Kashmiri Panda in Haridwar
An Officer's Diary
By Chandra Kanta Gariyali (IAS)
 After any more years, in Oct. 1999, I was invited to attend a
training programme at the National Academy of Administration. I decided to take
this opportunity to visit Haridwar once again. My daughter had got married in
the month of January. Many Hindus believe that one should have a thanksgiving
bath in Ganges after
performing the marriage of the daughter, hence it was an ideal opportunity to
visit Haridwar. This time I made a second visit to the seat of Kashmiri Panda. I
was met by one of the brothers Shri Sanjay Kumar Sharma and his elder brother.
According to them their family has been attending to Kashmiri pilgrims for
twelve generations and four hundred years (from Samvat 2056 of Hindu calendar).
They are not sure if their ancestors came from Kashmir or not. However, one of
their early ancestors was called Shri Kanth which is a typically Kashmiri name.
Earlier there were several families of Kashmiri Pandas but in due course of time
the records in the other families were purchased by this family and today the
brothers and cousins exercise monopoly on Kashmiri Pandit clientele. Between the
families the pilgrim records are divided as the property.
Originally
there were about 2500 Thirtha Purohits (Pilgrimage Priests) in Haridwar but now
the number has dwindled to 1700. These Purohits are different from the Ghat
purohits (the river bank priest) and enjoy a better status than Ghat purohits
who may or may not be genuine, where as a Purohit, with a tradition of twelve
generations and four hundred years of records behind him, enjoys enormous
credibility in a slippery pilgrim city. They are to attend to the needs of all
the Hindus coming to Haridwar from across the globe. The regions and the
geographical areas of India are divided among the different families of the
priest. Today when the Hindu community has spread to all parts of the world the
distribution of the clients still works out on the basis of the original place
of inhabitation in India. A Kashmiri family living in USA, UK or Australia will
still be attended by the Kashmiri Panda.
Till
recently, clients stayed with the pandas. When there was no custom of staying in
hotels etc., people stayed with their priest. That way they felt more safe
particularly when they were traveling with the family and women. They could
trust the panda. If somebody was robbed enroute or his pocket was picked, panda
would also lend him money to complete the pilgrimage and the money will be
returned to Panda later. In this type of circumstances Panda also acted as ones
bank or traveler's cheque. Panda also protected clients from cheats and thugs
who were rampant in the past centuries. In olden days people generally did not
eat outside their homes due to superstition and ideas of purity and impurity and
normally preferred to eat food cooked by a Brahmin, considering it to be more
clean, hygienic and unpolluted. According to Sanjayji till fifty years ago
clients ate with Kashmiri Panda who were well versed in cooking vegetarian
Kashmiri cuisine. The preferred menu in Haridwar then seemed to have been chamam
(paneer), Hakh (kadam greens), rice and Kahwa (milkless green tea spiced with
cardamoms, saffron and almonds). However, with the coming up of hotels and
Kashmiri Dharamshala the clients had to no more stay with the pandas. It is a
very sad reality that Kashmiri Pandit Dharamshala, near Ratan Talkies, today is
in a very dilapidated condition. There is lack of water facility and practically
no one stays there though there is a cake taker of some sort existing. Perhaps
it will be useful that the members of the Kashmiri Association in Delhi have a look at it and take a decision on raising some
funds to repair the Dhramshala.
The main
objective of a family coming to Haridwar is to immerse the mortal remains of the
near and dear ones into the holy Ganges as well as carry out the rituals which could help their souls
to attain eternal peace. The important ritual is the ritual of Pinda Dhana (the gift of the
Pinda). In this connection families are assisted by Pandas. These rituals are
thoroughly described in the ancient scripture of Garuda Purana. A Pinda is made
of cooked rice or rice flour. The spirit of the dead relative is invoked into
the Pinda. It is believed that Pret (the ghost) is around for ten days. Five
Pindas are given on the day of death and one each given for the next nine days.
At the time of immersing the ashes into the Ganges one Pinda is given three times. On the eleventh day
thirty-two Pindas are given. On the 12th day the dead is supposed to unite with
his ancestors like father, grandfather and great grandfather and hence four
Pindas are given. In all fifty two Pindas are given. Wheat is not used in Pinda Dhana because rice is
supposed to be the original food.
In addition,
the ritual consists of giving food to thirteen Brahmins for thirteen days. The
clothes, seat (assan), mala, money, food and articles belonging to the dead are
also given as an offering. Apart from Haridwar other important places for Pinda
dhan in north India
are Shri 'Gayaji, the place where Buddha achieved enlightenment and Brahma
Kapali Badrinathji. According to Sanjayji the number of persons making
pilgrimages is not decreasing, but is increasing due to the impact of TV serials
like Ramayana and Mahabharata. People continue to come with great love,
affection and devotion.
The contact address for Kashmiri Panda:
Radhey Shyam Ji Hari Shyam
Ji
Kashmiri Panda
Opposite Ganga Talkies, Upper road
Haridwar, Uttar Pradesh, India
Phone:427195, 450498
Residential : Karamchand Ki Haveli
Jawala Pur, Haridwar, UP,
India.
Source: Kashmir
Sentinel
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