PAANCH PIR- MUHAMMAD ENAMUL HAQ

Introductory:

Belief in Paanch Pir is a universal phenomenon all over Northern Indo-Pak sub-continent. It forms a cult known as ‘PAANCH PIRIYA,’ which neither orthodox Islam nor orthodox Hinduism claims as its own. Yet the belief is widely prevalent among the adherents of both the religions. In fact, uneducated Muslims pay homage to and low-caste Hindus worship ‘Paanch Pir in a prescribed esoteric form, which we shall be noticing soon.

The cult of ‘Paanch  Pir’ or the Paanch Piriya belief does not consist of a faith in any one of the Firs of the quintette ;—it is a faith in the set taken as a whole. Although every Pir forming the quintette is believed to have possessed occult powers of his own. he loses his own powers, when he is identified with the members of the quintette to which a number of occult powers, mostly un associated with the individuals, are ascribed.

 

Terminology Explained :—

The quintette is known as ‘Paanch Pir.’ in Bengal, Bihar and United Provinces (modem Uttar Pradesh) and ‘Paanch Pir  in N. W. F. Province and the Punjab. The term consists of two words only, first one being ‘Paanch or ‘Panj’ and the second one. ‘Pir’. Obviously the first word is the phonological variation of the Aryan word ‘Pancha’ as has been preserved in Sanskrit, the language of Indian branch of the Aryans. Even if the form ‘Panj’ is considered to be a Persian word, possibility of its derivation from Iranian branch of the main Aryan language is not precluded.

In all probability, the phrase Paanch. Pir or Panj Pir was coined by the Indian Muslims to indicate a quintette of their own, formed on ,the analogy of the Iranian quintette ‘Panj-Tan’, introduced by the Arab Muslims of Iran to India, substituting the word ‘Tan’ or body by the word ‘Pir’ or saint. Former province of North Western Frontier and the Panjab, receiving the first and strongest impact of Iranian Muslim culture for a pretty long period, might have retained the Iranian form of the Aryan ‘Pancha’ in the domain of their phonological development as they had done in the case of the word ‘Panjab’, a combination of two Indo-Aryan words, ‘Panch’ (five) plus ‘Aab’ (water), meaning ‘the land of five waters.

 The second word ‘Pir’ is Persian, which is common to both the phrases ‘Paanch Pir’ or ‘Panji Pir’. Although it primarily means ‘old’ or an ‘old man’, it secondarily connotes a ‘holy man’ or a ‘saint’. it can be very favourably compared to the Pith word ‘Them’ meaning an ‘old man’, because the Pali word ‘Thera’ has been derived from the Sanskrit word ‘Sthavira’ meaning ‘old’ or an ‘aged man’. it is, therefore, very likely that the Persian word Pir has its origin in the main Aryan word ‘Sthavira’, and as the phonological change took place in the form of the main word, it underwent a semantic change too, due to a notion prevailing among the early people that a man growing in years. grows in wisdom too and such a man must be embalmed and entombed, so that in times of necessity he might be consulted and his blessings might be sought. In fact, this is the origin of the Buddhist monuments known as the ‘Chaityas’ built on the tombs of the ‘Thera’-s and of the Muslim mausoleums, erected on the graves of the ‘Pir’.

 

Personnel of the Quintette :—

It is very difficult to determine the personnel of the ‘Paanch Piriya’ cult with any precision ; because. the lists of the Pirs  differ from group to group of their votaries and from place to place of their popularity, they gained with the adherents of their cult.

 ‘Thus, in the Panjab the it sometimes consists of the saints Khwaja Qutbuddin ( 1142-1236 A. D. ), Khwaja  Muinuddin  Chishti of Ajmer ( 1144-1235 A. D. ), Shaikh Nizimuddin Awliya of Delhi (1236.1325 A. D. ), Nasiruddin Abul Khair( d. 1356 A. A.), and Sultan Nasiruddin Mahmud (1246-1266 A. D. ). A second list gives their names :  Bahauddin Zakraiya  of Multan ( 1169-1260 A. o.), Shah  Rukn e Aalam Hazrat, Shah Shams-i-Tabrez  of Multan ( d. 643 A. H. 1245 A. D. ), Shah Jalaal Makhdoom Jahaniyan Jahangasht of Uchcha (1307-1384 A. D.) and Baba  Faridduddin Shakarganj of  Paakpattan (1176-1269 A. D.).”

Besides these two, there are other lists of ‘Paanch Pir’ in the Panjab. These lists not only contain the names of famous historical saints and persons as noted above, but also embody names of legendary personages like Sakhi Sarwar Sultan, Ghazi  Miyan and others.

