July 6, 1998

A community dependent on the dead for its living is itself in danger  of dying out.

By Bharat Desai

The weak rays of the sun have barely touched the rippling waters of the Phalgu river when Bacchulal Vitthal begins his chant to the gods. A group of barefoot, dhoti-clad men with tonsured heads listen in solemn silence. A senior panda (priest), Vitthal, like others of his kind, is caught in a time warp in which life follows a centuries-old pattern centred on the Vishnupad temple and the Phalgu. On the river's banks, Vitthal discharges the special responsibility of the Gayawal Brahmins, his community: conduct the last rites of the dead and pray for their salvation.

Such has life been for the Gayawal Brahmin for ages. And such would it continue to be but for community members like Bishnulal Barik. Some would dismiss Barik as a rebel, others would call him a progressive. Two decades ago, he flouted convention to earn a living by teaching Hindi to Japanese tourists. It is but fitting that his 21-year-old daughter Archana should also follow the path less trodden. Having enrolled for a computer course after her graduation, she dreams of becoming a computer professional.

But not everyone is happy about these developments. A disconcerting question has arisen. Would a highly educated girl like Archana find a suitable match within her inward-looking community? "Marriage is the last thing on my mind," says Archana, but Gayawal Brahmins are haunted by fears that she may be forced to marry outside the clan. What if other girls choose to follow her example? Says Vitthal: "Never in the history of the Gayawals has any boy or girl married outside the community." The ostensible reason for this, most Gayawals maintain, is retaining the purity of blood. Though the community has shrunk from 1,484 families to less than 100, the pandas have banned any marriages outside the clan.

All these years it made sense to ensure the genetic exclusivity of the clan. Sadanand Guruda, a panda, is candid enough to acknowledge this. The monopoly over performing the last rites, a lucrative business which the Gayawals wanted to maintain, was a compelling reason, he says. Another panda, Gopal Lal Sijwa, tries to rationalise: "Look at Allahabad where the Prayagwal Brahmins lost to the Saryupari Brahmins or at Benaras where the Narkul Brahmins were eliminated by the Gaur Brahmins." The Brahmins at these places, he says, lost their traditional hold because they allowed inter-community marriages.

The Gayawals, however, have been uncompromising, with the result that there often is a shortage of brides and grooms among Gayawals. Only half a dozen marriages are held in the community every year. Says a Gayawal, Bacchulal Choudhary: "It does not matter even if the girl is up to five years older than the boy. There are hardly any options." The only silver lining is that as all the families are linked in some way or the other, there is no dowry system.

Shivlal Vitthal, also a panda, feels that though marriages within the clan may have helped them maintain their hold over the religious rites at Gaya, they have had to pay a heavy price for it. "Our numbers are going down. Our children are physically weaker than others and not as mentally sharp," he says. Gynaecologist Usha Laxmi feels that a majority of the health problems that the community faces is because of "a limited gene pool".

Times are tough for the Gayawals. Dakshina (donations) from the pilgrims have decreased substantially. "Today, few people are driven by religious sentiments or love for their ancestors. They come to Gaya more because of social pressure," says Guruda. Some of the younger pandas have taken up other jobs. Says Ajay Lal Guput, who has a cold drinks stall in the Vishnupad temple complex: "There is no respect in being a panda. Everyday, one has to beg from pilgrims. Selling soft drinks is more respectable." Guput's voice may soon find an echo in many others from his clan. With time, a community whose existence revolves around performing the last rites of the dead, may find itself in danger of dying out.

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