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 After
many 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.
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