Chamar
![]() Leather-bottle makers (Presumably members of the ‘Chamaar’ caste), Tashrih al-aqvam (1825) | |
Regions with significant populations | |
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India • Pakistan | |
Languages | |
Punjabi • Urdu • Hindi |
Chamar is a community who are also now classified as a Scheduled Caste under modern India's system of positive discriminationin some states. As dalits, they were traditionally considered outside the Hindu ritual ranking system of castes known as varna. So, they are not hindus and formed the fifth varna(Avarna). They are found mainly in the northern states of India and in Pakistan and Nepal.They are dalit.
Ramnarayan Rawat posits that the association of the Chamar community with a traditional occupation of tanning was constructed, and that the Chamars were instead historically agriculturists.[1]
Demographics
According to the 2001 census of India, the Chamars comprise around 14 per cent of the population in the state of Uttar Pradesh[2] and 12 percent of that in Punjab.[3]
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Occupations
Chamars who abandoned tanning and leathercraft, identify themselves as Ravidassia Chamar; R. K. Pruthi suggests this is in the hope that they might in future be considered as Julaha by other communities in the future.. They believe that leatherwork is "degrading" when compared to weaving.[28]
Military
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.[29][full citation needed] The Chamar Regiment was one of the army units which were awarded the Battle Honor of Kohima for their role in the Battle of Kohima.[30] The Regiment was disbanded in 1946.[31] Recently, several politicians have demanded that The Chamar Regiment be revived.[31]
Ravidassia Religion
Guru Ravidas was born in a Chamar family. The Ravidassia religion, or Ravidassia Dharam, is a Dharmic religion, founded in the 21st century out of Sikhism, and is based on the teachings of the 14th century Indian guru Ravidas, revered as a satguru.
Notable people
- Kanshi Ram (1934–2006), founder of Bahujan Samaj Party and mentor of Mayawati Kumari[32]
See also
References
- ^ Yadav, Bhupendra (21 February 2012). "Aspirations of Chamars in North India". Chennai, India: The Hindu. Retrieved 14 January 2013.
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suggested) (help) - ^ "Uttar Pradesh data highlights: the Scheduled Castes, Census of India 2001" (PDF).
- ^ "Uttar Pradesh data highlights: the Scheduled Castes" (PDF).
- ^ "West Bengal — DATA HIGHLIGHTS: THE SCHEDULED CASTES — Census of India 2001" (PDF). Retrieved 14 January 2013.
{{cite web}}
: Unknown parameter|deadurl=
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suggested) (help) - ^ "Census table" (PDF). www.censusindia.gov.in.
- ^ "Microsoft Word - Delhi comments.doc" (PDF). Retrieved 6 February 2017.
- ^ "Census table" (PDF). www.censusindia.gov.in.
- ^ "Census table" (PDF). www.censusindia.gov.in.
- ^ a b "State and district-wise Scheduled Castes population for each caste seperately [sic], 2011 - GUJARAT".
- ^ Dave, Nayan (8 October 2016). "'Rohits' to replace Chamars in Gujarat". Gandhinagar: The Pioneer.
- ^ "Census table" (PDF). www.censusindia.gov.in.
- ^ Welfare of Scheduled Caste & Backward Classes Department Government of Haryana http://haryanascbc.gov.in/list-of-scheduled-castes.
{{cite web}}
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(help) - ^ "Census table" (PDF). www.censusindia.gov.in.
- ^ Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment Department of Social Justice and Empowerment Government of India http://socialjustice.nic.in/UserView/index?mid=76750.
{{cite web}}
: Missing or empty|title=
(help) - ^ "Census table" (PDF). www.censusindia.gov.in.
- ^ "Census table" (PDF). www.censusindia.gov.in.
- ^ "Census table" (PDF). www.censusindia.gov.in.
- ^ Kapoor, Subodh (21 July 2018). "Indian Encyclopaedia". Cosmo Publications – via Google Books.
- ^ "Census table" (PDF). www.censusindia.gov.in.
- ^ "Census table" (PDF). www.censusindia.gov.in.
- ^ Ram, Ronki (21 January 2017). "Internal Caste Cleavages among Dalits in Punjab". Economic & Political Weekly. 52 (3).
- ^ "Census table" (PDF). www.censusindia.gov.in.
- ^ Rawat, Shyam (2010). Studies in Social Protest. VEDAMS. ISBN 8131603318.
- ^ Balai: Chamars in Bikaner region are known as Balai.
- ^ "Census table" (PDF). www.censusindia.gov.in.
- ^ "A-10 Individual Scheduled Caste Primary Census Abstract Data and its Appendix - Uttar Pradesh". Registrar General & Census Commissioner, India. Retrieved 4 February 2017.
- ^ "Census table" (PDF). www.censusindia.gov.in.
- ^ Pruthi, R. K. Indian caste system. Discovery. p. 189. Retrieved 14 April 2012.
- ^ "Orders of Battle - 27/2 Punjab Regiment [British Commonwealth]". ordersofbattle.com. Retrieved 31 March 2011.
- ^ "The Battle of Kohima" (PDF).
- ^ a b "RJD man Raghuvansh calls for reviving Chamar Regiment". indianexpress.com. Retrieved 31 March 2011.
- ^ "I will be the best PM and Mayawati is my chosen heir". Indian Express. 2 May 2003.
...I am a chamar from Punjab...
- ^ "Mayawati talks of a secret successor". India Today. Indo-Asian News Service. 9 August 2008. Archived from the original on 4 April 2019. Retrieved 4 April 2019.
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Further reading
- Briggs, George W. (1920). The Religious Life of India — The Chamars. Calcutta: Association Press. ISBN 1-4067-5762-4.
- Rawat, Ramnarayan S. (2011). Reconsidering Untouchability: Chamars and Dalit History in North India. Indiana University Press. ISBN 9780253222626.
- Schmalz, Mathew N. (2004). "A Bibliographic Essay on Hindu and Christian Dalit Religiosity". Journal of Hindu-Christian Studies. 17: 55–65.