The Maithil Panji-pabandh: a record as a source of History.

.by Bhavanath Jha on Monday, September 20, 2010 at 2:39pm.

The genealogical tables or record is called panji-Prabandh or Panji in Mithila. This record was compiled at first in 14th century and edited traditionally by many record-keepers, panjïkãras. A later prominent compiler Pandit Raghudeva from panduya family gives an account of the origion of Panji-prabandh. He indicates that the king Harisimhadeva of karnata dynasty was born in Shak era 1216, i.e. 1294 A.D. After 32 years of the birth of the king the panji was made by brahmins. Thus the panji got started in 1326 A.D. In the second part of this verse Raghudeva says that since that period the compilation of families of brahmins and their origin was called “Vishwachakra”. This “Vishwachakra” an ancient panji was submitted by those record-keepers to me i.e. Raghudeva. The original text is as follows:

Śake śrï harisimhadevanŗpateh bhüpãrktulye janih.

Tasmãd dantmitebdake dvijagaņaih paňjiprabandhah kŗtah.

Tasmãd vai dvijabïjivamśakalitam yad vishvacakram purã.

Tad viprãya samarpitam sukŗitine śãntãya sarvãrthine.

In the fourth line sukŗitine śãntãya and sarvãrthine are singular and come for only Raghudeva, the orator, not for another. Here also clear that the king Harisimhadeva was not involved in making the panji. The mention of the king is only for the determination of the time.

In the second verse Pandita Raghudeva took an oath to make determination of panji, which was full of confusions made by time to time and make it clear. The original text of this oath is as follows:

Brahmaņãnãm samutpattim tadvïjikathanam tathã.

Karomi Raghudevãkhyah pãņduh paňjiviniścayam

The word paňjiviniścayam the determination indicates that the panji received by Raghudev was subject to correction and it also indicates the long period between the first compilation of the panji and Pandit Raghudeva. Pandit Govind Jha a prominent scholar really says that Raghudeva from Pandu family was the contemporary of M.M. Mahesh Thakur, the founder king of Khandavala dynasty in Mithila in the period of Mughal king Akavar. (Ateetaloka : Panji Paramparak udbhava Evam Vikas. Page: 14). Thus we see the modern panji developed in two phases 1326 A. D. to 1556 A.D. and thereafter till modern days.

Structure of the panji



The panji is a record of name, father’s name, village, maternal grandfather’s name, and that village from where his ancestors came to the recent village. A part of the panji is exampled here. The Panji of Oinavar dynasty of Mithila quoted by M.M. Parameshwar Jha in his famous book Mithila-tattva-vimarsh, history of Mithila is as follows:

Rãjapaņdit kãmeshvarsutãh raja-bhogïśvar-mahãmahattak-kusumeshvar-mahãrãdhirãja bhaveśvah marãth sam bhïmapãl dau. An. Maharaja bhavaśvara-suta kumar harasimhah koilï jãlaya sam chïtara dau. Aparau kumar-tripurasimha samasta-prakriyãvirãjamãn haribhaktiparãyaņa mahãrãdhirãja devasimhau bhutharïvãsi prajnakara dau. Maharaja devasimhasutau samastaetyãdi śivasimha-samastetyãdi-padmasimha jãlaya sam mahãmaho rãmeśvara dau. Kumarasimhasutãh maharaja ratnasimha prasiddha darpanãrãyaņa-rãjaratãyï-rãjavijayanãrãyaņa- rãjavïranãrãyaņãh ãdyah phanadaha sam vãsudevadau aparã narona sam dãmodara dau.

Here it is clear that the panji is originally a documentation of personality. The record also indicates the scholarship of a person. Mahãmahopãdhyãya, Mahopãdhyãya, Sadupãdhyãya, Tarkapaňcãnana ( a logic philosopher), Vaiyãkaraņa (a grammarian), Jyotişi (an astrologer), Sukavi (a poet) etc. are mentioned with the name. Somewhere the work of the person is also mentioned as we see in this part: chãdan sam tattvacintãmaņikãrak mahãmahopãdhyãya paramaguru gangeśvarah. Here gangeshvar or Gangesh upadhyay is mentioned as the writer of the book Tattvachintamani, the famous work of Navya-nyaya philosophy.

If a person bears an administrative post, the panji also indicates the designation. We see in the panji of the famous poet Vidyapati the designation sãndhivigrãhika (minister in charge of peace and war) with Devaditya, Rajavallabh (kings friend) with Bhavaditya, Pãrņãgãrika (together with the fields serving betel to the guest, i.e.reception-in charge) with Vishweshwar, Mahavãrtika (Investigation in charge) and Naivandhika (registrar) with Dheereshwar, mahãmahattak (a Chamberlain) with Guneshvar, sthãnãntarika ( superintendent of encampment or transfer of the king’s residence from one camp to another) with Haradutta and Mudrãhastaka (official in charge of the royal seal) with Lakshmidutta.

These titles and designations are authentic because those are included in the panji by contemporary record-keepers, Panjikar time to time. Thus the panji is a pioneer resource of the history of Mithila.

This panji also indicates the relationship between two persons. In this manner it is used to determine the non-relationship between bride and groom for marriage. It also help to know the names of ancestors used at the time of performing the ancestral-worship, rituals in Gaya and other places.

Unfortunately, now this important record is in pitiable condition. A large number of palm-leaf and paper manuscripts were washed away in flood and many more destroyed in devastating fire and some were graved in earth-quakes. Now some manuscripts are scattered in villages to villages and many more are in the possession of a few old-aged panjikars, who has locked them only for his business, earning money on the occasion of marriage, giving a certificate of non-relationship between the bride and the groom. I have no information of any published book of Panji. Oh! A pioneer record of the history of Mithila is on route to grave.

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