📷 Image: Wikimedia Commons / A.Savin
Religion
Bihar’s Lal Mohriya Pandas of Gayaji Linked to Nepal Royal Lineage, Keep Pinddaan in Jamhor
✍️ Amar Ujala · Bihar
🗓 26 Sep 2026, 07:45 AM
👁 14
The Lal Mohriya priestly family of Gayaji in Bihar claims ancestry from the Nepalese royal household, and its descendants in Jamhor, Aurangabad, still perform the traditional pinddaan rituals.
The priestly lineage known as Lal Mohriya Pandas, serving the Gayaji shrine in Bihar, has asserted a historic connection to the royal family of Nepal. Local historians and community elders trace the family’s origins to a migration that occurred several centuries ago, when a group of Brahmin priests were invited by the Nepalese court to perform royal rites. Over time, the family settled in the region that now forms part of Bihar’s Aurangabad district.
According to oral histories recorded in the village of Jamhor, the ancestors of the current priests were granted the title of "Rajpurohit" by the Nepalese monarchs, a designation that recognized their role as royal officiants. The title and associated privileges were reportedly passed down through successive generations, preserving a distinct cultural link between the two neighboring nations.
Today, the descendants of this lineage continue to observe the pinddaan ceremony, a ritual offering to departed ancestors, at the Gayaji temple and in private shrines across Jamhor. The practice, carried out annually, underscores the community’s commitment to maintaining the ancient rites that bind them to their claimed royal heritage.
Scholars note that such cross‑border priestly ties illustrate the fluidity of cultural and religious exchanges in the Himalayan belt, where families often served multiple courts while retaining local identities. The Lal Mohriya Pandas remain a living testament to this shared history, drawing interest from both devotees and researchers alike.
According to oral histories recorded in the village of Jamhor, the ancestors of the current priests were granted the title of "Rajpurohit" by the Nepalese monarchs, a designation that recognized their role as royal officiants. The title and associated privileges were reportedly passed down through successive generations, preserving a distinct cultural link between the two neighboring nations.
Today, the descendants of this lineage continue to observe the pinddaan ceremony, a ritual offering to departed ancestors, at the Gayaji temple and in private shrines across Jamhor. The practice, carried out annually, underscores the community’s commitment to maintaining the ancient rites that bind them to their claimed royal heritage.
Scholars note that such cross‑border priestly ties illustrate the fluidity of cultural and religious exchanges in the Himalayan belt, where families often served multiple courts while retaining local identities. The Lal Mohriya Pandas remain a living testament to this shared history, drawing interest from both devotees and researchers alike.