Jump to content

Chamar

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This is an old revision of this page, as edited by 2.219.218.79 (talk) at 17:31, 22 February 2013 (→‎Military: needs a source and it also could do with some clarification of the word "heavily"). The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.

Chamar ( "tanner"), also known as Chamari/Camari/Charmkar/Charmkari, is a community in India, Pakistan and Nepal. They are a Dalit group, being traditionally considered outside the Hindu ritual ranking system of castes known as varna. They are found mainly in the northern states, such as Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Delhi and in Nepal at least north to the Himalayas.

Ram Narayan Rawat posits that this association of Chamars with tanning was constructed, and that the Chamars were historically agriculturists.[1]

Demographics

Chamar population in India by State, 2001
State Population State Population %
Bengal[2] 999,756 1.25%
Bihar[3] 4,090,070 5%
Delhi[4] 893,384 6.45%
Chandigarh[5] 48,159 5.3%
Chhattisgarh[6] 1,659,303 8%
Gujrat[7] 1,041,886 2%
Haryana[8] 2,079,132 9%
Himachal Pradesh[9] 414,669 6.8%
Jammu & Kashmir[10] 187,277 1.9%
Jharkhand[11] 837,333 3.1%
Madya Pradesh[12] 4,498,165 7.5%
Maharashtra[13] 1,234,874 1.28%
Punjab[14] 2,800,000 11.9%
Rajasthan[15] 2,465,563 4%
Uttar Pradesh[16] 19,803,106 14%
Uttaranchal[17] 444,535 5%

Punjab

The most politically and socially influential[citation needed] Chamars are from the state of Punjab, where they form 11% of the population (2.8 million), with Dalits comprising 27% of the population. In the Punjab they are divided into various groups, such as Ad-Dharm, Ravidasi, Ramdasia,[18] and Chamar.

In Malwa most Chamars turned to Sikhism, whereas in Doaba most of them did not opt for Sikhism. In Majha they are called Ramdasia and Ravidasia, in Doaba they are called Adi Dharmi. They are highly concentrated in the Doaba, and the Malwa region of Punjab, where they form over 25% of the population.[citation needed]

Haryana

The total Chamar population in Haryana was 2,079,132 in 2001, being about 9% of the population.[19] Most Chamars in the districts of Hisar, Jind, Panipat, Karnal, Sonepat, Rohtak, Kaithal, Gurgaon, Faridabad,are Jatav Chamars who largely follow Ravidasia sect.[citation needed]

Uttar Pradesh

Most Chamars reside in Western Uttar Pradesh are known as Jatav.[citation needed] Total Chamar population in this state is almost 20 million and form 13-14% of the population.[5] In this state, the political party of Chamars Bahujan Samaj Party has its political base and this has led to Bahujan Samaj Party to win the state elections and chief minister post by Mayawati four times since 1990.[citation needed]

Rajasthan

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.[citation needed]

Himachal Pradesh

The Chamars are the second largest SC caste in the state after the Kori. Chamars are mainly found in the following districts: Kangra, Mandi and Una.

Religion

After the destruction of Buddhism in India, Chamars became a religion-less community and followed naturism and nirankari panths.[20] In post-independence era of India(time after 1947), Chamars community has been forged as a part of Hindu religion by Hindu group because of compulsion of politics in democratic India. The long term foreign rules by Mughals and British meant that their condition declined over a period of time. This especially peaked with British rule who practiced divide and rule and preferentially allotted seats in education sector and agricultural lands to other castes while ignoring Chamars. In military too, they were excluded. But, Indian cultural revivalists starting from the 15th century preached emancipation of the Chamars. It ultimately culminated in the new Constitution of India; formulated by Dr B.R.Ambedkar. It was hugely supported by most Hindu leaders and reservations in large numbers were provided. Gradually numerous Chamars en masse increased their standard of living. So much so that many Muslim authors in the past few decades have lamented that their standard of living in India is far below that of even Chamars. It is symbolic of how much change has occurred since independence. Many Chamars have also joined other religious groups such as the Ravidasi, Arya Samaj. Others joined deras such as Nirankari & Radhaswami.

Ravidassia Chamars

Procession of Ravidassias in Bedford

Chamars from the leatherworking community are usually referred to as Ravidassia after Guru Ravidas, a 14th Century guru, and himself a Dalit Chamar. Conversion of Hindu Chamars to Ravidassia accelerated towards the end of the nineteenth century, due to the rise of the Adi Dharm mission, launched in 1903 for the restoration and propagation of Guru Ravidass teachings, including the removal of caste distinctions. The number of Chamars who declared Ravidassia as their religion increased from 100,014 in 1881 to 155,717 in 1931. In 2009, the Ravidassia religion formally broke from Sikhism, following the assassination of a Ravidassi clergymen by Sikh extremists at a temple in Vienna, Austria.[21]

Julaha or Ramdasia Chamar

A portion of the Chamar are weavers, and identify themselves as Julaha Chamar or Ramdasia; R. K. Pruthi suggests this is in preparation for a move to be considered simply Julaha in the future, for having abandoned "degrading" leatherwork for more prestigious weaving.[22]

