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Chamar

2022-10-23T18:02:41Z

Yash:

{{Short description|Ethnic Group}}
{{About|the Indian caste|the mountain in Nepal|Chamar (mountain)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2017}}

{{Infobox Ethnic group
|image=File:Leather-bottle makers. - Tashrih al-aqvam (1825), f.360v - BL Add. 27255.jpg
|caption=Leather-bottle makers (Presumably members of the ‘Chamaar’ caste), ''Tashrih al-aqvam'' (1825)
|group=Chamar
|population=
|popplace = India • Pakistan
|langs =[[Hindi]] • [[Punjabi language|Punjabi]]
|rels =
|related =
}}

'''Chamar''' is a [[dalit]] community classified as a [[Scheduled Caste]] under modern India's [[Reservation in India|system of positive discrimination]]. Historically subject to [[untouchability]], they were traditionally outside the Hindu ritual ranking system of [[caste]]s known as [[Varna (Hinduism)|varna]]. They are found throughout the [[Indian subcontinent]], mainly in the northern states of India and in [[Pakistan]] and [[Nepal]].

[[Ramnarayan Rawat]] posits that the association of the Chamar community with a traditional occupation of [[Tanning (leather)|tanning]] was constructed, and that the Chamars were instead historically agriculturists.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-features/tp-bookreview/article2914334.ece |work=[[The Hindu]] |date=21 February 2012 |title=Aspirations of Chamars in North India |access-date=14 January 2013 |location=Chennai, India |first=Bhupendra |last=Yadav}}</ref>

The term ''chamar'' is used as a pejorative word for [[dalit]]s in general.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.sabrangindia.in/article/caste-igated-how-indians-use-casteist-slurs-dehumanise-each-other|title=Caste-igated: How Indians use casteist slurs to dehumanise each other|last=Malu|first=Preksha|date=2018-07-21|website=[[Sabrang Communications]]|language=en|access-date=2020-02-29}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.thequint.com/entertainment/hot-on-web/twitter-calls-out-netflix-original-jamtara-sabka-number-ayega-for-casteist-slur|title=Twitter Calls out Netflix's 'Jamtara' for Using Casteist Slur|date=2020-01-18|website=[[The Quint]]|language=en|access-date=2020-02-29}}</ref> It has been described as a [[Casteism|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]].<ref>{{cite news|last=Singh|first=Sanjay L.|title=Calling an SC 'chamar' offensive, punishable, says apex court|url=http://articles.economictimes.indiatimes.com/2008-08-20/news/28488600_1_upper-castes-insult-chamar|work=The Economic Times|date=20 August 2008|access-date=12 August 2015}}</ref>

==Utpala dynasty==
[[Utpala dynasty]] was a Kashmiri dynasty which ruled over the Kashmir region in the northern part of the Indian subcontinent from 9th to 10th century CE. The kingdom was established by Avanti Varman, ending the rule of Karkota dynasty in 855 CE. According to [[Ain-i-Akbari]] the rulers of this dynasty were from Chamar Community.<ref>{{cite web |title=The Ain-i-Akbari Vol II |url=https://www.indianculture.gov.in/rarebooks/ain-i-akbari-vol-ii |website=INDIAN CULTURE |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Sarkar |first1=Jadunath |title=Ain-i-akbari Of Abul Fazl I Allami Vol. 2 Ed. 2nd |url=https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.460916/page/n379/mode/2up |date=1949}}</ref>

