Hindu genealogy registers at Haridwar

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Hindu genealogy records of Haridwar

In Haridwar, Uttarakhand, Hindu families keep large, detailed family records on long paper scrolls called bahis, bahi-khata, or vahi. These records are kept by Brahmin priests known locally as Pandas or teerth purohits. The Pandas act as professional genealogists for pilgrims and families visiting the holy city near the Ganges.

What the records are and what they include
- Each family’s page or section lists names, places of origin, birth and death dates, causes of death, residence, caste, and clan (gotra). It also notes marriages and who was present at ceremonies.
- Many records also show land and property details, donations to temples, and the type of ceremonies performed.
- The registers are kept in a patrilineal order, meaning they emphasize male lineages. In older entries, women are rarely named, but modern updates may include them.
- The records are arranged by family and hometown, and the date when a family’s entry was last updated is noted.

How the tradition started and why Haridwar matters
- Hindu families visit Haridwar for sacred rites and bathing in the Ganges. During these journeys, they record events with their family priest, and the details are added to the local bahi.
- Haridwar has long been a center of death rites and rites of passage, so it became a key place for keeping these genealogical records. The town’s Pandas have historically served many families from across northern and western India.

Who keeps the records and how big the tradition is
- There are thousands of Pandas linked to Haridwar, some working in large firms tied to particular regions or villages, others in smaller offices. The number of Pandas in Haridwar is counted in different ways—estimates range from a few hundred to several thousand.
- The people who bring their family records to Haridwar are called yajmāns (clients or pilgrims). They travel to Haridwar to consult their panda, and sometimes to update or add new information.

Why the records are important
- The bahis have been used in legal cases over inheritance and property disputes because they document family history and possessions.
- They also provide social and historical details, such as how clans organized themselves, migrations, and the riches donated to temples and villages over time.
- The records are valued by many Indians for personal, religious, and sentimental reasons, and some families trace famous people back through these genealogies.

Medium, preservation, and modern challenges
- Early records were kept on palm leaves (bhojpatra) or birch, but most surviving material is now on paper scrolls (bahis). The scrolls can be fragile, grow discolored with age, and are threatened by termites, heat, rain, and time.
- Pandas work to preserve the records, sometimes transferring information to newer materials. They also guard the secrecy and accuracy of their own indexing system, which is known mainly to them.
- Because there is no central, up-to-date public registry, finding a specific panda or record can require weeks of searching through various offices and guides.

Modern digitization and current debates
- Since the 1980s, groups like the Genealogical Society of Utah have microfilmed portions of Haridwar’s bahis (as well as records from other pilgrimage sites). Some of these microfilms are stored in the United States, and they are not always shared back with the Pandas.
- FamilySearch and other organizations have published portions of the records online, but only a fraction of the total collection is available publicly. Pandas worry about losing control of their records, and debates continue about who should digitize and how to protect privacy.
- There is a push to preserve the bahis for future generations, but many Pandas remain cautious about digitization. Some see value in digitizing their own collections, while others fear it could threaten their livelihoods or the personal, handwritten nature of the records.
- The number of people visiting Haridwar has fallen in recent years, partly due to changing religious practices and migration. This affects how often genealogical records are updated and how many Pandas remain active.

A broader context
- Haridwar is one of many places in India where similar genealogical records are kept, but it is one of the best-preserved repositories. The tradition is tied to the broader practice of recording family histories across the Hindu world, especially at holy sites along the Ganges and in major pilgrimage centers.

Cultural note
- A film titled Bahi: Tracing My Ancestors was released in 2024 to spotlight the bahi tradition. Across India, Pandas and bahis continue to be a living link to families’ pasts, even as new methods and questions about preservation emerge.