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A pandit (Sanskrit: पण्डितः, romanized: paṇḍita; Hindi: पंडित;^[1] also spelled pundit, pronounced /ˈpʌndɪt, ˈpændɪt/;^[2] abbreviated Pt. or Pdt.) is an individual with specialised knowledge or a teacher of any field of knowledge in Hinduism,^[1] particularly the Vedic scriptures, dharma, or Hindu philosophy; in colonial-era literature, the term generally refers to lawyers specialized in Hindu law.^[3] Whereas, today the title is used for experts in other subjects, such as music.^[4]^[5] Pandit entered English as the loanword pundit, referring to a person who offers opinion in an authoritative manner on a particular subject area (typically politics, the social sciences, technology or sport), usually through the mass media.^[6] Ustad is the equivalent title for a Muslim man in the musical sense.^[5] The equivalent titles for a Hindu woman are Vidushi,^[7]^[8] Pandita, or Panditain;^[9] however, these titles are not currently in widespread use.^[10]

In Sanskrit, pandit generally refers to any "wise, educated or learned man" with specialized knowledge.^[11] The term is derived from paṇḍ (पण्ड्) which means "to collect, heap, pile up", and this root is used in the sense of knowledge.^[12] The term is found in Vedic and post-Vedic texts, but without any sociological context.

Pandit as a title in Hindustani classical music

Pandit (abbreviated as Pt. and written as पंडीत/पंडित in Marathi/Hindi) is an honorific title for an expert person in Indian classical singing and instrumental playing, used for an Indian musician. It is used in Hindustani classical music to recognize master performers for classical singing and other performing arts, like classical dance.^[13] It is used as a music title. The title is awarded to musicians by their teachers, prominent individuals, or members of their gharana in recognition of their expertise.^[14] It is used in various languages including Kannada, Marathi, Hindi, Bengali, Punjabi and other languages which are there in India. An Indian woman, who is an expert in Indian classical music, is given the title of pandita or vidushi. Ustad is the equivalent title for a Muslim man.

Usage

Titles of pandit (and even ustad) are appended informally to the names of classical singers and players by their admirers, individuals or institutions, once they have reached eminence in their performing art, especially on public performances. As they are informal titles, mentioning names of eminent singers without those appendages is acceptable, unlike prefixes like Dr. awarded formally by educational institutions.^[14]

The title pandit of a classical musician and the pandit which is used as a title given to a knowledgeable person, are different.

Synonym

As ustad is equivalent to pandit but used for a Muslim man, similarly a music title that is equivalent to pandit and used for an Indian man itself is given the title of vidwan. Generally this title is given to a male Carnatic classical singer or instrument player. One prominent example is Vidwan Thetakudi Harihara Vinayakram.

For a female Carnatic classical singer or musician, the title of Vidushi is given.

Equivalent titles for women are Vidushi^[7]^[8] or Pandita (Sanskrit: पण्डिता, romanized: paṇḍitā; Hindi: पंडित).

Kashmiri surname

The Kashmiri Pandits are a Hindu clan from the Kashmir Valley in Jammu and Kashmir. Pandit as a last name is used by both Kashmiri Hindus and Kashmiri Muslim of Hindu lineage.^[15]

