They have a strict routine to follow and have to recite their scriptures daily. Things are being made easy by modern inventions in science and technology but Amchis still have to do the diagnosis checking the pulse and is also the key for treatment of the disease.
Phuntsog Angchuk, serving as an Amchi at present helps around 9 villages in remote areas of Ladakh without any financial support and doesn’t charge for the treatments either. Coming from an Amchi family he follows the traditional way of medicines and he believes that the medicines prepared by hands are more effective than those that are readily available, perhaps made out of machines. He gathers the constituents by himself, trekking in the mountains of Ladakh for days in search of raw medicinal plants, and then prepares all the medicine himself. Unfortunately, doing all the work single-handedly he does have to go through certain obstacles that hinder his service. He often runs out of raw materials and since collecting them takes days of trek up in the mountains. Thus, his strong will of providing proper treatment on time remains unfulfilled sometimes.
Thus, with the availability of raw materials locally and the expertise of people who have inherited the skill, the system can be revived and supported for the betterment of the region. This is the way forward and we want you to be a part of this movement. We are taking this opportunity to invite you all to share your ideas on how we could save this ancient practice of “Amchi” that is not only our heritage but very important to lead a healthier and sustainable life keeping and respecting the amicable relationship with nature and offering a sustainable healthcare system.
We will update you all with a follow-up article with solution(s). Till then keep sharing your ideas and we will make sure to take this to a logical end and implement the best possible solution.
This story is brought to you by Dorkhul Lharje
Edited by Hitesh Mahawar
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