Chamar

This article is about the Indian caste. For the mountain in Nepal, see Chamar (mountain).

Chamar ("tanner"; from the Sanskrit Charmakara) is a prominent occupational caste in India. Chamar is a Dalit sub-caste mainly found in the northern states, such as Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, whose traditional occupation was leather-working and tanning.

Chamars form the second-largest caste in India and are heavily active in politics. They are known to be one of the most highly influential groups among scheduled castes. Traditionally, their social status was very low in the Indian caste system, but in modern days they are one of the most progressive castes in India.

Background and Origin

Chamars does not belong to any one particular group, clan or area, but are from all different religions and areas. Tanning being a profession, they could be both from the original tribes who were living in India even before the Aryan Invasion and they were also Aryans who came from the Central Asia. India being shut out from the rest of the world by the mountains and the sea, there grew up a division of labor which gradually crystallized into the caste system, elaborate schemes of religious philosophy were built up by the sages; the trades were fenced round with religious sanctions, so that for a man to follow his fathers calling was made sacred duty, a thing to which he was born, and which, as his fate, he must perforce accept.

Chamars are an occupational caste, so their population consists of a mixture of local castes of the region. Chamars of Kashmir are very light-skinned, while those in Punjab look like typical Punjabis; may be very light skinned or of darker wheat complexions

In the Punjab

The most politically and socially influential Chamars are from the state of Punjab, where they form 11% of the population, with Dalits comprising 27% of the population. In the Punjab they are divided into various groups, such as Ad-Dharm and Ravidasi. In Majha they share the same gotras as Saraswati and Mohyal Brahmins, in Doaba and Malwa they share family names with Jats and Rajputs.

In Malwa most Chamars turned to Sikhism, whereas in Doaba most of them did not opt for Sikhism. In Majha they are called Ārya (Aryan) and Ravidasia, in Doaba they are called Adi Dharmi. They are highly concentrated in the Doaba region of Punjab.

In Rajasthan

The castes which were involved in leather work in past ( before independence) were termed "Chamar". Chamars in Rajasthan can only be identified in the districts adjoining to the states of Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh. The districts of Bikaner, Shriganganagar, Hanumangarh, Churu, Jhunjhunu, Alwar, Bharatpur and Dhaulpur are inhabited by Chamars. In the districts of Bharatpur, Dhaulpur and parts of Alwar (adjoining to Bharatpur) they are known as Jatav. Raigar (leather tanners) and mochi (shoe makers) are other two castes related to the leather profession.

In Haryana

Most Chamars in the districts of Jind, Panipat, Karnal, Sonepat, Rohtak, Kaithal are Julaha Chamars. They are similiar to the Kori Julahas of Western Uttar Pradesh and have familiy relationship with them. Their gotras resemble those of other jatis in Haryana. For example, Rathi, Jaglan, Dahiya, Toor, Malik, Deshwal, Bajyar/Bajad, Garoh/Grover, Singhal, Sambharwal, Bhatti, Bargurjar, Bahmania, Bhoria, Raang, Raangi, Bijain. Apart from Julaha Chamars, there are other Chamars in these districts.

Religion

Chamars are historically Hindus, and the majority still accept their Hindu ancestry. Due to the oppression caused by the caste system many Chamars have converted to other major religions such as Sikhism, Islam, Christianity and Buddhism. Many Chamars have also joined smaller yet influential backward-caste Hindu groups such as the Ad-Dharm Movement, Ravidasi, Arya Samaj, Radha Soami and Nirankari.

Ravidasia & Ramdasia Chamars

Sikh converts from the community working professionally in leather are usually referred to as Ravidasia Sikhs. The term Ravidasi is an adaptation from Ravidasias, as some Chamar castes came to be called.

Chamars, as untouchables, lay at the lowest level of the Hindu social order, only slightly higher than the chuhras (sweepers) by virtue of their being craftsmen. "ChuhraChamar" was, until recently, a common pejorative term referring to the two castes. The teachings of the Sihk gurus, with their rejection of the caste system and emphasis on ethnic equality of all human beings, naturally appealed to them. Of special significance for them was the canonization of the hymns of Bhagat Ravidas in the Sikh Scripture. Consequently, many Chamars converted to Sikhism and were, as a class, given the respectable name of Ravidasia Sikhs.

Conversion of Hindu Chamars to Sikhism accelerated towards the end of the nineteenth century. This was due to the rise of the Singh Sabha movement, launched in 1873 for the restoration and propagation of Sikh teachings, including the removal of caste distinctions. The number of Chamars who declared Sikhism as their religion increased from 100,014 in 1881 to 155,717 in 1931.

Meanwhile, the term Ravidasias was no longer confined to Sikh Chamars. During the census of 1931, many Hindu Chamars registered themselves as Ravidasias, and many who registered themselves as Ravidasias declared Adi Dharm ("the primal faith") as their religion. Nearly 52.8 percent of all Ravidasias declared themselves Sikhs.

Sub-Castes

Raigar is not a sub-caste of Chamar, but economic and professional similarity gives the impression of sub-caste of Chamar. The Raigar, Raiger, Ranger, Regar or Rangar, spelled in various forms, are a community of leather tanners in the Union Territory of Delhi. They are also known as Raidas, Jatia, Rangya and Bota. The word Raiger is a corrupt form of raingaya, i.e. those who engage themselves in leather tanning. Those who immigrated to Delhi from Rajasthan claim Rajput ancestry. Incidently Raigar is also a sub-caste of Rajpurohit in Rajasthan ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rajpurohit ). Rajpurohits are Brahmin and the connection between Raigars under scheduled caste list and Raigar Rajpurohits is yet to explored. Both these Raigar caste and subcaste Raigar Rajpurohit have their roots in Rajasthan.

