The Ramdasia were historically a

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 cultur ...

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

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

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 the ...

are also used inter changeably while these also have regional context. In Puadh 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 sy ...

, largely Ramdasia in used while

is predominantly used in Doaba. List of Scheduled Castes in Punjab

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

caste synonymous such as

, Jatav 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 List of wars and anthropogenic disasters by death toll, one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, ...

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 ...

and Palestine 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 regiment (SLI) after its formation in 1941. 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, Himac ...

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 i ...

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 sworn in for a full term ...

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 J ...

, 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-ruled ...

of 1948 and the Chinese aggression in 1962. It has also served in

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 co ...

Jammu Jammu is the winter capital of the Indian union territory of 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, the city of Jammu, with an area of ...

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 pea ...

and Jalandhar. 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 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

and they follow Dera Swami Gurdeep Giri ji, Pathankot. According to Department of Social Justice and Empowerment, Government of India Ramdasias are listed as

Caste on serial number 4 and 14 for

Jammu and Kashmir Jammu and Kashmir may refer to: * Kashmir, the northernmost geographical region of the Indian subcontinent * Jammu and Kashmir (union territory), a region administered by India as a union territory * Jammu and Kashmir (state), a region administered ...

and

respectively.http://socialjustice.gov.in/writereaddata/UploadFile/Scan-0030.jpg

Ramdasia Religious faith

Ramdasia community having faith in

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 ...

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

was constructed by migrants from Doaba region of Punjab. Gurdwara Guru Ravidass, Nasinu, Fiji

Gurdwara Guru Ravidass Bhavan, Birmingham

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. ...

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 ...

and 2,078,132 declared themselves as Ramdasia/Ravidasia

. 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

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 ...

. , 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 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. Shri Guru Ravidass Temple in the UK

Gurdwara_Guru_Ravidass_Temple,_Pittsburgh

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

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

References

{{Ethnic groups, tribes and clans of the Punjab Sikh communities Social groups of Punjab, India