Sakhi Sarwar appears to be an entirely mythical saint, about whom fictitious narratives, unworthy of being recounted here, are available. The place of his association in the Indus Valley has been named after him as ‘Sakhi Sarwar’ which “represents the centre of ancient cult of the earth and its fertility, and is the object of to the Sultani sect”

 Allthough Ghazi Miyan, better known as Salar Masood , has almost become a legendary figure in the whole of Northern India, he was a historical person. His Indian exploits have been described in the ‘Mirrat –i Masudi’-, which records that Mahmood of Ghazni ( 998-1030 A. D. ) sent  his nephew Salar Masood Ghazi  to conquer eastern countries, from which the Hindus advanced in large numbers to attack Ghaznavide forces in the Punjab. Masood Ghazi waged a relentless war against the Hindus and conquered the Gangetic plain, only to be slain afterwards near Bahraaich in Oudh in the year (1034 A. 1).) “The scene of his death is traditionally fixed at Satrikh in the Barabanki district of Oudh. Here in the month of March a large annual fair is held in his honour and similar observances take place at other localities, such as Gorakhpur and Bhadohi  in the Mirzapur District of the United Provinces, where cenotaphs have been erected”.

There is a hill called ‘Panj Pir’ at Yousuf Zai locality in the North West Frontier Province. It is about 2140 ft. high from the sea-level and its peak is about 940 ft. high from its base. A ‘Ziyarat of ‘Panj Pir’ consisting of an ordinary house, is situated at the top of this peak. The hill was named after the Ziyarat of ‘Panj Pir, to whom both the Hindus and Muslims pay homage. List of these five saints is headed by Bahauddin Zakariya  of Multan (1169-1260 6. o.). Local Hindus traditionally hold the view that formerly the hill used to be called “Panch Pandawa” due to the ancient association of the five Pandavas with it. After the Muslim conquest its peak was converted into an abode of Pive Pirs and it began to be known as the ‘Panj Pir’

“In the United Provinces, the group (of Paanch Pir) usually includes worthies of a much lower rank, one list giving Ghazi Miyan, Aamina Sati, Bhairon, Baaudhana and Bande, Aamina being a ‘sati’ or faithful wife who died on the pyre of her husband, and the three last deified worthies of malignant spirits propitiated by the lowest classes.” Other lists furnish other names widely at variance with one another. One of the main features of these lists is that all of them are headed by Ghazi Mian or Salar Masood (killed in 1034 A.D.) and followed by four other local saints, historical or mythical, such as Shah Madar of Makanpur, Sultan Shaheed of Gaya  and Shaikh  Saddu and so on and so forth. Shah Madar’s  full name is Badi’u-d-Din shah-i-Madar(D. 1436 A.D.) and an account of his preaching of Islam at Gujrat, Ajmer, Kanauj, Kalpi. Jaunpur, Lucknow, Kantur and Bengal is available .

The case is almost the same with the lists of ‘Paanch Pir’ in Bihar and West Bengal, particularly in the districts like Birbhum. Bankura and Burdwan contiguous to Bihar. Here the quintette ‘is usually associated with some of the best known Pirs and mythical personages, such as Ghazi  Miyan, Pir Badr, Zinda Ghazi , Shaikh Farid & Khwja Khizr and even Shek Sadu (Shaikh Saddu). The actual persons vary from place to place, but veneration for the ‘Paanch Pir’ is universal not only among the Muhammadans but also amongst Kulwars, Hawais, Telis, Bhuiyas and many other castes of Hindus in Bihar”

 To the names on the lists of Paanch Pir’ in West and North Bengal, Ismail Ghazi  is a mentionable addition. He waged war against the Hindu Kings of North Bengal and Kamrupa, conquered them and preached Islam over there. He was beheaded by Sultan Baarbak shah (1459-1574) in the year 1474 A. D. His dargah’ at Kaantadwaar, Rangpur is famous and venerated by both the Hindus and Muslims

 In East Pakistan, influence of Paanch Pir on the uneducated Muslims and low-caste Hindus, was very wide and deep about half a century ago. Existence of a number of Paanch Piriya  dargahs all over the province bear eloquent testimony to this fact. People still visit these dargahs and offer Shirni; to the Paanch Pir in fulfilment of their vows. Two such ‘dargahs’,—one at Sonargaon, near Dacca, and another at Taalora, a railway station in Bogra, are prominent. Previously a Madari  festival used to be held annually at Talora in honour of the ‘Paanch Pir,: Now it has been converted into an annual ‘Urs ceremony. This shows that Shah Madar was the leader of this group of ‘Paanch Pir.

 East Pakistan being mainly a land of rivers and water, it is but natural that sailors and boat-men of this province would invoke the blessings of a Pir associated with water. Badr, the guardian saint of sailors and boat-men of Chittagong and its neighbouring districts, was thus included in the list of ‘Paanch Pir’  When about to cross a big river or to undertake a long journey by sea, the Muslim boat-men of this region still mutter a folk incantation, which runs thus :—

 “Allah, Nabi, Panch Pir, Badar, Badar, Badar.”

