Banjhakri and Banjhakrini

Banjhākri and Banjhākrini are shamanic deities in the tradition of the Kirati people of Nepal and Sikkim, Darjeeling, and Kalimpong in India.

Banjhākri is a short, wild, simian trickster who is a descendant of the Sun.

Long, matted hair covers his entire body, except for his face and palms,[2] and he plays a golden dhyāngro.

Banjhākri finds human children who have the potential to be great shamans, and takes them back to his cave for training.

[2] One anthropologist, Homayun Sidky, has suggested that Banjhākri is a therianthrope; a humanoid who changes into a non-human animal form.