15 Facts About Pabuji

The narrative of Pabuji is sung by the Bhopa poet-singers of Nayak community is based according to the tradition on a text, the Pabuprakasa.

When he died, both his sons set up court in their village of Kolu; but Pabuji was a god incarnate, born not from Dhandal's wife but from a celestial nymph who had promised him that when he was twelve years old she would return to him in the form of a mare for him to ride.

Pabuji had four companions: Chando and Dhebo, two brothers of whom Dhebo was a colossus with an insatiable appetite for food, drink and opium, and immensely aggressive; Salji Solanki the augurer; and Harmal the Rebari herdsman.

Pabuji's first exploit was to fight the Khinchis, who were encroaching on his borders and treating him and Buro arrogantly.

The mare was, of course, Pabuji's mother returned to him.

In exchange for the mare, Pabuji promised to protect Deval from Khinchi's raids.

The curers were unable to do anything for her, but Pabuji said that she could be cured by tying on her arm an amulet in Gogaji's name, provided that she was then married to him.

Pabuji sent one of his men, Harmal Dewasi, to Lanka to reconnoitre; and Harmal, disguised as a jogi, managed to get the information they needed, and obtained physical evidences of the she-camels, all this despite being mistrusted and ill-treated by the inhabitants of Lanka.

Pabuji continued on his way: he triumphed in an encounter with Devnarayan, and was able to hand over the she-camels to a delighted Kelam and return home to Kolu.

Pabuji insisted on abandoning the wedding in order to ride in pursuit: he severed the bridal knot with his sword, and gave his bride a parrot which would tell her what became of him.

Pabuji rode back to Kolu with his men, and after some slight delay set out in pursuit of the Khinchis, leaving only Dhebo behind asleep.

Pabuji struck the genie through the head with his spear and watered the cattle; but by the time he had finished doing all this Khinchi had been able to enlist the support of his uncle Jaisingh Bhati, and was riding on Kolu with a Bhati army.

Pabuji named him Rupnath, and had him sent to her mother's home in Girnar to be looked after.

Pabuji was successful in doing this, and thus came into the room where Khinchi was asleep.

Pabuji awoke him, told him who he was, and then beheaded him.