Ramdasia
| Ramdasia | |
|---|---|
| Religions | Sikhism • Hinduism |
| Languages | Punjabi • Hindi • Dogri |
| Populated states | Punjab • Haryana • Jammu • Himachal Pradesh |
The Ramdasia were historically a Sikh Hindu sub-group that originated from the caste of leather tanners and shoemakers known as Chamar[1][2]
Terminology
"Ramdasia is a term used in general for Sikhs whose ancestors belonged ex untouchables Chamar caste. Originally they are followers of Guru Ravidass ji who belongs to Chamar community ".[1] Both the words Ramdasia and Ravidasia are also used inter changeably while these also have regional context. In Puadh and Malwa, largely Ramdasia in used while Ravidasia is predominantly used in Doaba.[3]
Ramdasia Sikhs are enlisted as scheduled caste by Department of Social justice, Empowerment and Minorities- Government of Punjab. On Department's list of Scheduled Caste, this caste is listed on serial number 9 along with other Chamar caste synonymous such as Ravidasia, Jatav and so on.[4]
Military service
British Raj
During World War I the single-battalion regiments of the Mazhabi and Ramdasia Sikh Pioneers – the 23rd, 32nd and 34th Pioneer Regiments – were expanded to comprise three battalions each. These units served in Egypt, Europe, Mesopotamia and Palestine and performed well. The 1/34th Sikh Pioneers were awarded the title of "Royal".[5]
The Ramdasia Sikhs, together with the Majhabi Sikhs, were recruited to the Sikh Light Infantry regiment (SLI) after its formation in 1941.[6] The Sikh Light Infantry has always been a "single class" regiment in the parlance adopted from the British Raj era. This means that it recruits only from one demographic, which in this instance means the Ramdasia Sikhs and Mazhabi Sikhs.[7] Indeed, the SLI was initially called the Mazhabi & Ramdasia Sikh Regiment.[8] Despite unwillingness among some policy makers, the British had to abandon their traditional distinction between martial and non-martial races during the Second World War. This was necessitated by the need for more recruits than could be supplied by those communities upon which they usually relied, such as the Jat Sikhs, Dogras and Punjabi Musalmans. In addition, indiscipline among Jat Sikhs caused by their concerns regarding a post-war division of India was another reason to prefer recruitment of new classes. While recruitment from the pre-war martial classes was still pre-eminent, that from newly recognised classes such as the Ramdasias and Mazhabis became significant.[9]
After independence of India
When India became independent in 1947, the British Indian Army became the Indian Army. This, like its predecessor, relies on the martial race theory for much of its recruitment and thus there is a grossly disproportionate number of Sikhs within its ranks.[10] The Ramdasias Sikhs amd Mazhabi Sikhs continued their service with the SLI in the new army.[6] The SLI has served in almost all of the post-1947 conflicts involving India, including the wars with Pakistan in 1947, 1965 and 1971, the Hyderabad Police Action of 1948 and the Chinese aggression in 1962. It has also served in Sri Lanka, where the 1st, 7th, 13th and 14th Battalions have contributed towards peace-keeping.[11]
Hindu Ramdasia
This sect of Ramdasia having faith in Hinduism and they mostly residing in Pathankot, Jammu, Himachal Pradesh and Jalandhar. Hindu Ramdasia migrated from Pakistan and back in Sialkot, these Ramdasia were involved in Leather/Sports Goods Business. After migrating in Jalandhar they established their own Tanneries and Sports Goods manufacturing Units. For This purpose Government of Punjab, India helped them by providing liberal loans and allotting sites for their Factories[12] Hindu Ramdasia's are staunch follower of Guru Ravidass and they follow Dera Swami Gurdeep Giri ji, Pathankot. According to Department of Social Justice and Empowerment, Government of India Ramdasias are listed as Chamar Caste on serial number 4 and 14 for Jammu and Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh respectively.[13][14]
Ramdasia Religious faith
Ramdasia community having faith in Guru Ravidas and they have established several shrines dedicate to him. In India first recognized shrine was constructed in Kolkata and outside India first shrine was established on Fiji island in 1939 in Nasinu. In Nasinu first Sikh Gurdwara dedicated to Guru Ravidas was constructed by migrants from Doaba region of Punjab.
