Panda with Punjab connection

Ramesh Seth meets Dadhiwala Panda in Gaya who says he and his ancestors are indebted to the Punjabi paltan

Gaya in Bihar is not only famous for Bodh Gaya where Lord Buddha attained Enlightenment, but is also a centre where Hindus perform final pind-daan for the departed ancestors. Many years ago, I had accompanied my father to Gaya to perform the last rites of my grandfather.

The train reached Gaya late in the evening. As we got down we were surrounded by a group of Pandas seeking information about which part of India we belonged to. When my father said Punjab, they told us that we should meet Dadhiwala Panda, who had monopoly of clients from Punjab, and whose retainers then took charge.

Next morning, we went to meet our Panda, the Dadhiwala Panda. He did not go out of the house. He had engaged some understudies to go with the clients and get the rites performed on his behalf. He was around 45 and had grown long beard but the head was duly tonsured.

My father asked him the origin of his appellation, Dadhiwala Panda. He smiled and said, "It was due to the Punjabi paltan that our family survived the 1857 massacre by the British. This is a small payback."

We were intrigued to hear about the Punjabi paltan in Gaya and its connection with the 1857 massacre. Sensing our curiosity he told us that during the First War of Independence in 1857, this part of Bihar was in the thick of rebellion. Initially the Indians routed the British and gained control of the whole region. But it was a short-lived glory. Soon after, there was acute disunity among the Indians which led to their downfall.

The British soon regrouped. With the aid of the loyal army, especially the Sikh paltan from Punjab, they reasserted themselves. One after the other they re-conquered whatever they had lost. Soon the British won control of entire Bihar. Thereafter, they started killing local people of Gaya and other parts of Bihar, including most of the local Pandas to teach them a lesson.

It was during this period that the then ancestor of the present Panda fell into the hands of Punjabi paltan serving there. Luckily, he was treated humanely by soldiers of the regiment and was given protection. Had he fallen to the lot of the British, he too would have lost his life.

Although Sikhs do not believe in rites like pind-daan, still when they came to know that Hindus needed priests like him to perform such last rites, the paltan decided to protect him. Then it struck a deal with the Panda.

The paltan assured him clientele of Punjab if he was ready to accept two conditions. First, he would have to grow beard like the Sikhs and would never cut or even trim it so long as he lived and performed pandagiri. The growing of the beard must continue from generation to generation. The second condition was that the Panda would never pester any of his clients for money and let the client give whatever money he gave of his own will.

The Panda was only too glad to agree to the conditions. While his life was saved in the holocaust, he also got the exclusive clientele of Punjab. Growing beard was a minor inconvenience. So, the bargain was made and he struck to his part of the bargain. Since then, all his sons who succeeded to the Pandaship have grown beard and thereby earned the appellation of Dadhiwala Panda for their house.

We then left for performing the religious rites. On our day of return, we went back to the meet the Panda at his house. There my father paid the dakshina. We thought the matter was over but the most interesting finale took place just then.

The Panda smiled and said, "Look, I had told you we are not expected to pester any client for money. However, our 100 generations of Brahminical tradition do not get washed away in mere five. Therefore, one of our ancestors had devised another family tradition we follow. Now I will bind your wrists with a string of flowers and then beat your hand with flowers saying, ‘Give me something more.’ That will satisfy 100 generations old tradition. Mind you I am not trying to pester you as the Pandas normally do. And please feel free to give anything you feel like, even if it is only one rupee. I will not say anything thereafter. Anything is acceptable to me." The way he put it my father started laughing. And then he gave some more money.

HOME