==Chamar-Satnami kingdom==
There was a Satnami Kingdom of Narnaul (Haryana). The Satnami sect of Hinduism was founded in 1657 in Narnaul (a town in today's Indian state of Haryana, situated about 100 km south-west of Delhi), by a saint names Birbhan. They are considered to be an offshoot of the followers of the great saint Ravidas. The name Satnami reflects the major religious activity of the sect-which is the chanting and meditation of the true name (satnam, names of God), especially the names of Rama and Krishna. Fixing the mind devotedly on divine names, the fluctuations of the consciousness are stabilised, which makes one fit to receive higher intuitive knowledge of the divine.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Singh |first1=Mahendra |title=Dalit's Inheritance in Hindu Religion |url=https://books.google.co.in/books?id=2xSZqwkA5VwC&newbks=0&printsec=frontcover&pg=PA127&dq=satnami+chamar+revolt&hl=en&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q=satnami%20chamar%20revolt&f=false |publisher=Gyan Publishing House |language=en |date=2006}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Edwardes |first1=Stephen Meredyth |last2=Garrett |first2=Herbert Leonard Offley |title=Mughal Rule in India |url=https://books.google.co.in/books?id=4aqU9Zu7mFoC&newbks=0&printsec=frontcover&pg=PA119&dq=satnami+revolt&hl=en&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q=satnami%20revolt&f=false |publisher=Atlantic Publishers & Dist |language=en |date=1995}}</ref>
===Satnami Revolt 1672===
The Satnami revolt occurred in the reign of the Moghul Emperor Aurungzeb. Many Hindus resented Aurungzeb’s strict Islamic policies-which included reviving the hated Islamic Jiziya tax (poll tax on non-Muslim subjects), banning music and art, and destroying Hindu temples. The revolt began in 1672 when a Moghul soldier killed a Satnami. Other Satnamis took revenge on the Moghul soldier, and in turn the Moghul soldiers went about repressing the Satnamis. The result was that about 5,000 Satnamis were up in arms. They routed the Moghul troops situated in the town, drove away the Moghul administrators and set up their own administration in its place. The uprising gained the enthusiasm of Hindus in Agra and Ajmer also. Though totally lacking in weaponry and money, the Satnamis inflicted several defeats on the Moghul forces. The contemporary Moghul chronicler, Saqi Mustaid Khan, expressed amazement as to what came over this “destitute gang of goldsmiths, carpenters, sweepers and tanners and other… artisan castes that their conceited brains became so overclouded? Rebellious pride having found a place in their brains, their heads became too heavy for their shoulders.” This also shows the thinking of Muslim intelligentsia who regard them as untouchables. Amusingly, in contrast, Hindus have greatly respected the Satnamis throughout for their beliefs like prohibition of intoxicants and meat. The resentment of the Satnami’s against the Moghul persecution meant that they even enacted revenge by destroying mosques in the area. It was only with great difficulty that any Muslim soldiers could be brought to face the Satnamis, such was the wrath of the Satnamis at the time. It was only when Aurungzeb himself took personal command and sent 10,000 troops with artillery that the Satnamis fell. They put up a brave defense. According to Saqi Mustaid Khan they believed that they were re-enacting scenes from theMahabharata war. 2,000 Satnamis were slain on the battlefield and many more were slain in pursuit. What followed was an attempt to slay every remaining member of the Satnamis, and destroy all their homes. The remnants of the Satnamis fled in all directions and for a long time were totally disorganized and leaderless..<ref>{{cite web |last1=Singh |first1=Mahendra |title=Dalit's Inheritance in Hindu Religion |url=https://books.google.co.in/books?id=2xSZqwkA5VwC&newbks=0&printsec=frontcover&pg=PA127&dq=satnami+chamar+revolt&hl=en&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q=satnami%20chamar%20revolt&f=false |publisher=Gyan Publishing House |language=en |date=2006}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Edwardes |first1=Stephen Meredyth |last2=Garrett |first2=Herbert Leonard Offley |title=Mughal Rule in India |url=https://books.google.co.in/books?id=4aqU9Zu7mFoC&newbks=0&printsec=frontcover&pg=PA119&dq=satnami+revolt&hl=en&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q=satnami%20revolt&f=false |publisher=Atlantic Publishers & Dist |language=en |date=1995}}</ref>

==Militry service==
Historian Stephen Cohen says:
Chamars had strong caste traditions of violence and aggressiveness and were classed as a criminal caste by the British.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Singh |first1=Birinder Pal |title=Ex-Criminal Tribes of Punjab |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/40278313 |website=Economic and Political Weekly |pages=58–65 |date=2008}}</ref>
The Chamar Community has a history of military service and served [[Mahar Regiment]], [[Bengal army]], [[Sikh Light Infantry]], [[23rd Sikh Pioneers]], [[34th Royal Sikh Pioneers]], [[32nd Sikh Pioneers]].