References

^ ^a ^b Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Pundit" . Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 22 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. p. 649.
^ "pandit" Archived 2014-10-21 at the Wayback Machine. Random House Webster's Unabridged Dictionary.
^ Timothy Lubin; Donald R. Davis Jr; Jayanth K. Krishnan (2010). Hinduism and Law: An Introduction. Cambridge University Press. p. 8. ISBN 978-1-139-49358-1.
^ ^a ^b Axel Michaels; Barbara Harshav (2004). Hinduism: Past and Present. Princeton University Press. p. 190. ISBN 978-0-691-08952-2. Archived from the original on 2023-11-17. Retrieved 2016-10-23.
^ ^a ^b Daniel Neuman (1980). The Life of Music in North India. Wayne State University Press. p. 44.
^ "Definition of Pundit". Merriam-Webster. 22 February 2024. Retrieved 25 February 2024.
^ ^a ^b "Behind the titles". Archived from the original on 2021-06-24. Retrieved 2021-06-23.
^ ^a ^b https://www3.nd.edu/~adutt/Links/documents/NagandGhosh2016.pdf Archived 2021-11-18 at the Wayback Machine ^{[bare URL PDF]}
^ "Overlooked No More: Pandita Ramabai, Indian Scholar, Feminist and Educator". The New York Times. 14 November 2018. Archived from the original on 11 March 2022. Retrieved 23 June 2021.
^ "The sitar from different angles (Pt. 2): Modern players, global experiments". Archived from the original on 2021-06-25. Retrieved 2021-06-25.
^ Monier Monier-Williams (1872). A Sanskrit-English Dictionary. Oxford University Press. p. 527. Archived from the original on 2023-11-17. Retrieved 2016-10-23.
^ Monier Monier-Williams (1872). A Sanskrit-English Dictionary. Oxford University Press. pp. 526–527. Archived from the original on 2023-11-17. Retrieved 2016-10-23.
^ Jafa, Navina (April 2021). "Meet Pt. Birju Maharaj, the poet". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 2021-06-25. Retrieved 2021-06-25.
^ ^a ^b "Pandit title usage". Archived from the original on 2024-01-26. Retrieved 2021-03-01.
^ Brower, Barbara; Johnston, Barbara Rose (2016). Disappearing Peoples?: Indigenous Groups and Ethnic Minorities in South and Central Asia. Routledge. p. 130. ISBN 9781315430393. Archived from the original on 2024-01-26. Retrieved 2023-05-22. : "Sheikh: local converts, subdivided into numerous subgroups. Most largely retain their family names, or patronyms (kram), indicating their original profession, locality or community-such as Khar (carpenter), Pampori (a place), Butt and Pandit (Brahmin), Dar (kshatriya)-but with increasing Islamization, some have dropped these"

External links

Media related to Pandit at Wikimedia Commons

[EB1911-1] Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Pundit" . Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 22 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. p. 649.

[2] "pandit" Archived 2014-10-21 at the Wayback Machine. Random House Webster's Unabridged Dictionary.

[3] Timothy Lubin; Donald R. Davis Jr; Jayanth K. Krishnan (2010). Hinduism and Law: An Introduction. Cambridge University Press. p. 8. ISBN 978-1-139-49358-1.

[michaelsharshav190-4] Axel Michaels; Barbara Harshav (2004). Hinduism: Past and Present. Princeton University Press. p. 190. ISBN 978-0-691-08952-2. Archived from the original on 2023-11-17. Retrieved 2016-10-23.

[Daniel_Neuman_1980_44-5] Daniel Neuman (1980). The Life of Music in North India. Wayne State University Press. p. 44.

[6] "Definition of Pundit". Merriam-Webster. 22 February 2024. Retrieved 25 February 2024.

[Behind_the_titles-7] "Behind the titles". Archived from the original on 2021-06-24. Retrieved 2021-06-23.

[www3.nd.edu-8] ttps://www3.nd.edu/~adutt/Links/documents/NagandGhosh2016.pdf Archived 2021-11-18 at the Wayback Machine ^{[bare URL PDF]}

[nytimes.com-9] "Overlooked No More: Pandita Ramabai, Indian Scholar, Feminist and Educator". The New York Times. 14 November 2018. Archived from the original on 11 March 2022. Retrieved 23 June 2021.

[10] "The sitar from different angles (Pt. 2): Modern players, global experiments". Archived from the original on 2021-06-25. Retrieved 2021-06-25.

[11] Monier Monier-Williams (1872). A Sanskrit-English Dictionary. Oxford University Press. p. 527. Archived from the original on 2023-11-17. Retrieved 2016-10-23.

[12] Monier Monier-Williams (1872). A Sanskrit-English Dictionary. Oxford University Press. pp. 526–527. Archived from the original on 2023-11-17. Retrieved 2016-10-23.

[13] Jafa, Navina (April 2021). "Meet Pt. Birju Maharaj, the poet". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 2021-06-25. Retrieved 2021-06-25.

[Pandit_title_usage-14] "Pandit title usage". Archived from the original on 2024-01-26. Retrieved 2021-03-01.

[15] Brower, Barbara; Johnston, Barbara Rose (2016). Disappearing Peoples?: Indigenous Groups and Ethnic Minorities in South and Central Asia. Routledge. p. 130. ISBN 9781315430393. Archived from the original on 2024-01-26. Retrieved 2023-05-22. : "Sheikh: local converts, subdivided into numerous subgroups. Most largely retain their family names, or patronyms (kram), indicating their original profession, locality or community-such as Khar (carpenter), Pampori (a place), Butt and Pandit (Brahmin), Dar (kshatriya)-but with increasing Islamization, some have dropped these"

