Article snapshot taken from Wikipedia with creative commons attribution-sharealike license.
Give it a read and then ask your questions in the chat.
We can research this topic together.
Submission declined on 13 December 2024 by Dan arndt (talk).Thank you for your submission, but the subject of this article already exists in Misplaced Pages. You can find it and improve it at Chamar instead.
If you would like to continue working on the submission, click on the "Edit" tab at the top of the window.
If you have not resolved the issues listed above, your draft will be declined again and potentially deleted.
If you need extra help, please ask us a question at the AfC Help Desk or get live help from experienced editors.
Please do not remove reviewer comments or this notice until the submission is accepted.
Where to get help
If you need help editing or submitting your draft, please ask us a question at the AfC Help Desk or get live help from experienced editors. These venues are only for help with editing and the submission process, not to get reviews.
If you need feedback on your draft, or if the review is taking a lot of time, you can try asking for help on the talk page of a relevant WikiProject. Some WikiProjects are more active than others so a speedy reply is not guaranteed.
To improve your odds of a faster review, tag your draft with relevant WikiProject tags using the button below. This will let reviewers know a new draft has been submitted in their area of interest. For instance, if you wrote about a female astronomer, you would want to add the Biography, Astronomy, and Women scientists tags.
Please note that if the issues are not fixed, the draft will be declined again.
Submission declined on 20 November 2024 by Chaotic Enby (talk).Thank you for your submission, but the subject of this article already exists in Misplaced Pages. You can find it and improve it at Chamar instead. Declined by Chaotic Enby 44 days ago.
A Chaudhari of Chamar caste
The Chamar were historically a Sikh, Hindu that originated from the caste of leather tanners.
Sub-Castes
List of Scheduled Castes in Punjab
Groups. The Chamars are divided into several sub-castes. At least in the eastern Punjab there are some sub-castes which do not inter-marry. In order of preference these are:-
1. Ramdasia, the Ramdasia were historically a Sikh, Hindu sub-group descended from the caste of leather tanners called Chamars.
2. Jatia, who are found in the largest numbers around Delhi and Gurgaon.They work in horse and camel hides, which are an abomination to the Chandar, probably as having the foot uncloven; and their origin is from a Chamar father and Jatti mother. On the other hand, they are said to have the services of Gauda Brahmins, which placed them above all other Chamars, who had to be content with the services of the outcast Chamarva Brahmin.
3. Gorra or Chamarva. - Brahmins who serve the Chamars, Ahirs, Jats, and other outcasts. They are not recognised as Brahmins by other classes; and though they wear the sacred thread, it is possible that their claims of Brahmin origin are unfounded. Still, it is quite possible that they are true Brahmins but have fallen from their high position. They are often called Chamarva Siddhas who have originated from the Chamar caste.
Military service
British Raj
The Sikh Light Infantry march past during the Republic day parade in New Delhi, India.
During World War I 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 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, Dogras 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, 1965 and 1971, the Hyderabad Police Action of 1948 and the Chinese aggression in 1962. It has also served in Sri Lanka, where the 1st, 7th, 13th and 14th Battalions have contributed towards peace-keeping.
It was formed along caste lines from the Chamar. The Regiment fought against the Japanese in Burma, as part of the 268th Indian Infantry Brigade, under the command of Brigadier G M Dyer, part of XV Corps (India). The unit was disbanded as part of the wider demobilisation at the end of the War.The regiment was disbanded in 1946.
The Regiment Raised on 1 March 1943, the regiment was initially assigned to the 268th Indian Infantry Brigade, which was part of 43rd Armoured Division in July 1943 and when the division was broken up to form the 44th Armoured Division the Chamar Regiment was included in the new division. During this time the regiment did not take part in any fighting.
The Chamar regiment distinguished itself in the field of battle. It was part of the force that lifted the siege of Imphal and advanced against the Imperial army by liberating Burma along with other units of the army. They also took part in the assault on Kamo, Tokyo, Imphal, Mandla, Burma, Rangoon and cleared the city of Japanese troops. By mid 1945 the Chamar regiment had helped free entire Burma from Japanese occupation. The dropping of the Atomic bombs on Japan, brought about the surrender of Japan.