 When translated it means like this,—”Oh Allah ! we invoke Thee for Thy mercy, and Thy Prophet for his blessings ; and Oh Paanch  Pir ! we invoke you all,—particularly your leader Bader for our protection.”

There are quite a few lists of this quintette of the Muslim boat-men of East Pakistan. One of the lists is as follows :—shah Badr, shah Sultan, Shah Jalal, Shah Muhsin and Shaikh Farid. Occasionally Shah Muhsin is substituted by Shah Pir. They are all historical saints and their dargahs or ‘astanahs are located in East Pakistan : Badr Shah’s (alive 1336-1352 A. D.) ‘dargah’ is situated at Bakhshi Baazar, Chittagong Town, Shah Sultan’s or Sultan Bayizid Bustami’s (d. 874 A. D.) cenotaph at Nasirabad, Chittagong, Shah  Jalal’s (d. 1346 A. D.) dargah at Sylhet, shah Muhsin’s (d. 1397 A. D.) dargah  at Bat-tali, P.S. Anwara, Chittagong, Shaikh Farid (1176-1269 A. D.) Chashmah at Suluk-bahar (now changed into Shola-Shahar). Chittagong and his cenotaph in the town of Faridpur. The famous dargah of Shah  Pir is at Satkaniya, Chittagong.

 Again, on the eve of a long and hazardous journey by river or sea, Hindu and Muslim boatmen of Mymensingh and Dacca still pay homage to Ghazi Miyan and Paanch Pir by muttering another folk incantation, quoted below, to ward off the potential calamity on their journey :—

“Amra aachhi polapain,

Gazi  aachhe  nikaban

Shire Ganga Dariya .

Pinch Pir ! Badar, Badar, Badar!”

Translation-

We are just like (his) children,

 Ghazi is our protector ;

 Let the river Ganga lie ahead of us ;

 ( We are not afraid of it ).

 Oh Paanch Pir, we invoke you all,—

Particularly your leader Badr for our protection.

Here it seems that Ghazi Miyan is an addition to the quintette headed by Pir Badr. He has, however, been respectfully kept apart as a protector of the boatmen, who consider themselves as dear to Ghazi as his own children.

A new list ‘Paanch Pir’ is available from a ‘dargah’ at Sonar-gaon ( on the site of old capital of East Bengal ), a village not very far off from Narayanganj, Dacca, which is venerated by the boatmen of villages far and near. This ‘dargahs’ consists of five dilapidated vaults erected side by side in one row, under which the five saints Shah Sikandar, Shamsu’-d-Din, Ghayasuddin, Ghazi Miyan and Ghazi, Kalu were said to have been performing their prayers.’ It is interesting to note that the first three saints on this list were the first three independent Sultans of Bengal and they reigned over the country successively as shown below :-

1. Shamsuddin Iliyaas Shah-1343.1357 A.D.

2. Sikandar Shah-1357-1393 A. D.

 3. Ghayasuddin Aazam Shah – 1393-1410 A.D.

 The first two among the three Sultans were not only known for their prowess, who fought bravely with the Sultans of Delhi and defeated them, but also for their war, waged against the neighbouring Hindu kings and chieftains of Bihar, Orissa, Nepal and East Bengal to annex their kingdoms either wholly or partially to their own. The third was also a powerful and enlightened Sultan, proverbially just and benign to his subjects.

 Ghazi Kalu or Kalu Ghazi is a romantic figure in the late Middle Muslim Bengali literature. According the Muslim historians he was an Afghan and in accordance with the Hindu tradition, he was a Hindu convert, who bore the title of Kaalapahad, probably attributed to him by the Hindus, for his act of desecration and destruction of Hindu temples and kingdoms in Bengal, Bihar, Orissa and Assam. He was a general under Karani rulers of Bengal and died fighting with Akbar in 1580 A. D.

Paanch Piriya beliefs and practices :—

Like the lists of ‘Paach Pir,’ beliefs and practices connected with the cult, are also dissimilar. Yet, they may be taken as corollaries to the fundamental popular belief that although the Pirs are physically dead, they are spiritually alive and they possess supernatural powers by which they can make themselves serviceable to their votaries.

