| Panji System in Mithila | |
|---|---|
 Genealogical Records in Mithila | |
| Founded | 1327 AD |
| Founder | King Harisimha Deva |
| Distributor(s) | Panjikar |
| Genre | Genealogical Records in Mithila |
| Country of origin | India |
| Location | Mithila region |
| Writing "Siddhanta" | |
Panjis or Panji Prabandh are extensive genealogical records maintained among the Maithil Kayasthas and Maithil Brahmins of the Mithila region similar to the Hindu genealogy registers at Haridwar. [1]
It is said that the Panji system was not in use until the second decade of the 14th century CE. Those days people sporadically had lineage introductions. Therefore, marriage decisions were based on the remembrance or names of ancestors and Gotra, etc. [2] According to PanjikarVidyanand Jha alias Mohanji, the Panji system came into existence after a dispute in 1326 AD over the marriage of a minister of the King Harisimha Deva, to the sister of a distant relative. After that the King Harisimha Deva decided to make a genealogy of every person in Mithila so that such a situation does not arise. On the orders of the Maharaja, the Vishwachakra Sammelan was held at Jamsam of Pandaul in Madhubani district. [3] The Panji System was introduced in 1327 AD by the King Harisimha Deva of Karnat Dynasty in Mithila. It was the system of registration of genealogical records of the family. The Panjikar (registrar) was responsible for collecting information about the genealogies of the people in the area and registering it in the register (Panji). It was helpful in identifying the clan or Gotra of a particular family for marriage purpose. [4] The information recorded in the Panjis are Vamsha - Vriksha ( genealogical family tree ), Biji Purush (earliest known ancestor), mool (village of origin of the earliest ancestor), shakhas (village of the diversification of the descendants of the ancestor) and Gotra, etc. [5] The first Panjikar was Gunakar Jha. [3]
During the Darbhanga Raj period, there was a 10 years course of study at the court of Darbhanga Raj to become a Panjikar. A candidate who wished to become a Panjikar, had to enrolled in the course. Then the candidate had to appear in the Dhaut Pariksha . After successfully passing the examination of Dhaut Pariksha, the candidate was given the status of a Panjikar or registrar. [2] It is said that after the end of Darbhanga Raj, the Dhaut Pariksha also ended and after that the selection process of the Panjikar become hereditary. [2]
The Panjis have enormous value when arranging marriages, as they ensure that incestuous relationships do not occur, delineating the last 07 generations from the paternal side and 06 generations from the maternal side of the prospective bride and groom. When it is proved that there has been no relationship for seven generations, the Panjikar (registrar) grants the marriage. The horoscopes of the couples are also matched based on the Janmpatri (birth chart) and horoscope. This process of registration for the marriage of a couples is popularly called as Siddhanta in Mithila. [4]
The Maithil Kayasthas and Maithil Brahmin delegates assembled in a conference to deliberate upon new marriage alliances duly checked with the respective panjikars at a place near Madhubani of India called as Saurath. the conference itself was called Saurath Sabha .
Due to progressive loss of Panjis, Panjikars taking up modern professions and increasing cosmopolitan behaviour, the practice of fixation of marriage by consulting Panjis is dying. There have been cases reported of sale of Panjis to foreign agencies . The recent Saurath sabhas are all but deserted . Increasingly, people are looking forward to more modern methods of match making like internet, rather than centuries old palm leaves.
Since in the modern era Saurath Sabha is losing the preferences for wedding negotiations place and the next generation of the families of the Panjikars are also not interested in the profession of Panjikars and they are shifting towards other jobs, there was threat to lose the handwritten genealogical records forever. It is said that Mithila region has more than four lakhs manuscripts of the genealogical records of the Maithil Brahmins and Karan Kayasthas. Therefore in 2017, the National Mission for Manuscripts initiated a mission for the digitisation of the handwritten manuscripts of the Panjis at Saurath Sabha in Mithila region. According to the National Mission for Manuscripts, the officers are facing many difficulties while convincing for digitisation of the handwritten genealogical records. [6]
Maithili is an Indo-Aryan language spoken in parts of India and Nepal. It is native to the Mithila region, which encompasses parts of the Indian states of Bihar and Jharkhand as well as the Nepalese Koshi and Madhesh Provinces. It is one of the 22 official languages of India and the second most commonly spoken Nepalese language. It is also one of the fourteen provincial official languages of Nepal.
Darbhanga is the fifth largest city and municipal corporation in the state of Bihar in India, and is considered an important city in North Bihar. It serves as the headquarters of the Darbhanga district and the Darbhanga division. It is held that the name Darbhanga has been derived from Dwar Banga or Dari – Banga, meaning the 'door of Bengal'.
Maithils, also known as Maithili people, are an Indo-Aryan ethno-linguistic group from the Indian subcontinent, who speak the Maithili language as their native language. They inhabit the Mithila region, which comprises Northern and Eastern Bihar and Northeastern Jharkhand in India and some adjoining districts of Nepal constituting Madhesh Province in addition to some terai districts of Bagmati and Koshi Provinces.