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@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
+{{Short description|Scholar or teacher of Hindu law, philosophy or music}}
-{{three other uses||pandit in other contexts|Pandita (disambiguation)|the type of media consultant|Pundit|an explorer|Pundit (explorer)}}
+{{Other uses|Pandit (disambiguation)}}
-{{Multiple issues|
+[[File:A young Pandit holding the lamp of fire.jpg|thumb|245x245px|A young pandit holding the lamp of fire]]
-{{cleanup|reason=Article is full of unsourced contents|date=November 2014}}
+A '''pandit''' ({{langx|sa|पण्डितः|paṇḍita}}; {{langx|hi|पंडित}};<ref name="EB1911">{{cite EB1911 |wstitle=Pundit |volume=22 |page=649}}</ref> also spelled '''pundit''', pronounced {{IPAc-en|ˈ|p|ʌ|n|d|ɪ|t|,_|ˈ|p|æ|n|d|ɪ|t}};<ref>[http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/pandit "pandit"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141021035615/http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/pandit |date=2014-10-21 }}. ''[[Random House Webster's Unabridged Dictionary]]''.</ref> abbreviated '''Pt.''' or '''Pdt.''') is an individual with specialised knowledge or a teacher of any field of knowledge in [[Hinduism]],<ref name="EB1911" /> particularly the [[Vedas|Vedic]] scriptures, [[dharma]], or [[Hindu philosophy]]; in colonial-era literature, the term generally refers to lawyers specialized in [[Hindu law]].<ref>{{cite book|author1=Timothy Lubin|author2=Donald R. Davis Jr|author3=Jayanth K. Krishnan|title=Hinduism and Law: An Introduction|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=MtuhClbfL7EC |year=2010|publisher=Cambridge University Press |isbn=978-1-139-49358-1 |pages=8 }}</ref> Whereas, today the title is used for experts in other subjects, such as [[music]].<ref name="michaelsharshav190">{{cite book|author1=Axel Michaels|author2=Barbara Harshav|title=Hinduism: Past and Present|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=jID3TuoiOMQC&pg=PA190|year=2004|publisher=Princeton University Press|isbn=978-0-691-08952-2|pages=190|access-date=2016-10-23|archive-date=2023-11-17|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231117104504/https://books.google.com/books?id=jID3TuoiOMQC&pg=PA190#v=onepage&q&f=false|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="Daniel Neuman 1980 44">{{cite book|author=Daniel Neuman|title=The Life of Music in North India|year=1980|publisher=Wayne State University Press|pages=44}}</ref>  Pandit entered English as the [[loanword]] [[pundit]], referring to a person who offers opinion in an authoritative manner on a particular subject area (typically politics, the social sciences, technology or sport), usually through the [[mass media]].<ref>{{cite web |date=22 February 2024 |title=Definition of Pundit |url=https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pundit |access-date=25 February 2024 |publisher=[[Merriam-Webster]]}}</ref>
-{{refimprove|date=February 2015}}
+[[Ustad]] is the equivalent title for a Muslim man in the musical sense.<ref name="Daniel Neuman 1980 44"/> The equivalent titles for a Hindu woman are '''Vidushi''',<ref name="Behind the titles">{{Cite web|url=https://mumbaimirror.indiatimes.com/opinion/columnists/sumana-ramanan/behind-the-titles/articleshow/55043901.cms|title=Behind the titles|access-date=2021-06-23|archive-date=2021-06-24|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210624203815/https://mumbaimirror.indiatimes.com/opinion/columnists/sumana-ramanan/behind-the-titles/articleshow/55043901.cms|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="www3.nd.edu">https://www3.nd.edu/~adutt/Links/documents/NagandGhosh2016.pdf {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211118081507/https://www3.nd.edu/~adutt/Links/documents/NagandGhosh2016.pdf |date=2021-11-18 }} {{Bare URL PDF|date=March 2022}}</ref> '''Pandita''', or '''Panditain''';<ref name="nytimes.com">{{Cite news|url = https://www.nytimes.com/2018/11/14/obituaries/pandita-ramabai-overlooked.html|title = Overlooked No More: Pandita Ramabai, Indian Scholar, Feminist and Educator|newspaper = The New York Times|date = 14 November 2018|access-date = 23 June 2021|archive-date = 11 March 2022|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20220311043428/https://www.nytimes.com/2018/11/14/obituaries/pandita-ramabai-overlooked.html|url-status = live}}</ref> however, these titles are not currently in widespread use.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.darbar.org/article/sitar-from-different-angles-pt-2|title=The sitar from different angles (Pt. 2): Modern players, global experiments|access-date=2021-06-25|archive-date=2021-06-25|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210625045728/https://www.darbar.org/article/sitar-from-different-angles-pt-2|url-status=live}}</ref>
