The Religious Broker
In most Hindu places of
pilgrimage, it's impossible to avoid the community we call Panda (possibly
an abbreviated form of Pandit - a learned man) also referred to as
“hereditary pilgrimage priests”. This description seems apt. Indeed, Pandas are
religious contractors. Without their help and knowledge, many a religious
ritual will remain incomplete.
I doubt he was referring to
a religious artifact!
Anyway, he then declared,
“Please do not enter without
a substantial dakshina. And since you do not know Sanskrit, I must tell
you that your prayers will remain unheard by the Goddess. You let me accompany
you and help you offer your prayers. We can bargain my dakshina later.”
We shook him off with great
difficulty. I am not sure whether the Goddess heard us or not, but we prayed in
the language of faith and respect.
Pandas are known to perform
life-cycle ceremonies for their clients, i.e. worshippers or devotees. Yet,
without meaning to seem overly optimistic, I do feel that individuals who
intentionally misuse their religious authority are far outweighed by genuinely
religious people whose sincerity helps maintain the original ideals of the
Pandas. Like a silhouette under a lamp, these opposites exist beside one
another, and their proximity sharpens the contrast between them. I wonder if
any devotees who encounter Mammon worshippers during their spiritual
quests return from these pilgrimages with an embittered consciousness?
In a Bengali novel, I read
about the role of Pandas from a bygone era. Aside from arranging their clients’
daily and ritual needs, the pandas did whatever necessary to ensure that the
pilgrims’ journey was problem-free - they offered financial help (in the form
of loans) if required, cared for the sick, and provided assistance for a
reasonable price. In an era when travel and communications were less developed,
they were part of an essential support network that is still retained at some
pilgrimage sites. But it's a system being eroded by social change
as sacred sites evolve into economic hubs; the current panda-pilgrim
relationship seems much weaker than the ideal - presuming that it ever existed
in an ideal form - and several emerging trends, some triggered by incidents
similar to mine, have worked to weaken it even more.
Many pilgrims have
ambivalent feelings toward pandas, despite their status as brahmins and their
hereditary connection to pilgrims. One bone of contention are the fees that
pandas charge - these are always open to negotiation and only creates an
adversarial relationship between pandas and the pilgrims. Pandas are clearly
motivated to solicit the largest possible gift (based on their often accurate
assessment of a client’s means and status), whereas clients have clear
incentives to offer less than the “current” rate. Even though the final amount
is always reached by consensus, or what the pandas call “whatever one can give
with a happy heart”, it becomes a transaction marred by competing interests.
Frequently, a devotee is left reeling from rampant consumerism
rather than a feeling of fulfilment after offering prayers.
A panda is supposed to
facilitate our communion with God by acting as a guide to various rituals and
performing rites with us and on our behalf. But this rationale is fading away.
As with any other profession, the Pandasystem seems to be
adapting to the demands of the present day - change I may take with a pinch of
salt today, because tomorrow I might be indebted to a panda for
performing some wish-fulfilling ritual for me.
* a popular song from the
Bollywood movie Dhoom 3
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