|
Sikh Castes
Sikhism's relationship to the Caste system in India, caste system is a complex and controversial topic in the modern-period. Although the discriminatory practices derived from the Indian caste system is repudiated by the religion's tenets, which stresses upon humanity's oneness, castes continue to be recognized and followed by much of the Sikh community, including prejudices and biases resulting from it. However, many Sikhs derive parts of their self-identity from their caste-background, affecting their relationship to the religio-cultural system, being viewed as part of one's inherent identity, social-association, or heritage and thus should be preserved. Sikhs' view of caste is influenced by religious belief, Punjabi culture, and ethnicity, considering that Sikhism is deeply influenced by Punjabi traditions and social-norms. The caste-system is practiced by both Sikhs living in the subcontinent and diasporic Sikhs. Whilst repudiated officially by the religion, Sikh castes do ex ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Caste System In India
The caste system in India is the paradigmatic ethnographic example of classification of castes. It has its origins in Outline of ancient India, ancient India, and was transformed by various ruling elites in medieval, early-modern, and modern India, especially the Mughal Empire and the British Raj. It is today the basis of Reservation in India, affirmative action programmes in India as enforced through constitution of India, its constitution. The caste system consists of two different concepts, ''Varna (Hinduism), varna'' and ''Jāti, jati'', which may be regarded as different levels of analysis of this system. Based on DNA analysis, endogamous i.e. non-intermarrying Jatis originated during the Gupta Empire. Our modern understanding of caste as an institution in India has been influenced by the collapse of the Mughal era and the rise of the British Raj, British colonial government in India. The collapse of the Mughal era saw the rise of powerful men who associated themselves w ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Gurdwara
A gurdwara (sometimes written as gurudwara) ( Gurmukhi: ਗੁਰਦੁਆਰਾ ''guradu'ārā'', meaning "Door to the Guru") is a place of assembly and worship for Sikhs. Sikhs also refer to gurdwaras as ''Gurdwara Sahib''. People from all faiths are welcomed in gurdwaras. Each gurdwara has a '' Darbar Sahib'' where the current and everlasting guru of the Sikhs, the scripture Guru Granth Sahib, is placed on a (an elevated throne) in a prominent central position. Any congregant (sometimes with specialized training, in which case they can be known by the term granthi) may recite, sing, and explain the verses from the Guru Granth Sahib, in the presence of the rest of the congregation. All gurdwaras have a hall, where people can eat free vegetarian food served by volunteers at the gurdwara. They may also have a medical facility room, library, nursery, classroom, meeting rooms, playground, sports ground, a gift shop, and finally a repair shop. A gurdwara can be identified from a ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Dhobi
Dhobi known in some places as Dhoba or Rajaka, Madivala is a group of community in India and the greater Indian subcontinent whose traditional occupations are washing and ironing, Cultivator, agricultural workers. They are a large community, distributed across northern, central, western and eastern India; as well as in Bangladesh, Pakistan, Nepal, and Sri Lanka. A majority of the community associate themselves with Hinduism. Many religiously follow Sant Gadge ( Gadge Maharaj), whose ''jayanti'' (birth anniversary) they celebrate every 23 February. The word ''dhobi'' is derived from the Hindi word ''dhona'', which means 'to wash'. As such, Dhobi communities in many areas today come under the status of Schedule Caste in many status, while Other Backward Class in other states and region. In 2017, Supreme Court of India noted calling people ''dhobi'' was offensive. Origins In mythology There is a tradition that they are descendants of the mythological hero Virabhadra ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Chhimba
Chhimba are variously described as a caste community and a Sikh clan of India. Their traditional occupation in the Samba district of India was dying and hand-printing calico fabric. It was probably some of these people who moved to areas of Himachal Pradesh, where they created a somewhat different style of printing cloth that was much favoured by the Gaddi people The Gaddi is a semi-pastoral Indo-Aryan ethno-linguistic tribe living mainly in the Indian states of Himachal Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir. Overview The origin of the Gaddi Tribe is Gaderiya ( Dhangar) they also additionally believe tha ... of the region. References {{reflist Sikh communities Social groups of Jammu and Kashmir Social groups of Himachal Pradesh Textile industry of India Artisans ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
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. They are found throughout the Indian subcontinent, mainly in the northern states of India and in Pakistan and Nepal. History 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. The term ''chamar'' is used as a pejorative word for dalits in general. It has been described as a casteist slur by the Supreme Court of India and the use of the term to address a person as a violation of the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989. Chamars have remained one of the most discriminated community within Hinduism. In reference to villages of Rohtas and Bhojpur district of Bihar, ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Bhabra
Bhabra or Bhabhra is an ethno-linguistic and religious group who are from Punjab region which follow Jainism. History and Origin The Bhabra community has had a close historical association with Jainism. It is believed to be connected with the Bhavadar or Bhavada Gachchha to which the legendary Jain Acharya Kalakacharya belonged to. They may have originated from the Bhabra town (32° 13' 30": 73° 13'). Inscriptions suggest that Bhavada Gachchha had survived until the 17th century. Jainism has been present in Punjab since ancient times. This is where Alexander the Great encountered Gymnosophists and Xuanzang met both Digambara and Swetambara monks. According to ''Shatrunjaya Mahatmya'' of Dhaneshwar Suri, Javad Shah of Taxila had restored Shatrunjaya Tirth and brought an idol of Lord Adinath from Taxila and installed it at Shatrunjaya. Vaar 8 Pauri 12 of 24 of Vaaran Bhai Gurdas (1550-1620 CE) says: "kaytarhiaan hee baaneeay kitarhay bhaabharhiaan suniaaray", there are many tra ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Bazigar