-}}
+In [[Sanskrit]], pandit generally refers to any "wise, educated or learned man" with specialized knowledge.<ref>{{cite book|author=Monier Monier-Williams|title=A Sanskrit-English Dictionary|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=_3NWAAAAcAAJ&pg=PA527|year=1872|publisher=Oxford University Press|page=527|access-date=2016-10-23|archive-date=2023-11-17|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231117104504/https://books.google.com/books?id=_3NWAAAAcAAJ&pg=PA527#v=onepage&q&f=false|url-status=live}}</ref> The term is derived from ''{{Transliteration|sa|paṇḍ}}'' ({{Lang|sa|पण्ड्}}) which means "to collect, heap, pile up", and this root is used in the sense of knowledge.<ref>{{cite book|author=Monier Monier-Williams|title=A Sanskrit-English Dictionary|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=_3NWAAAAcAAJ|year=1872|publisher=Oxford University Press|pages=526–527|access-date=2016-10-23|archive-date=2023-11-17|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231117104504/https://books.google.com/books?id=_3NWAAAAcAAJ|url-status=live}}</ref> The term is found in Vedic and post-Vedic texts, but without any sociological context.
-A '''pandit''' or '''pundit''' (both pronounced {{IPAc-en|ˈ|p|ʌ|n|d|ɪ|t}};<ref>[http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/pandit "pandit"]. ''[[Random House Webster's Unabridged Dictionary]]''.</ref> [[Sanskrit]]: [[wikt:पण्डित#Sanskrit|पण्डित]] ''paṇḍita'') is a scholar and a teacher, particularly one skilled in the Sanskrit language, who has mastered the four [[Vedic]] scriptures, [[Hindu rituals]], Hindu [[law]], [[religion]], [[music]], and/or [[philosophy]] under a [[Guru]] in a [[Gurukul]] or has been tutored under the ancient Vedic [[Guru-Shishya]] academic tradition. The English loan word ''[[Pundit (expert)|pundit]]'' is derived from it but has been used to broadly refer to any of the following: [[Siddhas]], [[Siddhar]]s, [[Nath]]s, [[Ascetics]], [[Sadhus]], or [[Yogis]].
+==Pandit as a title in Hindustani classical music==
-In the original usage of the word, "Pandit", synonymous to "Purohits", refers to a [[Hinduism|Hindu]], almost always a [[Brahmin]], who has [[memory|memorized]] a substantial portion of the [[Vedas]], along with the corresponding rhythms and melodies for chanting religious verses or singing them during prayers or rituals.{{Citation needed|date=February 2015}}
+Pandit (abbreviated as Pt. and written as {{lang|fa|पंडीत}}/{{lang|fa|पंडित}} in [[Marathi language|Marathi]]/[[Hindi]]) is an [[honorific]] title for an expert person in Indian classical singing and instrumental playing, used for an Indian musician. It is used in [[Hindustani classical music]] to recognize master performers for classical singing and other performing arts, like [[Indian classical dance|classical dance]].<ref>{{Cite news|url = https://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/dance/meet-pt-birju-maharaj-the-poet/article34218160.ece|title = Meet Pt. Birju Maharaj, the poet|newspaper = The Hindu|date = April 2021|last1 = Jafa|first1 = Navina|access-date = 2021-06-25|archive-date = 2021-06-25|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20210625045404/https://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/dance/meet-pt-birju-maharaj-the-poet/article34218160.ece|url-status = live}}</ref> It is used as a music title. The title is awarded to musicians by their teachers, prominent individuals, or members of their [[gharana]] in recognition of their expertise.<ref name="Pandit title usage">{{Cite web|url=https://www.quora.com/In-Indian-classical-music-how-does-one-gain-the-title-of-Pandit-or-Ustad?top_ans=8125305|title=Pandit title usage|access-date=2021-03-01|archive-date=2024-01-26|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240126150148/https://www.quora.com/In-Indian-classical-music-how-does-one-gain-the-title-of-Pandit-or-Ustad?top_ans=8125305|url-status=live}}</ref> It is used in various languages including Kannada, Marathi, Hindi, [[Bengali language|Bengali]], [[Punjabi language|Punjabi]] and other languages which are there in [[India]]. An Indian woman, who is an expert in Indian classical music, is given the title of pandita or vidushi. [[Ustad#Ustad as a title in Hindustani classical music|Ustad]] is the equivalent title for a Muslim man.