Military

Sikh Light Infantry

The Sikh Chamar Ramdasia[23] has a history of military service and are heavily represented in the Sikh Light Infantry.[citation needed]

Chamar Regiment

The 1st Chamar Regiment was an infantry regiment formed by the British during World War II. Officially, it was created on 1 March 1943, as the 27th Battalion 2nd Punjab Regiment was converted.[24] The Chamar Regiment which was involved in the Pacific War Japanese front and was awarded the Battle Honor of Kohima for theirs distinguished role in the Battle of Kohima.[25] The Regiment was disbanded in 1946.[26] Recently, several politicians have demanded that The Chamar Regiment be revived.[26]

Notable Chamars

See also

References

  1. ^ Ram "Aspirations of Chamars in North India". The Hindu. 21 February 2012. Retrieved 14 January 2013. {{cite web}}: Check |url= value (help); Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  2. ^ "West Bengal - DATA HIGHLIGHTS: THE SCHEDULED CASTES - Census of India 2001" (PDF). Retrieved 14 January 2013. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  3. ^ http://www.censusindia.gov.in/Tables_Published/SCST/dh_sc_bihar.pdf
  4. ^ http://www.censusindia.gov.in/Tables_Published/SCST/dh_sc_delhi.pdf
  5. ^ a b http://censusindia.gov.in/Tables_Published/SCST/dh_sc_chandigarh.pdf
  6. ^ http://censusindia.gov.in/Tables_Published/SCST/dh_sc_chhattisgarh.pdf
  7. ^ [1][dead link]
  8. ^ http://www.censusindia.gov.in/Tables_Published/SCST/dh_sc_haryana.pdf
  9. ^ http://www.censusindia.gov.in/Tables_Published/SCST/dh_sc_himachal.pdf
  10. ^ http://censusindia.gov.in/Tables_Published/SCST/dh_sc_jk.pdf
  11. ^ http://censusindia.gov.in/Tables_Published/SCST/dh_sc_jharkhand.pdf
  12. ^ http://censusindia.gov.in/Tables_Published/SCST/dh_sc_madhya_pradesh.pdf
  13. ^ http://censusindia.gov.in/Tables_Published/SCST/dh_sc_maha.pdf
  14. ^ http://www.censusindia.gov.in/Tables_Published/SCST/dh_sc_punjab.pdf
  15. ^ http://www.censusindia.gov.in/Tables_Published/SCST/dh_sc_rajasthan.pdf
  16. ^ http://www.censusindia.gov.in/Tables_Published/SCST/dh_sc_up.pdf
  17. ^ http://www.censusindia.gov.in/Tables_Published/SCST/dh_sc_uttaranchal.pdf
  18. ^ kumar, raj (2003). Essays on Dalits. India: Discovery Publishing House. p. 234. ISBN 81-7141-708-6.
  19. ^ http://censusindia.gov.in/Tables_Published/SCST/dh_sc_Haryana.pdf
  20. ^ Rawat, Ramnarayan S. (2011). Reconsidering Untouchability: Chamars and Dalit History in North India. Indiana University Press. ISBN 9780253222626.}}
  21. ^ Knut A. Jacobsen; Kristina Myrvold (1 November 2011). Sikhs in Europe: Migration, Identities and Representations. Ashgate Publishing, Ltd. pp. 290–. ISBN 978-1-4094-2434-5. Retrieved 10 April 2012.
  22. ^ Indian caste system - R.K. Pruthi - Google Books. Books.google.com. Retrieved 8 March 2012.
  23. ^ http://www.global.ucsb.edu/punjab/journal/v19_1/2-NeeruSharma19_1.pdf
  24. ^ "Orders of Battle - 27/2 Punjab Regiment [British Commonwealth]". ordersofbattle.com. Retrieved 31 March 2011.
  25. ^ "The Battle of Kohima" (PDF).
  26. ^ a b "RJD man Raghuvansh calls for reviving Chamar Regiment". indianexpress.com. Retrieved 31 March 2011.
  27. ^ "I will be the best PM and Mayawati is my chosen heir". Indian Express. 2 May 2003. ...I am a chamar from Punjab...
  28. ^ "I will be the best PM and Mayawati is my chosen heir". Indian Express. 2 May 2003. ...Jagjivan Ram, a chamar leader...
  29. ^ "A Chamar will be my successor: Mayawati". The Hindu.
  30. ^ "Amar Singh Chamkila". Retrieved 14 January 2013. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  31. ^ "Amarinder disregarded events organised by state unit, says Kaypee". Retrieved 14 January 2013. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  32. ^ "Congress's dalit card turning against established dalit leaders of Doaba region". Retrieved 14 January 2013. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  33. ^ "Tytler's party list calls India's Speaker a Chamar". Retrieved 14 January 2013. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  34. ^ "Cong's doublespeak on caste". Retrieved 14 January 2013. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)

Further reading

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Chamar&oldid=539705071"