Demographics
As of 2011[update] Census, there were 3,095,324 Chamars in the Indian state of Punjab, of whom 1,017,192 declared themselves as Ad-Dharmi Chamar and 2,078,132 declared themselves as Ramdasia/Ravidasia Chamar. According to this Census, during the same year the population of Sikh Ramdasia/Ravidasia and Hindu Ramdasia/Ravidasia in Punjab was 1,443,079 and 629,157 respectively.[15]
Most of the Hindu Ramdasias (Counted along with other Chamar Caste Synonyms such as Ravidasia and Jatav) living in the Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh and Haryana. As of 2011[update], there were 212,032 Ramdasia in Jammu and Kashmir, comprising 209,512 Hindus, 2,486 Sikhs and 34 Buddhists,[16] 2,429,137 lived in Haryana (2,390,403 Hindu, 37,191 Sikh and 1,543 Buddhists)[17] and 458,838 resided in Himachal Pradesh (453,871 Hindu, 4,887 Sikh and 80 Buddhists)[18]
Ramdasia Diaspora and Guru Ravidass Temples and Gurdwaras
Ramdasia Sikh diaspora alongside Ravidassia from doaba emigrated from India and Pakistan is significant. Emigration from the Punjab began before and after the 19th century, with many Ravidasia/Ramdasia Sikhs settling in Europe, and also a large Ravidasia/Ramdasia Sikhs population in North America mainly in United States and the Canada. There is sizeable population of Ravidasia/Ramdasia Sikhs in Oceania as well.[19]
Today they have presence in every major city of world where they have also established Guru Ravidass Gurdwaras and Sikh Temples.
Fiji
- Guru Ravidass Gurdwara (Nasinu Sikh Temple), Nasinu (Established in 1939)
New Zealand
- Guru Ravidass Sikh Temple, Bombay Hills, Auckland (Established in 1991)
- Guru Ravidas Temple, Hastings (Established in 2007)
- Gurdwara Begampura Sikh Temple, Papakura (Established in 2008)
Australia
- Guru Ravidas Gurdwara, Campbellfield, Melbourne (Established in 1996)
England
- Shri Guru Ravidas Bhavan, Birmingham
- Shri Guru Ravidass Temple, Southall
- Shri Guru Ravidass Community Centre, Handsworth
- Shri Guru Ravidass Temple, Wolverhampton
- Shri Guru Ravidass Community Centre, Wolverhampton
- Shri Guru Ravidas Temple - Coventry
- Shri Guru Ravidass Community Centre, Coventry
- Shri Guru Ravidass Temple, Hockley
- Shri Guru Ravidas Temple - Foleshill
- Shri Guru Ravidass Temple, Bradford
- Shri Guru Ravidass Gurdwara - Bedford
- Shri Guru Ravidass Temple - Darlaston
- Guru Ravidass Sabha Community Centre, Derby
- Shri Guru Ravidass Sikh Temple - Derby
- Shri Guru Ravidass Sikh Temple, Leicester
- Shri Guru Ravidass Temple - Willenhall
- Shri Guru Ravidass Temple - Walsall
- Shri Guru Ravidass Gurdwara - Erith Kent
- Shri Guru Ravidass Mission Temple, London
- Shri Guru Ravidass Gurdwara and Community Centre- Hitchin
- Shri Guru Ravidass Gurdwara- Newham, London
- Guru Ravidass Sabha, Northampton
- Dera Baba Gobind Dass, Guru Ravidass Sabha, Bilston
- Shri Guru Ravidass Gurdwara - Gravesend
- Shri Guru Ravi Dass Sabha - Letchworth
- Shri Guru Ravidass Bhavan - Luton
- Shri Guru Ravidass Gurdwara- Strood, Medway
- Shri Guru Ravidass Gurdwara - Southampton
- Shri Guru Ravidass Temple, Glasgow
United States of America
- Guru Ravidass Sikh Temple, Pittsburg, California
- Guru Ravidass Sikh Temple, Fresno
- Guru Ravidass Sikh Temple, Rio linda
- Guru Ravidass Sikh Temple, Union City
- Guru Ravidass Sikh Temple, Yuba City
- Guru Ravidass Gurdwara, Selma
- Guru Ravidass Sikh Temple, Houston
- Guru Ravidass Sikh Temple, New York
- Guru Ravidass Sabha, DFW, Texas
Canada
- Guru Ravidass Gurdwara, Burlington
- Guru Ravidass Sabha, Brampton
- Guru Ravidas Temple, Etobicoke,Toronto (Not in operation anymore and 40 acre land has been purchased by this shrine for the construction of new building in Caledon)
- Guru Ravidass Sikh Temple,Montreal
- Guru Ravidass Sabha, Edmonton
