 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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