There are three subgroups, namely Sindhi Raiger, Lashkaria Raiger and Raigar. Marriages take place among all the three. These subgroups are further divided into a number of clans (gotras), such as Bandarwal, Dhuriya, Jajoria, Kankheria, Rachoiya, Mauria, Jaggarwal, Atolia, Jaluthria, Dotania, Vohra, Mehra, Heria, Rathor, Bokolia, Barolia, Kholia, Sakkarwal, Sarsoonia and Tongaria.

Raigars have now prominent presence in IT sector, banking, civil services, police services in Rajasthan, Gujarat and Delhi. They are also having important positions in political arena of Delhi and Rajasthan,

Politics

The Chamar Community are one of the most involved and influential castes involved in Indian politics. The Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), a dalit-dominated political party, is very powerful in U.P and is expanding all over India. The BSP is one of the most powerful political parties of India. It was founded by Kanshi Ram and is led today by Mayawati Kumari, a Chamar. The BSP was created and is dominated by the dalits but currently includes all castes.

Military

The Chamar Community have a history of military service. Many Chamar families are descended from Kshatriya communities, which is why they share common family names, for example Bhatti, Chauhan or Toor. The Chamars of Punjab and Haryana are considered the most exceptional example due to their historic involvement in the Sikh Light Infantry and the Chamar Regiment.

One of the most decorated regiments of the Indian Army is the Sikh Light Infantry, which is composed mostly of Chamar and Mazhabi Sikhs. The Sikh Light Infantry finds its origins in the Sikh Pioneers raised in 1857. Sikh Pioneers were used in various military campaigns in India and abroad, and highly regarded for their determined resolve to complete the assigned tasks against all opposition. The Sikh Pioneers were later merged into the Sappers and Miners. World War-II and its need for additional troops saw the rise of Mazhabi Sikhs as a regiment in 1941. The designation was changed to the Sikh Light Infantry in 1944.

In view of its linkages with the Pioneers, the Sikh Light Infantry received its earlier seniority after the Sikh Regiment. The Sikh Light Infantry draws its man power from the Mazhabi and elements amongst the Sikhs. They had long formed part of the armies of the Sikhs' Tenth Guru and in later Khalsa armies. The regiment has produced one Army Chief, General Ved Prakash Malik (10th Sikh LI).

During World War II, the Chamar Regiment was created and was involved on the Japanese front. The Chamar Regiment was disbanded after the war. Former Pakistani Leader Ayub Khan was an officer of the Chamar Regiment.

Now Bhai Tej Singh is fast emerging dalit leader from north India. He has associated himself with Kanshi Ram. A true Ambedkarite he left Kanshi Ram in June 1995 when he joned hands with Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) to form government in Uttar Pradesh. He has formed Bahujan Swayamsewak Sangthan (BSS) on 10th Sept. 1995, Rashtriya Joota Brigade on Decemver 6, 1998 in Meerut Central Jail and Ambedkar Samaj Party (ASP) when BSP has virtually become Brahmin Samaj Party. He is up against Hindu fundamentalism.

Modern Chamars

Chamars are considered one of the most progressive castes in India. Under the influence of political leaders such as Dr. Ambedkar, many Chamars have adopted education and become qualified and respected professionals in fields such as politics, law, military, medicine, engineering and commerce.

Many Chamars have moved abroad and are heavily concentrated in places such as the United Kingdom, United States, Canada, Australia and New Zealand.

Chamar Intelligentia and intellectuals

Chamars are very intelligent and often lose their identity in big Metropolitan cities as they are often mistaken for Jats, Rajputs and other upper castes in most of the cases. Many of them even donot avail reservation facilities and have well established business set ups. General intellect and intelligence among many of the chamars is at par with many of the top graded intellectuals and intelligentia. Intellectual base and size of the top graded intellectuals among chamars is expanding and it is a chief source of intellectual support for many emerging Dalit and other disadvantaged Politicians.

Prominent Chamars

Historical

• Ravidas - Hindu religious leader and Satguru of the Ravidasi.
• Jhalkari Bai- Fought in place of Rani Lakshmibai.

Politics

• Kanshi Ram - Founder of the Bahujan Samaj Party (founded on 14 April 1984, On Lal Quila,Delhi)
• Mayawati Kumari - President of Bahujan Samaj Party and Chief Minister UP
• Jagjivan Ram - First Defence Minister of India,Deputy Prime Minister of India
• Charanjit Singh Atwal - Depty Speaker of Lok Sabha
• Meira Kumar - Social Justice Minister and Member of Parliament (India)
• Kumari Selja - Minister of State (Independent Charge) Housing and Urban Poverty Alleviation, Govt. of India
• Sushil Kumar Shinde - (1941- ) Minister of power , former Chief Minister of {Maharashtra}

Bhai Tej Singh: A young dalit leader and a close associate of Kanshi Ram and founder of Ambedkar Samaj Party (ASP)-to take on Hindu fundamentalism.

Arts & Media

• Naveen Andrews - Television and film actor in Hollywood
• Sonu Nigam -Top Bollywood Singer
• Kailash Kher - Famous Bollywood Singer
• Divya Bharati- Late Bollywood Actress
• Abhijeet Sawant-Winner of First Indian Idol
• Lal Chand Yamla Jatt - Punjabi Singer
• Chamkila - Late Most famous Punjabi Singer

Sports

• PT Usha-Udan Pari of India
• Palwankar Baloo - Cricketer and Social Activist, member of Hindu Mahasabha
• Amarjit Kaypee - Cricketer and Record Holder for most runs in the Ranji Trophy

External links

• http://www.freewebs.com/ravidasschamar
• http://www.ambedkartimes.com
• http://www.sachkhandballan.org