- Guru Ravidass Sikh Temple, Vancouver
- Guru Ravidass Gurdwara and Community Centre, Calgary
Greece
- Shri Guru Ravidas Darbar, Koropi, Athens
Italy
- Shri Guru Ravidass Dham, Bergamo
- Shri Guru Ravidass Temple, Verona
- Shri Guru Ravidass Gurdwara, Gorlago
- Shri Guru Ravidass Temple, Vicenza
- Guru Ravidass Temple, Sabaudia
- Shri Guru Ravidass Temple, Manerbio
- Shri Guru Ravidass Darbar, Velletri
- Shri Guru Ravidas Darbar, Mantova
- Shri Guru Ravidass Bhavan , Treviso
- Shri Guru Ravidass Temple, Brescia
- Shri Guru Ravidass Dharam Asthan, Reggio Emilia
- Shri Guru Ravidass Temple, Montevrchi Arrizo
- Shri Guru Ravidass Temple, Capaccio Salerno
- Shri Guru Ravidass Temple, Sabaudia
Germany
- Guru Ravidass Temple, Frankfurt
Austria
- Guru Ravidass Temple,Vienna
Holland
- Guru Ravidass Sikh Temple,Den Haag
- Guru Ravidass Temple,Amsterdam
Spain
- Guru Ravidass Temple, Barcelona
- Guru Ravidass Dham, Girona
Belgium
- Guru Ravidass Sikh Temple,Oostende
France
- Guru Ravidass Gurdwara, Paris
- Guru Ravidass Temple, Le blanc Mesnil
See also
References
- ^ a b Chander, Rajesh K I. (2019). Combating Social Exclusion: Intersectionalities of Caste, Class, Gender and Regions. Studera Press. p. 64. ISBN 978-93-85883-58-3.
- ^ Ghuman, Paul (May 2011). British Untouchables A Study of Dalit Identity and Education. Ashgate Publishing, Limited. p. iX. ISBN 978-0754648772.
- ^ "Punjab's dalit conundrum: A look into Sikhs' caste identity". The Times of India. 30 September 2021. Retrieved 11 October 2021.
- ^ http://socialjustice.gov.in/writereaddata/UploadFile/Scan-0015.jpg [bare URL image file]
- ^ "History". 2009-04-15. Archived from the original on 2009-04-15. Retrieved 2022-08-03.
- ^ a b Wilkinson, Steven I. (2015). Army and Nation: The Military and Indian Democracy Since Independence. Harvard University Press. p. 11. ISBN 978-0-67472-880-6.
- ^ Wilkinson, Steven I. (2015). Army and Nation: The Military and Indian Democracy Since Independence. Harvard University Press. pp. 39–41. ISBN 978-0-67472-880-6.
- ^ Cohen, Stephen (2013). "The Untouchable Soldier". In Karsten, Peter (ed.). Recruiting, Drafting, and Enlisting: Two Sides of the Raising of Military Forces. Routledge. p. 170. ISBN 978-1-13566-150-2.
- ^ Marston, Daniel (2003). Phoenix from the Ashes: The Indian Army in the Burma Campaign. Greenwood Publishing Group. pp. 218–220, 236. ISBN 978-0-27598-003-0.
- ^ Roy, Kaushik (2015). "Indian Society and the Soldier". In Pant, Harsh V. (ed.). Handbook of Indian Defence Policy: Themes, Structures and Doctrines. Routledge. pp. 66–67. ISBN 978-1-31738-009-2.
- ^ "Story of The Sikh Light Infantry". The Sikh Review. Archived from the original on 2002-05-31.
- ^ Sharma, Krishan L. (1980). Entrepreneurial Growth and Development Programmes in Northern India. Abhinav Publications. p. 67. ISBN 9780836406498.
- ^ http://socialjustice.gov.in/writereaddata/UploadFile/Scan-0006.jpg [bare URL image file]
- ^ http://socialjustice.gov.in/writereaddata/UploadFile/Scan-0030.jpg [bare URL image file]
- ^ "SC-14 Scheduled Caste Population By Religious Community (States/UTs) – Punjab" (XLS). The Registrar General & Census Commissioner, India. Retrieved 2021-06-27.
- ^ "SC-14 Scheduled Caste Population By Religious Community (States/UTs) – Jammu and Kashmir" (XLS). The Registrar General & Census Commissioner, India. Retrieved 2021-06-27.
- ^ "SC-14 Scheduled Caste Population By Religious Community (States/UTs) – Haryana" (XLS). The Registrar General & Census Commissioner, India. Retrieved 2021-06-27.
- ^ "SC-14 Scheduled Caste Population By Religious Community (States/UTs) – Himachal Pradesh" (XLS). The Registrar General & Census Commissioner, India. Retrieved 2021-06-27.
- ^ "Sikh Ravidasia". www.sikhiwiki.org. Retrieved 2022-06-30.