According to Karsten,Peter:
The Chamar recruitment from the Bengal Army was substantially reduced because of their perceived primary role as "mutineers" in the 1857 rebellion. and were replaced by another untouchable caste, the Mazbhi Sikhs, a change which reflected the growing Punjabization of the Indian Army.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Karsten |first1=Peter |title=Recruiting, Drafting, and Enlisting: Two Sides of the Raising of Military Forces |url=https://books.google.co.in/books?id=Fh_fAQAAQBAJ&pg=RA1-PA161&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q&f=false |publisher=Routledge |language=en |date=31 October 2013}}</ref>
==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. It was converted to the 1st Battalion and later disbanded shortly after World War II ended.{{sfn|Sharma1990|2020|p=28}} The Regiment, with one year of service, received three [[Military Cross]]es and three [[Military Medal]]s<ref name="Sharma1990">Gautam Sharma. ''[https://books.google.com/books?id=xLrTzZd0j1kC&pg=PA26 Valour and Sacrifice: Famous Regiments of the Indian Army]''. Allied Publishers; 1990. {{ISBN|978-81-7023-140-0}}. p. 26–.</ref> It fought in the [[Battle of Kohima]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.gautambookcenter.com/images/ww2_kohima.pdf|title=The Battle of Kohima}}</ref> In 2011, several politicians demanded that it be revived.<ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.indianexpress.com/news/rjd-man-raghuvansh-calls-for-reviving-chamar-regiment/759232/ |title=RJD man Raghuvansh calls for reviving Chamar Regiment |work=indianexpress.com |access-date=31 March 2011}}</ref>

==Dhusia==
'''Dhusia''' is a caste in India, sometimes associated with Chamars, Ghusiya, Jhusia or [[Jatav]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Lokniti |url=http://www.lokniti.org/pdfs_dataunit/publications2010/subalterns-U-P.pdf}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://sultanpur.nic.in/peo.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090330034944/https://sultanpur.nic.in/peo.htm |archive-date=2009-03-30 |title=The Inhabitants |publisher=sultanpur.nic.in}}</ref> They are found in [[Uttar Pradesh]],<ref>{{cite web|title=Social Justice|url=http://socialjustice.nic.in/pdf/scorderuttarpradesh.pdf}}</ref> and elsewhere.

Most of the Dhusia in Punjab and Haryana migrated from Pakistan after [[partition of India]]. In Punjab, they are mainly found in Ludhiana, Patiala, Amritsar and Jalandhar cities. They are inspired by [[B. R. Ambedkar]] to adopt the [[surname]] Rao<ref>{{cite journal |title= UP: BJP's Caste Card |first=A. K. |last=Verma |journal=Economic and Political Weekly |volume=36 |issue=48 |date=December 2001 |pages=4452–4455 |jstor=4411406 }}</ref> and Jatav.

==Occupations==
Chamars who have adopted the weaving profession and abandoned tanning and leathercraft, identify themselves as [[Julaha Chamar]]. R. K. Pruthi suggests this is in the hope that they might in future be considered as Julaha by other communities. They believe that leatherwork is "degrading" when compared to weaving.<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=rC1bJcd-MDUC&pg=PA189 |title=Indian caste system |first=R. K. |last=Pruthi |year=2004 |publisher=Discovery |page=189 |isbn=9788171418473 |access-date=14 April 2012}}</ref>

