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"Vahivañcāni ( Chronicler's) Vahi" - A Study of Indian Culture
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41. "Vahīvañcā ni ( Chronicler's) Vahī" -
A Study of Indian Culture
Balvant S. Jani
I passed my childhood in a typically traditional Gujarati village. I still remember very well that Dānbhā Bāroț, an old gentleman, used to visit our Ahir Seri at least once a year. We could easily come to know about his visit in advance, as the houses were coated with cowdung for them, and sand was spread in the compound, Dānbhā used to visit us on a black mare. He would get off the mare at the entrance. I have retained his appearance in my memory for all these years,-white upper dress, upper cloth on his shoulder, a long turban, a black teak-wood stick with a silver handle in hand, trimmed moustache and the distinct style of walking, sitting and talking... He used to visit my grandfather and then, leaning on the cushion, would talk to my grandfather about different subjects.
I later came to know from my grand father that Dānbhā was a Bārot chronicler, and used to maintain the records of the Ahir family. He would come to his hosts once a year, and would enter the names of the newborn, and would also narrate the chivalric tales of the ancestors of the family in public. He would have with him the information of about eight to ten generations of a particular family. He used to maintain the records of the dates of birth and death of the members of the family, the details about the donations they gave and the pilgrimages they underwent. Thus, we can get the information about the social as well as the community services of a person from the Vahi (The Record Book maintained by the chronicler). Bārot chroniclers were known as Vahivañcā (One who reads and enters data into the Vahi) and also addressed as "Dev" People believed their statements to be authentic. They were considered to be authentic witnesses, and their oral testimony was respected even in the courts of the state and kings.
The community of Bārot chroniclers is gradually extinguishing now. The Vahis, the record books of these Bārot are very valuable documents of both historical and cultural importance. They have not been reckoned as authentic reference materials for the documentation of our political and social history. The present research tries to elaborate the introductory idea of the Bārot chroniclers initially. It then focuses upon the information got from the Vahis about the dressing system, ornaments, the examples of the rich tradition of donations, constructions of water resources and temples, religious pilgrimages etc. Hence the research tries to point out at the social-cultural image of India with reference to the Indian cultural heritage. This paper tries to expound the Vahis as a new source of information about the rich and diversified Indian culture.
