The Household Archives of Texts Belonging to the Culturally-Tibetan Doctors (amchi), Astrologers (chowa), Singers (nyawon) and Speechmakers (molawa) of Spiti (EAP1221)

Aims and objectives

This project will locate, survey, and digitise the archives of texts to be found in households belonging to the culturally-Tibetan doctors (amchi); astrologers and tantric ritual practitioners (chowa); wedding singers (nyawon); and speechmakers (molawa) of the Spiti Valley in north India. The material consists primarily of unbound texts (pecha) written in Tibetan scripts: medical, botanical and religious texts belonging to amchi lineages; astrological and ritual texts belonging to chowa lineages; and books of songs and formal speeches belonging to nyawon and molawa lineages.