Manusmriti assigns cattle rearing as Vaishya occupation but historical evidence shows that Brahmins, Kshatriyas and Shudras also owned and reared cattle and that cattle-wealth was mainstay of their households. Ramnarayan Rawat, a professor of History and specialising in social exclusion in the Indian subcontinent, states that 19th century British records show that Chamars, listed as untouchables, also owned land and cattle and were active agriculturalists.<ref>{{cite web |first1=Ramnarayan S. Rawat |url=https://www.worldcat.org/title/526083948 |access-date=2011}}</ref>
==Culture and society==
According to Dr.T.A wise and H.H.Risley, H.A. Rose and George W.Briggs: there were no priests in their religious ceremony. He further writes, the Chamars have always displayed a remarkable dislike for Brahmins and Hindu customs. Nevertheless, they observe a number of rites that are popularly believed to be of hindu origin, but which are essentially the worship of village deities for ages before the arrival of the aryans, which remained in the society for centuries and came to be known of Hindus. They eat beef, pork and chickens, all of which are impure for an average Hindu and cooks the meat of animals that die a natural death.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Briggs |first1=Geo W. |title=The Religious Life of India - The Chamars |url=https://books.google.co.in/books?id=PTgsR0xjG4MC&newbks=0&hl=en&redir_esc=y |publisher=Read Books |language=en |date=March 2007}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Ibbetson |first1=Sir Denzil |title=Glossary of the Tribes and Castes of the Punjab and North West Frontier Province |url=https://books.google.co.in/books?id=1QmrSwFYe60C&newbks=0&printsec=frontcover&dq=glossary+of+the+tribes+and+castes+of+the+punjab&hl=en&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q=glossary%20of%20the%20tribes%20and%20castes%20of%20the%20punjab&f=false |publisher=Asian Educational Services |language=en |date=1990}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Risley |first1=Sir Herbert Hope |title=The Tribes and Castes of Bengal |url=https://books.google.co.in/books?id=qAJCAQAAMAAJ&q=the+tribes+and+castes+of+bengal&redir_esc=y#v=snippet&q=the%20tribes%20and%20castes%20of%20bengal&f=false |publisher=Bengal Secretariat Press |language=en |date=1891}}</ref>

Again, Dr.T.A. Wise and H.H.Risley, H.A. Rose and George W.Briggs: describes:The Chamars as being less tanned than the average Chandal and infinitely more fair than many Kshatriyas and Brahmins. M.A. Sherring, was greatly influenced by the Chamar caste's good looks like upper caste.

As a rule the Chamar chooses his wife locally, outside his own village group, but within his own sub-caste. Although the sub-castes are essentially endogamous groups, marriages are occasionally arranged between members of different sub-castes. For example, Dhusiyas and Kanaujiyas intermarry and Jatiyas and Kaiyans sometimes do.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Briggs |first1=Geo W. |title=The Religious Life of India - The Chamars |url=https://books.google.co.in/books?id=PTgsR0xjG4MC&newbks=0&hl=en&redir_esc=y |publisher=Read Books |language=en |date=March 2007}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Ibbetson |first1=Sir Denzil |title=Glossary of the Tribes and Castes of the Punjab and North West Frontier Province |url=https://books.google.co.in/books?id=1QmrSwFYe60C&newbks=0&printsec=frontcover&dq=glossary+of+the+tribes+and+castes+of+the+punjab&hl=en&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q=glossary%20of%20the%20tribes%20and%20castes%20of%20the%20punjab&f=false |publisher=Asian Educational Services |language=en |date=1990}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Risley |first1=Sir Herbert Hope |title=The Tribes and Castes of Bengal |url=https://books.google.co.in/books?id=qAJCAQAAMAAJ&q=the+tribes+and+castes+of+bengal&redir_esc=y#v=snippet&q=the%20tribes%20and%20castes%20of%20bengal&f=false |publisher=Bengal Secretariat Press |language=en |date=1891}}</ref>.

