Sikh
Sikhs ( or ; pa, ਸਿੱਖ, ' ) are people who adhere to Sikhism, Sikhism (Sikhi), a Monotheism, monotheistic religion that originated in the late 15th century in the Punjab region of the Indian subcontinent, based on the revelation of Gu ...
Hindu
Hindus (; ) are people who religiously adhere to Hinduism.Jeffery D. Long (2007), A Vision for Hinduism, IB Tauris, , pages 35–37 Historically, the term has also been used as a geographical, cultural, and later religious identifier for ...
sub-group that originated from the
caste
Caste is a form of social stratification characterised by endogamy, hereditary transmission of a style of life which often includes an occupation, ritual status in a hierarchy, and customary social interaction and exclusion based on cultura ...
of leather tanners and shoemakers known as
Chamar
Chamar is a Dalit community classified as a Scheduled Caste under modern India's system of affirmative action. Historically subject to untouchability, they were traditionally outside the Hindu ritual ranking system of castes known as varna. ...
Terminology
Ramdasia is a term used in general for Sikhs whose ancestors belonged to
Chamar
Chamar is a Dalit community classified as a Scheduled Caste under modern India's system of affirmative action. Historically subject to untouchability, they were traditionally outside the Hindu ritual ranking system of castes known as varna. ...
caste. Originally they are followers of
Guru Ravidass
Ravidas or Raidas, was an Indian mystic poet-saint of the bhakti movement during the 15th to 16th century CE. Venerated as a ''guru'' (teacher) in the modern regions of Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Rajasthan, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Punj ...
who belongs to
Chamar
Chamar is a Dalit community classified as a Scheduled Caste under modern India's system of affirmative action. Historically subject to untouchability, they were traditionally outside the Hindu ritual ranking system of castes known as varna. ...
community. Both the words Ramdasia and
Ravidasia
Ravidassia or the Ravidas Panth is an Indian religion based on the teachings of Ravidass, who is revered as a satguru.
Historically, Ravidassia represented a range of beliefs in the Indian subcontinent, with some devotees of Ravidass counting th ...
are also used inter changeably while these also have regional context. In
Puadh
Puadh ( IAST: uādha sometimes anglicized as Poadh or Powadh) is a historic region in north India that comprises parts of present-day Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh and the U.T. of Chandigarh, India. It has the Sutlej rive ...
and
Malwa
Malwa is a historical region of west-central India occupying a plateau of volcanic origin. Geologically, the Malwa Plateau generally refers to the volcanic upland north of the Vindhya Range. Politically and administratively, it is also syno ...
, largely Ramdasia in used while
Ravidasia
Ravidassia or the Ravidas Panth is an Indian religion based on the teachings of Ravidass, who is revered as a satguru.
Historically, Ravidassia represented a range of beliefs in the Indian subcontinent, with some devotees of Ravidass counting th ...
is predominantly used in
Doaba
Doaba also known as Bist Doab, is the region of Punjab, India that lies between the Beas River and the Sutlej River. People of this region are given the demonym "Doabia". The dialect of Punjabi spoken in Doaba is called "Doabi". Th ...
.
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
Chamar is a Dalit community classified as a Scheduled Caste under modern India's system of affirmative action. Historically subject to untouchability, they were traditionally outside the Hindu ritual ranking system of castes known as varna. ...
caste synonymous such as
Ravidasia
Ravidassia or the Ravidas Panth is an Indian religion based on the teachings of Ravidass, who is revered as a satguru.
Historically, Ravidassia represented a range of beliefs in the Indian subcontinent, with some devotees of Ravidass counting th ...
,
Jatav
Jatav, also known as Jatava/ Jatan/ Jatua/ Jatia, is an Indian social group that are considered to be a part of the Chamar caste, (now often termed Dalit), who are classified as a Scheduled Caste under modern India's system of positive discri ...
and so on.
Military service
British Raj
During
World War I
World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...
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
Mesopotamia ''Mesopotamíā''; ar, بِلَاد ٱلرَّافِدَيْن or ; syc, ܐܪܡ ܢܗܪ̈ܝܢ, or , ) is a historical region of Western Asia situated within the Tigris–Euphrates river system, in the northern part of the F ...
and
Palestine
__NOTOC__
Palestine may refer to:
* State of Palestine, a state in Western Asia
* Palestine (region), a geographic region in Western Asia
* Palestinian territories, territories occupied by Israel since 1967, namely the West Bank (including East ...
and performed well. The 1/34th Sikh Pioneers were awarded the title of "Royal".