The Chamar Regiment was among the units raised by the British during World War Two to increase the strength of the Indian Army. It was formed along caste lines from the Chamars. The Regiment fought against the Japanese in Burma, as part of the 268 Indian Brigade, under the command of Brigadier G M Dyer, part of 15 Corps. The unit was disbanded as part of the wider demobilisation at the end of the War.
Regiment also supplied ammunation to Machine Gun Battalion XXXIII Corps.
In mid-1944, the regiment's 1st Battalion was committed to the Burma campaign (1944–1945) to fight against Imperial Japanese Army in Nagaland. On August 23, 1945, Tokyo Radio reported that Bose was arriving in Saigon on a large bomber plane when his plane crashed near Taihoku (Japanese language: 臺北帝國大學, Taihoku Teikoku Daigaku) airport on August 18. Japanese General Shodei, Pilot and some others were killed on board the plane. Netaji was seriously burnt. He was taken to Taihoku Sainik Hospital where he succumbed to his injuries. According to Col. Habibur Rahman, his last rites were performed in Taihoku. In mid-September, their bones were stored and placed in the Rankoji Temple in Tokyo, the capital of Japan. According to a document received from the National Archives of India, Netaji died on August 18, 1945, at 21.00 pm at Sainik Hospital in Taihoku.
Chamar Regiment moved up to Laisong to support the scouts, and 'V' Force Headquarters rapidly supplied more service rifles, Thompson and Sten hand-held sub-machine guns, shotguns, grenades, ammunition and rations.
1st Chamar Regiment got Battle of honour in Battle of Kohima 1944.
Chamar Regiment was in this war with 158 Indian Pioneer Corps, 159 Manipur Labour Corps, 138 Mechanical Transport Platoon, 170 Mutaguchi's, 33rd Division, 12 Nepalese Army, 203 Nepalese, Gurkhas 201, Norfolk Regiment 90, 131, 133 North Kachin Levies and others.
With the Japanese threat becoming acute as that time Japanese Reached current Northeast India borders of India, Chamar patrols began probing the country lying south of the Imphal-Kohima road, hunting out the enemy from his hideouts and camouflaged positions.
Malaya, then under British administration, was gradually occupied by Japanese forces between 8 December 1941 and the Allied surrender at Singapore on 15 February 1942. But the War staggered on and expansion went on. As the Punjab was drained of its youth other sources were considered. First step was the reactivation of the 3rd Madras Regiment. The military police Assam Rifles became the basis for the Assam Regiment. 'Class' battalions were formed from people outside the martial classes: the Mahar Regiment, the Sikh Light Infantry and the Chamar Regiment were raised whose recruitment had long been discontinued.
Brass shoulder title in the form of a curved regimental titile, 'Chamar Regt'.
Medal group, Havildar Bhagat Ram, 1945 (c). The group includes Military Medal 1945,Burma Star(1941-45) and British War Medal 1939–1945
Bhagat Ram was a Chamar from Chinihar Village in the Kangra district, in north-east India at the foot of the Himalayas. He received one Military Medal. The award was announced in the 'London Gazette', dated 12 July 1945.
Battle of honour
Battle of Kohima 1944, 1st Chamar Regiment
Disbandment
The unit was disbanded as part of the wider demobilisation at the end of the War.
Since then, many Dalit and non-Dalit leaders like Chandrasekhar Azad, RJD leader Raghuvansh Prasad Singh, Congress lawmaker Udit Raj, and Rajesh Bagha, the Chairman of Punjab S.C Commission, have suggested that the Chamar Regiment be re-raised.
The Commission, in its letter to the ministry of defence, had asked for reasons why the Chamar regiment should not be reinstated when regiments formed on the basis of caste, religion continued to exist.
“It is strange that all the other regiments, such as Sikh Regiment, Jat Regiment, Dogra Regiment etc, formed on the basis of caste/religion continue to exist while Chamar Regiment was disbanded,” the letter stated.
Guru Ravidass Temples and Gurdwaras
Gurdwara Guru Ravidass, Nasinu, Fiji Established in 1939
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.
Gurdwara Guru Ravidass Bhavan, Birmingham
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)