===Remarriage of widows and divorced wives===
The Chamains(Chamar women) all over Bengal wear huge elegant anklets and bracelets made of bell-metal that resemble the corresponding jewelry worn by Santal women. Chamain considers it a great attraction to have tattoos on her body, as a result of which her chest, forehead, arms and legs are distorted with splendidly shaped partterns. Chamain is generally known to be skilled in all the secrets of midwifery. The bride's father receives money for the marriage of 'his daughter', widows are allowed to remarry and divorce is permitted with the approval of the caste panchayat. Even divorced wives can remarry. The remarriage of widows is legal and the tribal council may declare the children rightful heirs. The limits for such marriages are the same as for virgins. If the widow be young, and there be a younger brother of her former husband, of suitable age, they usually marry. There are traces of the levirate, in the right of the younger brother to take the widow in marriage. There is no idea of raising seed for the dead brother. If the widow have brothers-in-law (brothers of her late husband), she must marry one of them. She may be married to the husband of an elder sister provided the latter be willing, or if the latter has died. If she is old enough to decide for herself, and if she has a child, her consent to the arrangements is taken otherwise her relatives will decide.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Briggs |first1=Geo W. |title=The Religious Life of India - The Chamars |url=https://books.google.co.in/books?id=PTgsR0xjG4MC&newbks=0&hl=en&redir_esc=y |publisher=Read Books |language=en |date=March 2007}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Ibbetson |first1=Sir Denzil |title=Glossary of the Tribes and Castes of the Punjab and North West Frontier Province |url=https://books.google.co.in/books?id=1QmrSwFYe60C&newbks=0&printsec=frontcover&dq=glossary+of+the+tribes+and+castes+of+the+punjab&hl=en&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q=glossary%20of%20the%20tribes%20and%20castes%20of%20the%20punjab&f=false |publisher=Asian Educational Services |language=en |date=1990}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Risley |first1=Sir Herbert Hope |title=The Tribes and Castes of Bengal |url=https://books.google.co.in/books?id=qAJCAQAAMAAJ&q=the+tribes+and+castes+of+bengal&redir_esc=y#v=snippet&q=the%20tribes%20and%20castes%20of%20bengal&f=false |publisher=Bengal Secretariat Press |language=en |date=1891}}</ref>.

===Higher religion===
Some nature-gods have their places in the Chamar's religious world, but their position is not what it was informer times. Suriya, Suraj Deota (the Sun), for example, is now nothing but a godling, or perhaps a deified hero. While the Chamar is not admitted to the shrines of this godling, still, every morning as he leaves his house he bows his head, joins his hands and calls upon the Sun as Suraj Narayan..<ref>{{cite web |last1=Briggs |first1=Geo W. |title=The Religious Life of India - The Chamars |url=https://books.google.co.in/books?id=PTgsR0xjG4MC&newbks=0&hl=en&redir_esc=y |publisher=Read Books |language=en |date=March 2007}}</ref>

==Demographics==
According to the 2001 [[census of India]], the Chamars comprise around 14 per cent of the population in the state of [[Uttar Pradesh]]<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.censusindia.gov.in/Tables_Published/SCST/dh_sc_up.pdf |title=Uttar Pradesh data highlights: the Scheduled Castes, Census of India 2001}}</ref> and 12 percent of that in [[Punjab (India)|Punjab]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.censusindia.gov.in/Tables_Published/SCST/dh_sc_punjab.pdf |title=Uttar Pradesh data highlights: the Scheduled Castes}}</ref>

{|
|-
|
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! colspan=4 | Chamar population in India by State, 2001
|-
! State !! Population!! State Population % !! Notes
|-
| West Bengal<ref>{{cite web |url=http://censusindia.gov.in/Tables_Published/SCST/dh_sc_westbengal.pdf |title=West Bengal — DATA HIGHLIGHTS: THE SCHEDULED CASTES — Census of India 2001 |access-date=14 January 2013}}</ref>|| 999,756 || 1.25% ||
|-
| Bihar<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.censusindia.gov.in/Tables_Published/SCST/dh_sc_bihar.pdf |title=Census table |website=www.censusindia.gov.in }}</ref> || 4,090,070 || 5% ||
|-
| Delhi<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.censusindia.gov.in/Tables_Published/SCST/dh_sc_delhi.pdf |title=Microsoft Word - Delhi comments.doc |access-date=6 February 2017}}</ref> || 893,384 || 6.45% ||
|-
| Chandigarh<ref name="censusindia.gov.in">{{cite web|url=http://censusindia.gov.in/Tables_Published/SCST/dh_sc_chandigarh.pdf |title=Census table |website=www.censusindia.gov.in }}</ref>|| 48,159 || 5.3% ||
|-
| Chhattisgarh<ref>{{cite web|url=http://censusindia.gov.in/Tables_Published/SCST/dh_sc_chhattisgarh.pdf |title=Census table |website=www.censusindia.gov.in }}</ref> || 1,659,303 || 8% ||
|-
| Gujarat<ref name=gujarat>{{cite web|url=https://data.gov.in/resources/state-and-district-wise-scheduled-castes-population-each-caste-seperately-2011-gujarat|title=State and district-wise Scheduled Castes population for each caste separately, 2011 - GUJARAT}}</ref> || 1,032,128 || 1.7% ||
In Gujarat also known as [[Bhambi]], Asodi, Chamadia, Harali, Khalpa, [[Mochi (Hindu)|Mochi]], Nalia, Madar, Ranigar, Ravidas, Rohidas, [[Rohit (caste)|Rohit]], Samgar.<ref name=gujarat/> Gujarat's government has made an effort to change their name from 'Chamar' to 'Rohit' and to change the name of their villages and towns from 'Chamarvas' to 'Rohitvas'.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.dailypioneer.com/nation/rohits-to-replace-chamars-in-gujarat.html|title='Rohits' to replace Chamars in Gujarat|publisher=[[The Pioneer (newspaper)|The Pioneer]]|date=October 8, 2016|first=Nayan|last=Dave|location=[[Gandhinagar]]}}</ref>
|-
| Haryana<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.censusindia.gov.in/Tables_Published/SCST/dh_sc_haryana.pdf |title=Census table |website=www.censusindia.gov.in }}</ref> || 2,079,132 || 9.84% || Known as Jatav