+===Usage===
-== Notable people bearing the surname "Pandit" ==
+Titles of pandit (and even ustad) are appended informally to the names of classical singers and players by their admirers, individuals or institutions, once they have reached eminence in their performing art, especially on public performances. As they are informal titles, mentioning names of eminent singers without those appendages is acceptable, unlike prefixes like [[Dr.]] awarded formally by educational institutions.<ref name="Pandit title usage"/>
-*Pandit [[Jawaharlal Nehru]] (Kashmiri)
-*[[Chandrakant Pandit]] (Maharashtraian)
+The title pandit of a classical musician and the pandit which is used as a title given to a knowledgeable person, are different.
-*[[Farah Pandith]] (Kashmiri)
-*[[Giridhari Lal Pandit]] (Kashmiri)
+===Synonym===
-*[[Mohammad Shafi]] Pandit (Kashmiri)
+As ustad is equivalent to pandit but used for a Muslim man, similarly a music title that is equivalent to pandit and used for an Indian man itself is given the title of [[vidwan]]. Generally this title is given to a male [[Carnatic music|Carnatic]] classical singer or instrument player. One prominent example is [[T. H. Vinayakram|Vidwan Thetakudi Harihara Vinayakram]].
-*[[Lalita Pandit]] (Kashmiri)
-*[[Vijaya Lakshmi Pandit]] (Kashmiri)
+For a female Carnatic classical singer or musician, the title of Vidushi is given.
-*[[Raaj Kumar]]- real name was Kulbhushan Pandit (Kashmiri)
-*[[Jatin Lalit]] (Jatin Pandit and Lalit Pandit) (Rajasthani)
+Equivalent titles for women are Vidushi<ref name="Behind the titles"/><ref name="www3.nd.edu"/> or Pandita ({{langx|sa|पण्डिता|paṇḍitā}}; {{langx|hi|पंडित}}).
-*[[Vikram Pandit]] (Maharashtrian)
-*[[Shrradha Pandit]] (Rajasthani/Hindi/Haryanvi)
+==Kashmiri surname==
-*[[Shweta Pandit]] (Rajasthani/Hindi/Haryanvi)
+{{See also|Pandit (surname)}}
-*[[Yash Pandit]] (Rajasthani/Hindi/Haryanvi)
+The [[Kashmiri Pandits]] are a Hindu clan from the [[Kashmir Valley]] in [[Jammu and Kashmir (union territory)|Jammu and Kashmir]]. Pandit as a last name is used by both [[Kashmiri Hindus]] and [[Kashmiri Muslim tribes from Hindu lineage|Kashmiri Muslim of Hindu lineage]].<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=hqwYDQAAQBAJ|title=Disappearing Peoples?: Indigenous Groups and Ethnic Minorities in South and Central Asia|last1=Brower|first1=Barbara|last2=Johnston|first2=Barbara Rose|publisher=Routledge|year=2016|isbn=9781315430393|page=130|quote=: "Sheikh: local converts, subdivided into numerous subgroups. Most largely retain their family names, or patronyms (kram), indicating their original profession, locality or community-such as Khar (carpenter), Pampori (a place), Butt and '''Pandit''' (Brahmin), Dar (kshatriya)-but with increasing Islamization, some have dropped these"|access-date=2023-05-22|archive-date=2024-01-26|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240126150153/https://books.google.com/books?id=hqwYDQAAQBAJ|url-status=live}}</ref>
-*[[W. D. Amaradeva|Pandit W. D. Amaradeva]] (Sinhalese)
 ==See also==
-*[[Ascetics]]
+* [[Pundit]]
-*[[Bard]]
+* [[Pujari]]
-*[[Chant]]
+* [[Ustad]]
-*[[Epic India]]
+* [[Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru]]
+* [[Purohit]] – a house priest<ref name=michaelsharshav190/>
-*[[Kashmiri Pandit]]
-*[[Korla Pandit]]
-*[[List of Saraswats]]
-*[[Pundit]]
-*[[Nath]]s
-*[[Sadhus]]
-*[[Saraswat Brahmin]]
-*[[Siddhas]]
-*[[Siddhar]]s
-*[[Vikram Pandit]]
-*[[Yogis]]
 ==References==
-{{reflist}}
+{{Reflist}}
-* {{EB1911}}
+==External links==
+*{{Commons category-inline}}
+{{Authority control}}
-{{Worship in Hinduism}}
-{{Kashmiri families}}
+[[Category:Hindustani music]]
 [[Category:Honorifics]]
-[[Category:Indian music]]
+[[Category:Music of India]]
 [[Category:Men's social titles]]
 [[Category:Titles and occupations in Hinduism]]