The Ramdasia Sikhs, together with the Majhabi Sikhs, were recruited to the
Sikh Light Infantry
The Sikh Light Infantry is a light infantry regiment of the Indian Army. 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. Indeed, the SLI was initially called the Mazhabi & Ramdasia Sikh Regiment. 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,
Dogra
The Dogras or Dogra people, are an Indo-Aryan ethno-linguistic group in India and Pakistan consisting of the Dogri language speakers. They live predominantly in the Jammu region of Jammu and Kashmir, and in adjoining areas of Punjab, Himachal ...
s 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.
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. The Ramdasias Sikhs and Mazhabi Sikhs continued their service with the SLI in the new army. The SLI has served in almost all of the post-1947 conflicts involving India, including the wars with Pakistan in
1947
It was the first year of the Cold War, which would last until 1991, ending with the dissolution of the Soviet Union.
Events
January
* January–February – Winter of 1946–47 in the United Kingdom: The worst snowfall in the country in ...
,
1965
Events January–February
* January 14 – The Prime Minister of Northern Ireland and the Taoiseach of the Republic of Ireland meet for the first time in 43 years.
* January 20
** Lyndon B. Johnson is Second inauguration of Lyndo ...
and
1971 *
The year 1971 had three partial solar eclipses ( February 25, July 22 and August 20) and two total lunar eclipses (February 10, and August 6).
The world population increased by 2.1% this year, the highest increase in history.
Events
Ja ...
, the
Hyderabad Police Action
Operation Polo was the code name of the Hyderabad "police action" in September 1948, by the then newly independent Dominion of India against Hyderabad State. It was a military operation in which the Indian Armed Forces invaded the Nizam-rule ...
Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka (, ; si, ශ්රී ලංකා, Śrī Laṅkā, translit-std=ISO (); ta, இலங்கை, Ilaṅkai, translit-std=ISO ()), formerly known as Ceylon and officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, is an ...
, where the 1st, 7th, 13th and 14th Battalions have contributed towards peace-keeping.
Hindu Ramdasia
This sect of Ramdasia having faith in
Hinduism
Hinduism () is an Indian religion or '' dharma'', a religious and universal order or way of life by which followers abide. As a religion, it is the world's third-largest, with over 1.2–1.35 billion followers, or 15–16% of the global p ...
and they mostly residing in
Pathankot
Pathankot is a city and the district headquarters of the Pathankot district in Punjab, India. Pathankot is the 6th most populous city of Punjab, after Ludhiana, Amritsar, Jalandhar, Patiala and Bathinda. Its local government is a municipal cor ...
,
Jammu
Jammu is the winter capital of the Indian union territory of Jammu and Kashmir (union territory), Jammu and Kashmir. It is the headquarters and the largest city in Jammu district of the union territory. Lying on the banks of the river Tawi Ri ...
,
Himachal Pradesh
Himachal Pradesh (; ; "Snow-laden Mountain Province") is a state in the northern part of India. Situated in the Western Himalayas, it is one of the thirteen mountain states and is characterized by an extreme landscape featuring several peaks ...
and
Jalandhar
Jalandhar is the third most-populous city in the Indian state of Punjab and the largest city in Doaba region. Jalandhar lies alongside the Grand Trunk Road and is a well-connected rail and road junction. Jalandhar is northwest of the state ...
. Hindu Ramdasia migrated from Pakistan and back in
Sialkot
Sialkot ( ur, ) is a city located in Punjab, Pakistan. It is the capital of Sialkot District and the 13th most populous city in Pakistan. The boundaries of Sialkot are joined with Jammu (the winter capital of Indian administered Jammu and Ka ...
, these Ramdasia were involved in Leather/Sports Goods Business. After migrating in
Jalandhar
Jalandhar is the third most-populous city in the Indian state of Punjab and the largest city in Doaba region. Jalandhar lies alongside the Grand Trunk Road and is a well-connected rail and road junction. Jalandhar is northwest of the state ...
they established their own Tanneries and Sports Goods manufacturing Units. For This purpose
Government of Punjab, India
The Government of Punjab, also known as the State Government of Punjab or locally as the State Government, is the supreme governing authority of the Indian state of Punjab and its 23 districts. It consists of an executive, led by the Governor ...
helped them by providing liberal loans and allotting sites for their Factories Hindu Ramdasia's are staunch follower of
Guru Ravidass
Ravidas or Raidas, was an Indian mystic poet-saint of the bhakti movement during the 15th to 16th century CE. Venerated as a ''guru'' (teacher) in the modern regions of Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Rajasthan, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Punj ...
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
Chamar is a Dalit community classified as a Scheduled Caste under modern India's system of affirmative action. Historically subject to untouchability, they were traditionally outside the Hindu ritual ranking system of castes known as varna. ...
Himachal Pradesh
Himachal Pradesh (; ; "Snow-laden Mountain Province") is a state in the northern part of India. Situated in the Western Himalayas, it is one of the thirteen mountain states and is characterized by an extreme landscape featuring several peaks ...