|-
| Himachal Pradesh<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.censusindia.gov.in/Tables_Published/SCST/dh_sc_himachal.pdf |title=Census table |website=www.censusindia.gov.in }}</ref>
|| 414,669 || 6.8% ||
|-
| Jammu & Kashmir<ref>{{cite web|url=http://censusindia.gov.in/Tables_Published/SCST/dh_sc_jk.pdf |title=Census table |website=www.censusindia.gov.in }}</ref>
|488,257|| 4.82% || ||
|-
| Jharkhand<ref>{{cite web|url=http://censusindia.gov.in/Tables_Published/SCST/dh_sc_jharkhand.pdf |title=Census table |website=www.censusindia.gov.in }}</ref>
|| 837,333 || 3.1% ||
|-
| Madhya Pradesh<ref>{{cite web|url=http://censusindia.gov.in/Tables_Published/SCST/dh_sc_madhya_pradesh.pdf |title=Census table |website=www.censusindia.gov.in }}</ref>
|| 837,333 || 9.3% || Chamars are primarily concentrated in [[Sagar district|Sagar]], [[Morena district|Morena]], [[Rewa district|Rewa]],
[[Bhind district|Bhind]] and [[Chhatarpur district|Chhatarpur]] districts. Chamars work in land measurement are described as Balahi.<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=rTdnvQBPWIUC&pg=PA579|title=Indian Encyclopaedia|first=Subodh|last=Kapoor|date=21 July 2018|publisher=Cosmo Publications|isbn=9788177552577|via=Google Books}}</ref> Balahi have major concentration in [[Ujjain district|Ujjain]], [[Khargone district|Khargone]] and [[Dewas district|Dewas]] districts.
|-
| Maharashtra<ref>{{cite web|url=http://censusindia.gov.in/Tables_Published/SCST/dh_sc_maha.pdf |title=Census table |website=www.censusindia.gov.in }}</ref>
|| 1,234,874 || 1.28% ||
|-
| Punjab<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.censusindia.gov.in/Tables_Published/SCST/dh_sc_punjab.pdf |title=Census table |website=www.censusindia.gov.in }}</ref>
|| 2,800,000|| 11.9% || The Chamar caste cluster (34.93%) consists of two castes of Chamars and Ad-dharmis. Chamar—an umbrella caste category—includes Chamars, Jatia Chamars, Rehgars, Raigars, Ramdasias, and Ravidassias.<ref>{{cite journal|last1=Ram|first1=Ronki|title=Internal Caste Cleavages among Dalits in Punjab|journal=Economic & Political Weekly|date=21 January 2017|volume=52|issue=3|url=http://www.epw.in/journal/2017/3/punjab%E2%80%94exploring-prospects/internal-caste-cleavages-among-dalits-punjab.html-0}}</ref>