Even the places of ‘Panch, Piriya’ adoration are neither uniform in conception, nor similar in structural designs, nor the same in nomenclature. In the North-West Frontier Province, they are called Ziyarats or places of pilgrimage, in the Panjab they are known as dargahs or shrines. The Muslims in U.P.. Bihar and Bengal call them either ‘Dargahs or ‘asthanas’ (hermit’s residences) and the Hindus give them the names of `dhivis(mounds), ‘aasnas (seats) `vedis’ (platforms). They usually consist of small tombs with five domes each, or simple mounds at the foot of Pipal (Ashvattha) and Banyan (Vata) trees, or ordinary thatched roofs over mounds, or platforms in the rooms of dwelling houses. Votive offerings of goats, cocks, sweetmeats, flower, etc., are made in order to obtain children, or get rid of some incurable disease or to ensure success in business, etc. to West Bengal and Bihar. the votaries of ‘Paanch Pir set apart a room of the dwelling house for worship of the Pirs as their family deities. They are usually represented by a small mound on a clay plinth erected in the north-west corner of the room. A ‘Panja’ of iron resembling the human hand with a band of yellow cloth at the wrist is placed on the plinth near the mound (and five fingers of the Panja are wrapped up with pieces of cloth to symbolise five Pirs). Every Wednesday the mound is washed (the plinth is daubed with fresh clay), incense is burned before it and offerings of flowers made. On special occasions sacrifices are offered, either of goats or cocks (on completion of vows or in anticipation of their fulfilment). Where the votary is a Hindu, he often engages Dafali Fakir (a mendicant belonging to the Muslim drummer class) to perform ceremony on his behalf. The Panch Piriya Hindus eat the flesh of goats killed by Muhammdan butchers in accordance with forms prescribed by their religion and will not touch the flesh of animals which have been sacrificed before a Hindu      God. They do not however, neglect the worship of Hindu deities”.’In the district of 24-Parganas in West Bengal, however, the ‘Paanch Pir is propitiated in a manner different from other districts of the province. Here, mainly the Muslims are their votaries, who offer ‘Shirni’ to the ‘Paanch Pir.  Milk, cocoanut, rice, sugar, etc., are the main ingredients of this offering. Having gone through the form of prayer, they distribute the shirini’ amongst the children of the locality,—elderly persons not partaking of the offering. Ordinarily, Mullas (i.e. Muslim priests) are engaged for thisPaanch Piriya’ ceremony. Expenditure involved in such an offering of `Panch Piriya Shirini must always be of a sum consisting of the multiple of five either in annas or in rupees according to the financial ability of the votaries concerned.

In East Pakistan, Panch Piriya Shirini does not differ much from one offered in 24-Parganas. Besides, milk, cocoanut, rice, sugar, etc., goats and cocks are also sacrificed on specific occasions, and the `Shirini’, used as a common term for all kinds of offerings, is distributed among all people who attend the ceremony. Votaries of the Panch Pir’ believe that homage to the quintette in the prescribed manner and with due devotion assures an all-round prosperity to them. They resort to the quintette on occasions of individual and collective immunity from epidemics like cholera, small-pox, malaria, yellow fever, typhoid and cattle-disease. They invoke ‘Panch Pir  for exorcism of evil spirits or for success in pending litigation and current business. They vow offerings of ‘Shirini’ to them to get rid of incurable diseases, or to be saved from failure of crops, or to make a dry cow milk, or a barren tree fruitful, or a barren woman child-bearing. Besides, they conjure up spirits of the Panch Pir  in praying mood to ensure a safe journey by river or sea’

Origin of the Paanch Pir :-

Belief in the spiritual and super-natural powers of Sufis, deified into Pirs, is not a new thing in this country. But, a coterie of five Pirs may certainly be regarded as a curious combination in the cult-ridden Indo-Pak sub-continent. Thus, E. A. Gait was obliged to observe,—

“One of the most curious forms of belief, even in this country of extraordinary religious developments, is that of the Panch Piriyas. How the sect originated cannot now be ascertained, but it seems clear that it is one of those syncretic cults which arose during the time of the Muhammadan supremacy, when the thoughts of many were turned to the reconciliation of the religious differences which existed between the ruling race and their subjects.” This enigmatic statement may now be carefully examined to find out the origin of the ‘Paanch Pir: We have already marked that there are wide differences among the lists of the quintette and its beliefs and practices. Origin of the cult cannot, therefore, be ascribed to any one saint. Votaries of the Paanch Pir too do not do it. Although they belong to the Hindu and Muslim societies, neither orthodox Hinduism nor orthodox Islam lay a firm claim over them and their cult. It must, therefore, be admitted that ‘Paanch Piriya is a syncretic cult, which was formed outside the pale of Islam and Hinduism both. Where, when and how this Indo-Pakistani syncretism took place, is a problem that requires a plausible solution.

