अम्पिट्ट

{ ampiṭṭa }

Puranic Encyclopaedia

AMPIṬṬA   A name for barbers. ‘Ampiṭṭa’ is derived from the Sanskrit word “Ambiṣṭhaḥ”. The word Ambiṣṭhaḥ means Physician. In olden days barbers were physicians also. Going about from house to house, they could easily practise both these professions. Since barbers practised physic also they were called Ambiṣṭhas. Ampiṭṭa is a corrupted form of Ambiṣṭha. (Dravidian Philology). Barbers sometimes style themselves as “Pandits”. It is on the basis of this that we have today, “All Kerala Pandit Sabha” and other similar names. There is a legend on the basis of which this community has assumed the title of “Pandit”. Long ago when Śrī Buddha was about to go to the forest for performing Tapas, thousands of people flocked together to have his darśana. Buddha wished to continue his journey after shaving his head. Buddha asked loudly whether anyone in the crowd was prepared to shave his head. Only a single man came forward cheerfully to do that work. Buddha turned to him and said: “My dear friend, you are the only Pandit in this crowd. You have the wisdom to understand that there is nothing disgraceful in shaving one's head.” He shaved Buddha's head. From that day his descendants came to be known as “Pandits”.