Pandit
A pandit or pundit (both pronounced /ˈpʌndɪt/;[1] 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 is derived from it but has been used to broadly refer to any of the following: Siddhas, Siddhars, Naths, Ascetics, Sadhus, or Yogis.
In the original usage of the word, "Pandit", synonymous to "Purohits", refers to a Hindu, almost always a Brahmin, who has 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.
Notable people bearing the surname "Pandit"
- Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru (Kashmiri)
- Chandrakant Pandit (Maharashtraian)
- Farah Pandith (Kashmiri)
- Giridhari Lal Pandit (Kashmiri)
- Mohammad Shafi Pandit (Kashmiri)
- Lalita Pandit (Kashmiri)
- Vijaya Lakshmi Pandit (Kashmiri)
- Raaj Kumar- real name was Kulbhushan Pandit (Kashmiri)
- Jatin Lalit (Jatin Pandit and Lalit Pandit) (Rajasthani)
- Vikram Pandit (Maharashtrian)
- Shrradha Pandit (Rajasthani/Hindi/Haryanvi)
- Shweta Pandit (Rajasthani/Hindi/Haryanvi)
- Yash Pandit (Rajasthani/Hindi/Haryanvi)
- Pandit W. D. Amaradeva (Sinhalese
- Krishna Pandit member of India national Under-17 football team
See also
- Bard
- Chant
- Epic India
- Kashmiri Pandit
- Korla Pandit
- List of Saraswats
- Saraswat Brahmin
References
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This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). Encyclopædia Britannica (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press.
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