Whatever differences in the personnel of the quintette may exist, a close examination of them will reveal that none of the saints except Khwaja Khidr is outlandish. Occurrence of the name of Khidr in certain lists may, therefore, be taken as not a rule, but an accident. As Khidr  is associated with water throughout the Muslim world, and particularly Muslim India inclusion of his name in one or two lists of the quintette is quite natural, when a number of its votaries are either sailors or boatmen. This also explains the reason for which the name of Pir Badr of Chittagong has been included in the list by the boatmen of East Pakisian ; because Pir Badr is considered not only as the guardian saint of Chittagong, but also as the patron saint of sailors and boatmen of the whole region. Unfortunately, this association of Pir Badr with the sailors and boatmen of East Pakistan has been misinterpreted by some with a view to identify him with Khwaja Khidr’ In fact, Khidr had no connection with Fir Badr. who was alive in between 1336-1352 A. D. during the reign of Fakhruddin Mubarak Shah of Sonargaon. Sophisticated persons sometimes try to trace the origin of ‘Panch Pir to a quintette ‘Panjtan’ consisting of Hazrat Muhammad ; Btbi Fatima, his daughter ; Hazrat ‘Ali, his son-in-law ; Hazrat Hasan and Hazrat Hussain, his grandsons. Although orthodox Muslims interpret “Panjtan” or “Pak Panjtan”, as it is often called, in a different way saying that this quintette consists of Hazrat Muhammad and his four “Yaars” (friends) meaning the four Khulfa i Raashideen, it is a fact that the “Panjtan” or ‘Pak Panjtan’ is an Iranian conception and the Muslims of Arabia are not aware of it at all. Like many other cultural ideas, conception of “Panjtan” too was introduced readymade into India with the names of its personnel from Iran, and this is why it gained ground every-where in India without any change in the personnel. If this could meet the intellectual or cultural requirements of the Indians, they would not have felt any necessity for a new quintette under the name of Paanch Pir’. Evidently, ‘Pak Panjtan’ existed side by side with ‘Paanch Pir in India, failing either to stop the growth of its rival cult or to oust it altogether from the field already occupied by it. It is, therefore, quite logical to think that Paanch Piriya cult is of Indo-Pakistani origin.

Basing his arguments on the ‘Guru’ of the Take Panch Piriya sect occupying the same position as the ‘Mahant’ of the Nanak Shahi order. Dr. J. Wise has tried to trace the origin of Paanch Piriya belief to Guru Nanak (1469-1508 A. D.) of the Panjab. I am afraid, information of Dr. Wise was not correct as his suggestion was not based on fact. The Baul sect of Bengal have their Gurus, while the ‘Paanch Piriya’ have their priests who are called ‘Faqirs’. The Boul Gurus organise an ‘Aakhdaa’ ( derived from Sanskrit  Aksavata ) or a Baul club for regular meetings. They are not called ‘Mahant’, a Hindi word (derived from Sanskrit. Mahanta) unknown to East Bengal in in that phonological form. It appears that the Baul term ‘Nilakh Saani also used as ‘Alakh saani (derived from Sanskrit. Nirlakshya swami’ and ‘Alaksya Swaami), both meaning ‘the Invisible Lord’ was misconstrued with the term ‘Nanak Shahi’ of the Sikh order in order to establish a fanciful relation of Guru Nanak with the ‘Punch Piriyas’ of East Bengal where Sikhism is unknown.

A close study of the lists of this Indo-Pakistani cult reveals that saints or deified persons of ages ranging between the thir­teenth and sixteenth centuries a. d. have been included by their votaries in the lists. Their ‘dargahs’ situated at distant places arc visited by distressed people; because they sincerely believe that the saints buried there were possessed of certain miraculous powers which others did not and that their blessings can relieve them of their distress. It is, therefore, quite logical to hold the view that Piriya sect was not founded by any individual of a parti­cular place at a definite date ; rather it grew up gradually as an occult practice wedded to places independent of one another, on different occasions, when personal and community benefit was involved. In our cultural history, fifteenth and sixteenth centuries A.D. were a period, when a synthesis of Muslim and Indian culture took place in the various fields of our intellectual activities. ‘Paanch Piriya’ beliefs too are likely to have been metamorphosed into a cult within this period of two centuries.

It is also not unlikely that the idea of ‘Paanch Pir’ was first conceived, mooted and formed in North-West Frontier Province and the Punjab, and then carried to the United Provinces, Bihar and Bengal in the wake of spread of Muslim rule in India. Only a supposition like this can explain the inclusion of names of some of the saints belonging to the Punjab and U.P. into the lists of ‘Paanch Pir’ in East Pakistan.

‘Paaanch Pir’ as a quintette or a set of five saints have ever been a curious combination. There being no dearth of Pirs or their dargahs’ or their ‘astanas’ anywhere in India and Pakistan, the coterie was formed of only five of them, neither more nor less. The number is, therefore, significant and the scholars have tried to explain it according to the approach, they made to get into the subject.

