Panda

A hereditary priest who assists pilgrims
with any rituals they may need or desire
to perform, and also with any other
needs that the pilgrims may have. Each
panda family in any given pilgrimage
place (tirtha) has the exclusive rights to
serve pilgrims coming from a particular
geographical area or areas; pilgrims are
supposed to seek out the panda serving
their native region, whether or not the
pilgrims still live in that place. On every
visit, pilgrims will make an entry in the
panda’s pilgrim register (bahi), detailing
the names of those who visited and the
reason that they came. Some of these
registers date back hundreds of years,
and the documents are the ultimate
proof of the hereditary connection
between panda and pilgrim families. In
earlier times this hereditary relationship
was essential for the pilgrims, since their
connection with their pandas provided
resources while traveling—lodging,
food, and other sorts of support. The
pandas would minister to their clients,
arrange for any needed rites, and even
lend them money, if necessary. Pilgrims
would usually give the panda a token
gift when they departed, along with a
pledge for some larger amount, which
the pandas would travel to their homes
to pick up.
Although pandas are often characterized as greedy and rapacious—based on
their tendency to demand what they
think a client is able to pay—in its ideal
form both parties benefit from the relationship. In recent years, the pandas
have become less central figures in
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Panchayatana (“five-abode”) Puja
many pilgrimage places, and consequently, their status and their income
have declined. Many pilgrimage places
have been developed as sites for religious tourism, and hotels and facilities
that have been built at these places have
rendered pilgrims less dependent on
their pandas for accommodation. At the
same time, recent years have seen a general decline in the performance of ritual
acts, except for the most important, particularly those connected with death.