The Largest Handwritten Family Tree in the World

The Ganges River is a highly revered site by Hindus and an iconic, historical epicenter in India. As hundreds of thousands of people visit the Ganges each year, there is a dedicated group of priests, better known as pandits, working quietly behind the scenes. In small offices that line the river, they keep handwritten records of everyone who has visited the holy site. These documents function as historical and genealogical archives that even record births and deaths in each visiting family. With archives dating back 20 generations, it is the largest handwritten family tree in the world.

#India #RiverGanges #Genealogy

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[JadeLwoj]

As someone who does papermaking, serious respect for them being able to preserve so much paper in such a hot, humid environment.

[squidwrtt]

Why am i not surprised that the
biggest handwritten family tree would be in
*India*

[carlosgeonzon]

Hey mom, i wanna marry the girl i met there somewhere.
Mom: Look at book 472, page 4629 she is the grand daughter of your great great great great great great great great grandfather

[rosemariewildflower]

Being Jamaican seeing this brought tears to my eyes. As the descendant of former slaves, I can only dream of having this kind of information. Sure, I can do one of those ancestry tests and get a questionably accurate idea of where my ancestors came from. However, the lost ability to attach names to my genealogy (past my great grandparents) is irreplaceable.

[unleashingpotential-psycho]

I would love to have a family tree documented that well.

[kryptomaniac]

These priests come every twelve years in our house to get updated and also tells us who were are forefathers and what did they do. It is really amazing to hear when they come. And plus the one who came told me about 10 of generations of my family and thier jobs and where they lived. It was amazing to know that we were originally from Afghanistan from where we ran away to gujarat and maharashtra to escape the violence of new rulers. It happened 1000s of years ago.. Even when there was no writing, these important historical events were remembered and passed from father to sons of these priests.

But sadly due to urban life people have losing interest about who were their forefathers. Also these priests have started doing other jobs as there is not enough money in it. I hope it get digitalised soon, not only in Haridwar but whole of India have these people.

[aayushrivastava]

Subtitles are wrong... I think they meant 2000 years old, not 200 years old

[GaneshNayak]

We have our family tree for 10 generations, till the time Christians missionaries drove us out of Goa during Inquisition

[mohamadakmalnizarbinishak]

Teacher :" Draw your family trees"
*I have a family Forest"

[theusa]

I am a statistics student and I can call tell you that this man can do a better job than I ever can.

[kuldeeps]

Back in 2007 one of these Brahmin Priest visited my Parents home, Fortunately i was in India back then. I never knew about this thing and it was astonishing event, My Father gave them Clothes Money and showed his respect to doing this great job. They bought only one book containing past 200 years only (they had 25 of them for our family in their work place) I traced Traces upto my Great Great Grandfathers and family branches, Next time i will go to India i will give them a visit them and try to Draft a family tree for atleast 100 past generations it will be a mammoth task but i will do that. Also i will support them, indeed they are doing great job by documenting all these things, A real service to community.

[thickNrich.]

India is such an incredible country!!!love from Russia❤️

[kshitizmishra]

Hindu authorities should fund to digitise the records, and keep it at safe place.
The records should be updated on paper and computer both.
And those records should be handled safely, it's very precious

[sorry]

I think my forefathers converted to islam 500 years ago . I desperately want to know about my forfathers in that book.

[palaache]

200 years? I've been there and they had over 30 generations recorded in their books!

[EzKnowsBestt]

I want to digitize this so bad. don’t want it to be lost.

[davidb]

It'd be cool if they digitalized this information and made it public access and searchable. Anyone could search for their family name and uncover centuries worth of family history. Like 23 and Me, but way more intimate and humanized.

[ershadnadiro]

This story made my day!! Oh Indians you guys are so cool!

[jetaddicted]

On my father’s side we have a family tree that is 1400 years old, the first name is that of a Roman praefectus in the region of actual Tuscany.
The oldest paper is from the XIVth century.
The first born keeps the records, the siblings are given copies.

[Charliedog.]

This in my opinion is the most informative and inspiring channel on You tube, the places you go are amazing.