Bazigar (from fa, بازیگر bazi + gar), or Goaars, are an ethnic group of north-western India. They are primarily found in Punjab and in Pakistan's Punjab, but there are also communities in Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, Chandigarh, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, and Rajasthan. They were previously nomadic with their main occupation the performance of acrobatics and other forms of entertainment, but they are now settled and engaged mainly in agricultural and similar forms of labour. Origin The name Bazigar is derived from the Urdu word ''bazi'', which means an acrobat. They themselves claim to be Chauhan Rajputs, who took to the occupation of acrobatics. They have now been granted Scheduled Caste status in Haryana, Punjab and Uttar Pradesh. The Bazigar speak their own dialect, known as Bazigar, while speaking in Hindi with outsiders. In Haryana, they are found mainly in the districts of Yamuna Nagar, Ambala, Kurukshetra, Rohtak, Sirsa, Fatehabad, Karnal. Major B ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Basith
The Basith are Hindu caste found in Jammu and Kashmir. According to the 2001 Census of India, the caste has 18,866 members. They are also known as Vashist Rajput from 1953 as being a controversial caste most members of the community are having scheduled caste certificates but all the members don't have schduled caste certificate as they still lie in general category in some records and most prominent members of this caste claim forgery with their caste records and support their claim by the constitution of India if most of them are basith in revenue records and getting benefits of all kinds then why some of them are not getting those benefits. Moreover, some members of the community are of the opinion who has changed their revenue record to vashist rajput as the change in caste can only be done by honble president of India but in this case no such order by honble president of India has been passed so most of the times they claim their fundamental rights to be infringed. History A ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Vanika
Vaishya (Sanskrit: वैश्य, ''vaiśya'') is one of the four varnas of the Hindu social order in India. Vaishyas are classed third in the order of caste hierarchy. The occupation of Vaishyas consists mainly of agriculture, taking care of cattle, trade and other business pursuits. Traditional duties Hindu religious texts assigned Vaishyas to traditional roles in agriculture and cattle-rearing, but over time they came to be landowners, traders and money-lenders. Therefore making it their responsibility to provide sustenance for those of higher class, since they were of lower class. The Vaishyas, along with members of the Brahmin and Kshatriya varnas, claim ''dvija'' status ("twice born", a second or spiritual birth) after sacrament of initiation as in Hindu theology. Indian traders were widely credited for the spread of Indian culture to regions as far as southeast Asia. Historically, Vaishyas have been involved in roles other than their traditional pastoralism, tra ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Bairagi
Bairagi jaat in Haryana Bairagi is a Hindu caste. They are also called by different names that are Swami, Bairagi, Mahant, Vaishnav, Vairagi, Ramanandi, Shami, Vaishnav , Pujari. They are Vaishnav, and wear the sacred thread. Bairagi caste is one from the high castes of Bengal – Brahmin, Rajput, Chatri, Grahacarya , Vaidya. Miller places them as a high caste group between Brahmins, and the Rajputs and Jats. Miller Says that Bairagis from the varna. Senugupta describes them as a High caste group. William Pinch believes that the Bairagi branch of Vaishnavas is the result of the Galta conference of 17th Century. According to Mayer, the Bairagis were one of a few sectarian castes which accepted admissions from higher castes. He states that they Bairagis had a worldly and celibate branches of the caste. He states they were considered of equal status with Brahmins, Rajputs, and Jat. Dynasties Nandgaon The first ruler Mahant Ghasi Das of Nandgaon State, was r ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Bhatra Sikhs
The Bhatra Sikhs (also known as Bhat Sikhs) are a sub-group within the Sikhs who originated from the bards of the time of Guru Nanak. In the 20th century publication A Glossary of the Tribes and Castes of the Punjab and North-West Frontier Province, Sir Denzil Ibbetson remarks that the Bhats claimed descent from the Brahmins. Eleanor Nesbitt and William Hewat McLeod suggested that they are a caste. Origins Many academics suggests that the word Bhatra is a diminutive form of the word Bhat which comes from Sanskrit meaning a "bard or panegyrist". Dharam Singh writes that in the Sikh tradition Bhatts are poets with the personal experience and vision of the spirituality of the Sikh Gurus whom they eulogize and celebrate in their verses, he suggests that Bhat is not an epithet for a learned Brahman". However the late Giani Gurdit Singh confirmed that the Bhat bards who contributed to the Guru Granth Sahib were descended from the Brahmins in his book, Bhatt Te Uhnah Di Rachna. In th ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Arain
Arain (also known as Raeen) are a large Punjabi agricultural tribe with strong political identity and organisation, found mainly in the Pakistani provinces of Punjab and Sindh with a small population in parts of Indian Punjab, Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand. Origins The historian and political scientist Christophe Jaffrelot believes that the Arain are displaced farming communities who moved to Punjab from Sindh and Multan as Arab Muslim armies encroached; they originally practised Hinduism but many later converted to Islam. He says that the community is related to the Kamboj Rajput community mainly located in northern India and eastern Pakistan. Ishtiaq Ahmed, a political scientist who is also a member of the Arain community, acknowledges that some early Arain texts ascribe a Suryavanshi Rajput origin, while others note a Persian one to reflect to others the status of being "conquerors". He believes that the Arains "are a mix of many ethnicities and races", similar to other ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