Although high caste and educated Hindus like aristocratic and educated Muslims, care very little for the worship of ‘Paanch Pir,’ yet they hold the view that Astanans or ‘,Thanas’ ( both derived from Sk. ‘sthana’ meaning ‘place’ ) of ‘Paanch Pir’ are the places, associated with the five Pandavas of their religious epic, the Mahabharata. They say that while sojourning incognito for a year on completion of the period of their long banishment of twelve years, the five Pandavas lived for a short time at various places of Northern India. The places, thus associated with them, arc considered to be sacred and ultimately they turned out to be places of pilgrimage to the Hindus. After the Muslim conquest many of these places were converted into ‘dargahs’ or ‘astanas of Paanch Pir.

This is the way in which Dargahs’ or Astaanas of Panch Pirs became a meeting ground common to both the the Hindus and Muslims of India and Pakistan. Obviously, this is a concocted story. In fact, the Hindus do not know and cannot identify with any amount of certainty all the places associated with the Pandavas. Particularly, East Bengal being documentarily considered to be a ‘Pandava-varjit desh,’ or a country forsaken by the Pandavas contains a large number of ‘astanas’ of ‘Paanch Pir’. Therefore, the question of conversion of a Pandava sthana into a ‘Paanch Piriya Astana’ cannot arise at all, at least in the case of East Bengal. Besides, history of Muslim India does not contain even a solitary instance of convening a “Pandava-sthana” into an ‘astana’, of Paanch Pir .

A very interesting feature of the lists of ‘Paanch Pir’ is that they contain the names of (a) legendary saints, (b) historical saints, (c) Sultans, (d) and the Ghazis or crusaders against the Hindus. Inclusion of the names of saints, legendary or historical and local or foreign, in the lists is understandable. Because,— “The belief in saints, and the worship of their shrines and tombs by the Muslims of India is not, however, peculiar to Indian Islam. In fact this all came largely ready-made to India through those who introduced the religious orders into the country from Afghanistan, Persia and Iraq. Further, owing to the ancient ‘Guru-Chela’ practice existing among the Hindus, and the uni­versal belief in the worship of local gods and goddesses, which was the heritage of majority of the Muslims of India through their Hindu origin, it became all the more easy for saint-worship to become a fixed part of Muslim religious life.”

It is also understandable that names of Sultans like Nasiruddin Mahmud of Delhi (1246-1266) and Shamsuddin Iliyas Shah (1343-1357). Sikandar Shah (1393-1410), Ghayasuddin Azam Shah (1393-1357) of Bengal were included in the list out of respect for them, after they were hallowed by their Hindu and Muslim subjects for their unimpeachable character, pious disposition, keen sense of justice and uncommon prowess.

But, it becomes sometimes difficult to understand how the names of Ghazis or Muslim martyrs, like Ghazi Miyan (Salar Mas‘ud), Ismaail Ghazi. Kalu Ghazi (Kala Pahad) and others, who were implacable enemies of Hinduism and destroyers of temples and idols, could be included in the lists of the ‘Paanch  Piriyas’ consisting of both Hindus and Muslims. Although the matter appears to be inexplicable to a casual observer, in fact it is not so. Ghazis are considered to be very holy persons by the Muslims, who might have deified them and included them in the list, while the ‘Paanch Piriya” beliefs were being crystallized into a creed acceptable to the low-caste Hindus who were credulous enough to accept Ghazis, as saints, believed to have been possessed of supernatural power of working miracles. They, therefore, worshipped the like their family deities or like any other deities of their pantheon cither in the hope of receiving their favor or for fear of being victimized by them. Even upto the present day. they pay homage to any extra-ordinary phenomenon of nature and worship a Sadhu or a Faqir, labouring under the impression that they possess concrete manifestations of divine power.

The Quintette Explained :

Whatever be the origin of the Piriya’ cult,—be it originated from the ‘Panj tan’ of Iran or ‘Panch Pandava of India—the number ‘five forming the set of Pirs, is intriguing. This certainly requires an elaborate discussion to realize the fundamental significance of the quintette. Otherwise, the whole idea that worked behind the formation of the cult, shall ever remain un clarified.

It appears that the number ‘five’ was considered sacred or mysti­cal all over the ancient world : we find that groups of 5 and 10 acquired sanctity in the laws of Babylon and Israel. Numbers 5 and 7 were selected to be fundamental ciphers of the astral system of the Babylonians. Avestan doctrine of the Iranians recognizes 5 divisions of human personality giving a sanctimonious importance to the number 5. The Chinese folk believe in 5 ‘Shen’s or domestic spirits, who preside over the household and keep watch and ward against its evil spirits, who are wont to do mischief to it. They are ‘Men,’ the God of the door ; ‘Hu’, the God of the windows ; ‘Ching Chu’an,’ the boy spirit of the well ; ‘Chung Liu, the God of the caves and ‘Tsao Chun, the lord of the kitchen.One among many examples of 5 as a mystical number may be had from the following quotation