Panji may refer to:
Maithil Karna Kayasthak Panjik Sarvekshan is a book written by Binod Bihari Verma in Maithili. It is a research study on the available ancient manuscripts in the Mithila region, called as Panjis, which are genealogical charts of Maithil Brahmin and Kayasthas castes. This study deals with the manuscripts available in respect of Karna Kayasthas.
Saurath Sabha is a historical village situated approximately 6 km northeast of Madhubani in the Madhubani district of Bihar, India. It is famous for its annual gathering of thousands of Maithil Brahman to match couples during the Hindu months of Jyestha-Aasadh. The gathering is organised in an orchard covering 22 acres (bighas) of land, which are said to have been donated by the Maharaja of Darbhanga. It is an important social event in India that is focused on arranged marriages between Maithil men and women according to a reading of their lineage history by the registrars (Panjikars).
Mithila, also known as Tirhut, Tirabhukti and Mithilanchal, is a geographical and cultural region of the Indian subcontinent bounded by the Mahananda River in the east, the Ganges in the south, the Gandaki River in the west and by the foothills of the Himalayas in the north. It comprises certain parts of Bihar and Jharkhand of India and adjoining districts of the Koshi Province, Bagmati Pradesh and Madhesh Province of Nepal. The native language in Mithila is Maithili, and its speakers are referred to as Maithils.
Mithila is a geographical and cultural region located in the Indian subcontinent. The native language is known as Maithili and its speakers are referred to as Maithils. The majority of the Mithila region falls within modern-day India, more specifically in the state of Bihar. Mithila is bounded in the north by the Himalayas, and in the south, west and east by the Ganges, Gandaki and Mahananda respectively. It extends into the southeastern Terai of Nepal. This region was also called Tirabhukti, the ancient name of Tirhut.
Mithila culture or Maithil culture refers to the culture which originated in the Mithila region of the Indian subcontinent. Mithila comprises Tirhut, Darbhanga, Kosi, Purnia, Munger, Bhagalpur and Santhal Pargana divisions of India and adjoining provinces of Province No. 1, Bagmati Pradesh, and Madhesh Province of Nepal.
Maithil Brahmins are the Indo-Aryan Hindu Brahmin community originating from the Mithila region of the Indian subcontinent that comprises Tirhut, Darbhanga, Kosi, Purnia, Munger, Bhagalpur and Santhal Pargana divisions of India and some adjoining districts of Nepal. They are one of the five Pancha-Gauda Brahmin communities. The main language spoken by Maithil Brahmins is Maithili.
Karan Kayastha is a community of Kayasthas that inhabit Orissa and the Mithila region, a region now divided between India and Nepal.
Mithila Student Union (MSU) (Maithili : मिथिला स्टूडेंट यूनियन) is a non-political student organisation whose sole purpose is the development of Mithila and Maithils living in India. It is one of the largest student organisations in Bihar. It is a registered organization under the provisions of the Societies Registration Act, 1860 under the Indian constitution. Anup Maithil is the founder president of Mithila Student Union. They mostly keep Mithila Art Boarded Maroon Gamchha on their Sholder which is the Symbol of Passion, Love, Bravery and Courage.
Gopal Jee Thakur is an Indian Politician from the Bharatiya Janata Party, and a Member of Parliament representing Darbhanga in Bihar, India.
Mithila Makhana is a special variety of aquatic fox nut cultivated in Mithila region of Bihar and Nepal. In Mithila, Makhana is also termed as Makhan. It is one of the three prestigious cultural identities of Mithila: Pond, Fish and Makhan "पग-पग पोखर, माछ, मखान ". It is also famous in Kojagara festival of Maithil Brahmins and Kaysath celebrated for newly married couples. Makhana contains protein and fiber, along with micronutrients like calcium, magnesium, iron, and phosphorus.
Mahesha Thakura was the ruler of Mithila in the 16th century. He made his capital in the northwest of Sarisab-Pahi and Rajgram. He was also wrote some treatises and commentaries on astronomy and Indian philosophy. He was gifted the Kingdom of Mithila for his scholarly wisdom by the Mughal emperor. He established the Khandwala dynasty in Mithila, later known as Raj Darbhanga, in 1527.
Musaharniya Dih is an archeological site in Madhubani district of the Mithila region in Bihar, India. It is located at Paston village around 40 km distance from the district headquarter. The site is claimed as either Buddhist Mahavihara or ruins of the royal palace of King Hari Singh Dev of the Karnat dynasty in Mithila.
Pandit Lal Das was a Maithili poet, writer and composer known by the sobriquet Mahakavi during 19th century CE in the Mithila region of Bihar. He was a scholar of Maithili, Sanskrit, Hindi and Persian languages.
Dhaut Pariksha or Dhout Pariksha was the highest examination system established in Mithila during the Darbhanga Raj Kingdom.