Pushkar priests preserve genealogical records in handwritten pothis

Pilgrimage priests in Pushkar, Rajasthan, preserve handwritten genealogical records, known as pothis, of pilgrims and their deceased ancestors. The records include family names, places of residence and details of later generations. Priests also record visits connected with pilgrimage and rites for the deceased. Some priests say their pothis preserve records dating back about 300 to 500 years, while earlier records were kept on birch bark.

The tradition is followed by only some priests today, and fewer pilgrims’ names are being added as many visitors no longer stay in Pushkar or know their family priest. Priests clean the pothis before Diwali and worship them before the Lakshmi puja. They also pray for the peace of the deceased and the well-being of their living descendants.