“Perhaps the most remarkable example of this fantastic use of numbers is to be found in Sir Thomas Brown’s ‘Gar of Cyrus’. Its aim is to show that the number 5 not only pervades all the horticulture of antiquity, but recurs throughout all plant life as well as the ‘figurations’ of animals. ‘You have’ says Coleridge, ‘quin­cunxes in earth below and quincunxes in the water beneath the earth ; quincunxes in deity, quincunxes in the mind of man, quin­cunxes in bones, in the optic nerves, in roots of trees, in leaves, in petals, in everything’’. And, I must add, we have a quincunx in the list of our ‘Panjtan’ as contained in an incantatory couplet, composed in Arabic undoubtedly by the Shahs of Iran and introduced by them into India. The couplet runs thus:

Translation

For me there are five; with their help I blow out the blaze of epidemic and awful calamity ; And they are—Muhammad Mustafa, Ali Murtaza, Fatimah and the two Hasans—Hasan and Husain.

• 

• 

This is still used as a charm by our exorcists, when epidemic of cholera or small-pox breaks out in villages. They write it on new pieces of white cloth and hung them up on bamboo poles or on branches of trees by the way-side, acting on the belief that Ola-Bibi and Sitala-Devi, the presiding deities of cholera and small-pox respectively, arc warded off by this charm. Besides, they use this quincunx in ‘taawiz’ or amulet as a measure against fell diseases.

We also mark a quincunx existing in a subjective manner in all the lists of ‘Panj Pir or ^lPaanch Pir’, which arc always headed by a leader.—be he Sakhi Sarwar. BahauI-Haqq, Ghazi Miyan, Shah Madar, Ismail Ghazi or Pir Badr—who is considered as the ‘qutb’ or axis, while four others are taken as his satellites.

Islam as a religion does not attach any special sanctity to any arithmetical figure. Yet, Muslims lay some emphasis on the number ‘one’, when they say. “Our Allah is one, Muhammad is one. Quran is one. Kalimah is one and Ka’bah is one”. They are also inclined to consider ‘three’ as a utilitarian number after the figure ‘one’, in their formal life. This is why they are often marked to accept their wives thrice at the time of marriage, to reject them thrice at the time of divorce, to make themselves promise-bound by uttering a word of honor thrice, to mutter ‘tahmid’ or ‘tasbih’ at least three times at every stage of a daily prayer. Although they perform prayers for five times a day and count Iman (faith) Salwat (prayer), Sawm (fasting), Hajj (pilgrimage) and Zakaat (poor- rate) as five ‘Pillars of Islam’, yet they attach no sanctity to the number‘5’(five) involved in this process of counting.

But, the case of Hinduism, like most of the cases of Paga­nism, is altogether different from Islam in respect of the concept of numbers. In it, certain numbers are considered both sacred and mystic ;—among them the number 5 (five) is one. It is not only connected with ‘devas’ and ‘devis’ or gods and goddesses of Hindu pantheon, but also associated with places of their pilgrimage. Hindus themselves are known as ‘Panchopasakas’ or the wor­shippers of five principal deities such as “Suryo vahni sivo durga tato visnuka panchamah”—the Sun, the Fire, Shiva. Durga, Visnu, —these five, or “Ganesh  savita vishnuh Sivo durga iti kramat”— Ganesha, the Sun, Vishnu, Siva, Durga all these in order. They are to perform pilgrimages to five places called ‘Panch  Tirtha’  for acquisition of religious virtues which are expected to save them from the vice of rebirth, and these places are found in one area known as ‘Purusottama’. Another group of five places of their pilgrimage is found in Kashi. If they take a bath in each of the five places, viz., Vishranti, Sankara, Naimisha, Prayaga and Puskara on the eleventh, twelfth, thirteenth, fourteenth day of a lunar month and in the month of Kartika respectively, they acquire impe­rishable virtues. Mahadeva, the greatest of all the ‘devas’ or deities is known as ‘Panchanana’ or the possessor of five faces ; the god of love. i.e. Greek god Cupid is called ‘Panchavana’ or possessor of five floral arrows: a human body is conceived of being made of five elements known as ‘Kshiti Jal Pawak Gagan Sameera’— earth, water, fire, air and sky; a Tantrik Yogi must practice the rite of ‘Pancha-makara’, i.e., a rite requiring five essential things, the names of which have the initial letter ‘ma\ such as Madya (wine), Maansa (meat), Matsya (fish) Mudra ( posture of the fingers) and Maithuna (copulation); an ‘atratl’ (evening lamp- offering) to a god or goddess cannot be given without -Panch- pradeepa’ or a lamp fitted with five wicks ; at the stage of five months’ pregnancy, a Hindu woman is to undergo a sacrament called ‘Panchamrita’ or five ambrosias, which require milk, curds, butter-oil, honey and sugar ; containing “Panchlakshana’ or five distinguishing marks such as Sarga (primary creation ), ‘Prati- sarga’ (secondary creation), ‘Vansha’ (genealogy), ‘Manavantara’ (reign of a Manu) and ‘ Vanshanucharitra(family history), the Puranas are considered to be the Hindu scriptures next to the Vedas in respect of sanctity ; the sacred conch of the god Vishnu, the sustainer of the universe, was named ‘Panchjanya’ for its being formed of the shell of ‘5’ (five) sea-demons ; a famous collection of tales and fables compiled by a Brahmin Vishnu Sharma  by name (5th century A.D.) was given the title of Panchatantra or five books, because of the number ‘5′ ( five) being considered as sacred ;a Hindu householder is to perform ‘Panch Yajna or five rites a day (like reading the Veda, entertaining a guest, giving a burnt- offering to the deity, presenting water to the ancestors and sacri­ficing a part of food to the elements) in order to get rid of sins of the day ; ‘Punjab, the land of five waters, received her name from her association with the five rivers sacred to the Hindus; Rama with his consort Sita chose the forest of ‘Panchvati’ to live happily over there, because of its being composed of groves of five trees sacred to the Hindus ; containing the story of five Pandavas, the Mahabharata is a sacred Hindu scripture ; a Hindu householder must remember ‘Panchsati’ or five chaste women, viz., Ahaiya, Draupadi, Kunti, Tara and Mandodari every mor­ning to shake off ‘mahSpataka’ or great sins in pursuance of his ‘Shastrik’ (religious) injunction :