Guru Ravidas
Ravidas or Raidas, was an Indian mystic poet-saint of the bhakti movement during the 15th to 16th century CE. Venerated as a ''guru'' (teacher) in the modern regions of Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Rajasthan, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Pu ...
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
Ravidas or Raidas, was an Indian mystic poet-saint of the bhakti movement during the 15th to 16th century CE. Venerated as a ''guru'' (teacher) in the modern regions of Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Rajasthan, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Pu ...
was constructed by migrants from Doaba region of Punjab.
Demographics
Census, there were 3,095,324
Chamars
Chamar is a Dalit community classified as a Scheduled Caste under modern India's system of affirmative action. Historically subject to untouchability, they were traditionally outside the Hindu ritual ranking system of castes known as varna. T ...
in the Indian state of Punjab, of whom 1,017,192 declared themselves as
Ad-Dharmi
The Ad-Dharmi is a Dalit religion in the state of Punjab in India Ad-Dharmis are 11.48% of the total of lower status communities in Punjab.
Origin
The Ad-Dharm movement was started in 1920s, for the purpose of getting a distinct religious identit ...
Chamar
Chamar is a Dalit community classified as a Scheduled Caste under modern India's system of affirmative action. Historically subject to untouchability, they were traditionally outside the Hindu ritual ranking system of castes known as varna. ...
and 2,078,132 declared themselves as Ramdasia/Ravidasia
Chamar
Chamar is a Dalit community classified as a Scheduled Caste under modern India's system of affirmative action. Historically subject to untouchability, they were traditionally outside the Hindu ritual ranking system of castes known as varna. ...
. 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.
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
Himachal Pradesh (; ; "Snow-laden Mountain Province") is a state in the northern part of India. Situated in the Western Himalayas, it is one of the thirteen mountain states and is characterized by an extreme landscape featuring several peaks ...
and
Haryana
Haryana (; ) is an Indian state located in the northern part of the country. It was carved out of the former state of East Punjab on 1 Nov 1966 on a linguistic basis. It is ranked 21st in terms of area, with less than 1.4% () of India's land ar ...
. , there were 212,032 Ramdasia in Jammu and Kashmir, comprising 209,512 Hindus, 2,486 Sikhs and 34 Buddhists, 2,429,137 lived in Haryana (2,390,403 Hindu, 37,191 Sikh and 1,543 Buddhists) and 458,838 resided in Himachal Pradesh (453,871 Hindu, 4,887 Sikh and 80 Buddhists)
Ramdasia Diaspora and Guru Ravidass Temples and Gurdwaras
Ramdasia Sikh diaspora alongside
Ravidassia
Ravidassia or the Ravidas Panth is an Indian religion based on the teachings of Ravidass, who is revered as a satguru.
Historically, Ravidassia represented a range of beliefs in the Indian subcontinent, with some devotees of Ravidass counting the ...
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.
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
*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
*
Ravidasia
Ravidassia or the Ravidas Panth is an Indian religion based on the teachings of Ravidass, who is revered as a satguru.
Historically, Ravidassia represented a range of beliefs in the Indian subcontinent, with some devotees of Ravidass counting th ...
*
Chamar
Chamar is a Dalit community classified as a Scheduled Caste under modern India's system of affirmative action. Historically subject to untouchability, they were traditionally outside the Hindu ritual ranking system of castes known as varna. ...
*
Sikh Light Infantry
The Sikh Light Infantry is a light infantry regiment of the Indian Army.Jatav
Jatav, also known as Jatava/ Jatan/ Jatua/ Jatia, is an Indian social group that are considered to be a part of the Chamar caste, (now often termed Dalit), who are classified as a Scheduled Caste under modern India's system of positive discri ...
*
Sikhism
Sikhism (), also known as Sikhi ( pa, ਸਿੱਖੀ ', , from pa, ਸਿੱਖ, lit=disciple', 'seeker', or 'learner, translit=Sikh, label=none),''Sikhism'' (commonly known as ''Sikhī'') originated from the word ''Sikh'', which comes fro ...
*
Ad-Dharmi
The Ad-Dharmi is a Dalit religion in the state of Punjab in India Ad-Dharmis are 11.48% of the total of lower status communities in Punjab.
Origin
The Ad-Dharm movement was started in 1920s, for the purpose of getting a distinct religious identit ...
*
Ahirwar
The Ahirwar, or Aharwar are members of a north Indian Chamar caste categorised among the Scheduled Castes.
They are present, for example, in the state of Madhya Pradesh. The 2001 Census of India recorded them in the Bundelkhand area and as ...
*
Chambhar
Chambhar is caste from Indian state of Maharashtra, and Northern Karnataka. Their traditional occupation was leather work. Historically subject to untouchability, they were traditionally outside the Hindu ritual ranking system of castes know ...