This is one of the most bizarre stories of human migration one can hear.
Drive 18 km west of Jaisalmer and you will come upon the village of Kuldhara. Once a prosperous settlement of the Paliwal Brahmins, all the residents of Kuldhara and 83 nearby villages vanished suddenly one night in 1825, having lived there since 1291. In all likelihood they set up base somewhere beyond Jodhpur but no one has ever been sure.
Click on any image for a larger view.
The Paliwals made their fortune by the sheer brilliance of their business and agricultural acumen. They knew the art of growing a water intensive crop like wheat in the Thar desert; they could identify areas with gypsum rock layers running under the ground surface to ensure water was retained for the crops. The rulers depended on the Paliwals for much of their tax revenues.
What made them want to abandon everything overnight? The Prime Minister, or the dewan, is believed to have developed a lecherous eye for the chief’s daughter; it is said the Paliwal women were in general stunningly beautiful. He may even have imposed unreasonable taxes on them. With pride and honour overruling all worldly interests, the chiefs of the 84 villages decided to go away in a single night with whatever they could carry with them.
Where are the Paliwals now? Scattered all over the world. And generally doing well going by their genetic lineage. It is said they even left a curse on the villages, bringing death and suffering to anyone who tried to live in these villages. For the Paliwals, this was not the first migration. Before Kuldhara, according to some accounts, they had left Pali near Jodhpur from where they originally came from; it was to escape additional war taxes being imposed by the king.
Looks like the royalty of Rajasthan had made an art of killing the geese that laid golden eggs for them.
{ 11 comments… read them below or add one }
thanks for this profile of paliwal
Hi Sahil… thanks for writing in. Would you have any further insights to share about what happened to the Paliwals after they left Kuldhara? Even if its folklore.
Sir ,
I am working in an MNC for the sake fo livelyhood only. But I want to furnish my career in travelling because I love travelling, voyage, odyssey , wild life nature etc. However I have been and seen the 1/4 India across the NEWS.
May I know how can I fulfill my dream??????????
Might you please help me ????????
PD
Jaipur
Hi Prabhu, Start travelling on weekends when you can. And have you discovered your own city yet? Jaipur itself has so much to offer. And when you reach a stage that you can give up your job in the MNC, you can travel full time. But travel is expensive and you need to be sure you have the budgets for it.
tanks for paliwal proofile @great paliwal(brahmin)@
You are most welcome Harish. Do your roots go back to Kuldhara by any chance?
hindu dharm kya hai yahi hai manushya ke sarvshreshtha jati ke vikas ke liye jo dharm banaya gaya hai wo hai hindu dharm aur hindu dharm ke sare reeti riwaj gotra parampra sab ka bahut bada vaigyanik aadhar hai 84 ganv ke bramhinoone ne ek saath ganv ka tyag karke bahut badr tyag ka udahran diya hai bramhinoo ke shakti ka udahran diya hai mai bhe bramhin hoon aur bramhinoo ke shakti ko achhe se samajhta hoon bramhinoo me anuwashik gun bahut jyada mazboot hain aane wale samya me badi badi beemariyaan hongi jo manavjati ko lagbhag samapt kar dengi tab varnvyavshtha ke har niyamk ka palan karne wale bramhin he bachenge agar koi bramhin hai aur wo bramhin dharm ka palan nahi karta hai to uske saman koi paapi nahi hai rn koi bhe bramhin yadi samajhna chahta hai kya aadhar hai gotra ka jati ka kyoon chooti jati ka ladka badi jati ke ladki se vivah nahi kar sakta kya hai gotra kya fayda hai gotra ka to mujhse pooch sakta hai
thanks Ajay . The post on paliwal brahmins was like opening a closed window of the past.Modern generation of paliwal brahmins scaterred in u.p,m.p.,maharashtra,gujrat and uttaranchal is not aware of glorious past of their forefathers.Please provide more information about other 83 paliwal villages scaterred in Jaisalmer,Barmer and Pokran areas of Rajasthan.
Hi Ajay,
This is indeed an intriguing story. I wonder if all Paliwals originate from this village? But there is no sign of the other 83 villages – looks like they are all gone now. Will certainly tell you if there is more to it.
Your work is excellent. Please go through James Tod book on Rajasthan in which percious information is available about Paliwals. Please provide details about migration from Pali.Nowadays yhe place is known as Paliwal Chauk in old city of Pali.rnThanks for your valuable informationrnwith regardsrnJagdish PaliwalrnJaipur
hi,,ajayrnthnx for the palwal history …it is realy a good to read it.. kya palwal histry per koi book bhi he?…