‘Ahalya-Draupadi-Kunti-Tara-Mandodari tatha

 Panchkanya smarannityam mohpaatak-nashanam:’

Translation

Ahilya, Draupadi, Kunti, Taara, Mandodari,—all these ‘five women’ are to be remembered daily to neutralize ‘great sins. All these are indicative of ‘5’ (five) being a sacred number to the ancient and modern Hindus.

It appears that the tradition of sanctity attached to the number ‘5’ (five) by the ancient peoples, was best preserved by the Hindus of India. It must have been existing in metamorphic condition in the minds of Indian New-Muslims, who invented the myth of Pir to suit their own purpose. It is also not Unlikely that ‘Panj Tan which may itself be considered as a manifestation of the Iranian idea of ‘5’ (five), contributed some ­thing to the crystallization of the idea of Indo-Pakistani ‘Paanch Pir. A very fine example of unconscious manifestation of old pagan ideas in the acts of modern men can be had from the name of a Bengali book entitled ‘Muslim Pancha Sati (1930 ) by one Mirza Sultan Ahmad, who in his book, has given an account of five chaste Muslim women, certainly with an intention to compete with the idea of five mythical chaste women of the Hindus.

Present Condition of the Paanh Piriya Beliefs:—

A very brief reference to the present condition of Paanch Piriya  beliefs and practices is necessary to realize its actual position in Islam in this Indo-Pak sub-continent In spite of its best efforts to maintain its purity and to extend the faith to all and sundry, Islam greatly failed to fulfill these two aims even up to the end of Mughal rule. Even an epoch-making religious book like Fatwa-i- ‘Alamgiri could not remove polytheistic and idolatrous beliefs and practices like those associated with Panch Pir, Guga Pir, Shaikh Saddu, etc., from the Muslims of India.

It is an undeniable fact that Muslims have undergone great change within the period of a century beginning from 1850 a. d. Various reformist movements are mainly responsible for this change. Among them, religious movement of the Puritans like Shah ‘Abdu‘l  Aziz of Delhi (d. 1823), Sayyid Ahmad of Rai Bareli (1782-1831), Titu Mir of Hyderpur (17S3-1831) Mawlana Karamat  Ali of Jaunpur (1822-1873), Haji Shariatullah and his son Dudhu Miyan of Faridpur (1819-1862) and a host of others of lesser personality, is one, which aroused religious consciousness of orthodox nature among the Muslim masses of India and Pakistan.

The process of religious reform started earlier is still going on ; and as a result of this, Muslim masses in India and Pakistan are rapidly shaking off their belief in ‘Paanch Pir.’ In fact,Paanch Piriya beliefs and practices are now on their last legs. Even those, who still cling to this cult, do not fight shy of admitting their faith to be un-Islamic. This is no doubt an indication of its disappearance. But, inspite of all the reform movements and rapidly expanding modern education, belief in the ‘Paanch Pir as a corollary to saint-worship still exists staggeringly both in India and Pakistan. Nobody knows when it will disappear completely.

Note – This article was published in the Journal of Asiatic Society of Pakistan in 1970. With some edits we are publishing this article for our readers.