|-
| Rajasthan<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.censusindia.gov.in/Tables_Published/SCST/dh_sc_rajasthan.pdf |title=Census table |website=www.censusindia.gov.in }}</ref>
|| 6,100,236|| 10.8% || Chamars in Rajasthan can only be identified in the districts adjoining to the states of Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh. The districts of [[Bikaner district|Bikaner]], Shriganganagar, Hanumangarh, Churu, Jhunjhunu, [[Alwar district|Alwar]], [[Bharatpur district|Bharatpur]] and Dhaulpur are inhabited by Chamars. In the districts of Bharatpur, Dhaulpur and parts of Alwar (adjoining to Bharatpur) they are known as [[Meghwal]]<ref>{{cite book |title=Studies in Social Protest | publisher=VEDAMS | last=Rawat |first=Shyam | year=2010 | isbn=978-8131603314}}</ref>{{Page needed|date=April 2013}} ''[[Raigar]]'' (leather tanners) and ''[[Mochi (Hindu)|Mochi]]'' (shoe makers) are other two castes related to the leather profession.{{citation needed|date=February 2013}}In Bikaner region, they are known as Balai.<ref>{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=eKGhCWZs59oC&q=balai+bikaner&pg=PA65|title=Balai: Chamars in Bikaner region are known as Balai.|isbn=9788176258418|last1=Gupta|first1=R. K.|last2=Bakshi|first2=S. R.|year=2008}}</ref>

|-
| Uttar Pradesh<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.censusindia.gov.in/Tables_Published/SCST/dh_sc_up.pdf |title=Census table |website=www.censusindia.gov.in }}</ref>
|| 19,803,106 || 14% ||

|-
| Uttaranchal<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.censusindia.gov.in/Tables_Published/SCST/dh_sc_uttaranchal.pdf |title=Census table |website=www.censusindia.gov.in }}</ref> || 444,535 || 5% ||
|}
|
|
|}

The [[2011 Census of India]] for Uttar Pradesh combined the Chamar, Dhusia, Jhusia, Jatava Scheduled Caste communities and returned a population of 22,496,047.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.censusindia.gov.in/2011census/PCA/SC_ST/PCA-A10/SC-0900-PCA-A-10-ddw.xlsx |title= A-10 Individual Scheduled Caste Primary Census Abstract Data and its Appendix - Uttar Pradesh |publisher=Registrar General & Census Commissioner, India |access-date=4 February 2017}}</ref>

==Notable people==
*[[Jagjivan Ram]], former Deputy Prime Minister of India<ref name="Roy">{{cite book |author=Roy, Kaushik |editor-last=Pant |editor-first=Harsh V. |title=Handbook of Indian Defence Policy: Themes, structures and doctrines |date=2016 |publisher=Routledge |isbn=978-1138939608 |page=67 |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=9xG4CwAAQBAJ&pg=PA67 |access-date=12 July 2020 |chapter=Indian society and the soldier: will the twain ever meet? |quote=In 1970, when Babu Jagjivan Ram (himself, a chamar) became the defence minister, he attempted to raise the chamar regiment.}}</ref>
* [[Kanshi Ram]] (1934–2006), founder of [[Bahujan Samaj Party]] and mentor of Mayawati Kumari<ref>{{cite web|title=I will be the best PM and Mayawati is my chosen heir|url=http://www.indianexpress.com/storyOld.php?storyId=23080|quote=...I am a chamar from Punjab...|work=[[Indian Express]]|date=2 May 2003}}</ref>
* [[Meira Kumar]], Former [[Speaker of the Lok Sabha]]
* [[Mayawati]], leader of Bahujan Samaj Party and Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh.<ref name="Mayawati">{{cite news |title=Mayawati talks of a secret successor |url=https://www.indiatoday.in/latest-headlines/story/mayawati-talks-of-a-secret-successor-28178-2008-08-09 |access-date=4 April 2019 |work=[[India Today]] |publisher=[[Indo-Asian News Service]] |date=9 August 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190404213026/https://www.indiatoday.in/latest-headlines/story/mayawati-talks-of-a-secret-successor-28178-2008-08-09 |archive-date=4 April 2019 |url-status=live |df=dmy-all}}</ref>

==See also==
* [[Ahirwar]]
* [[Mochi (Hindu)|Hindu Mochi]]
* [[Mochi (Muslim)|Muslim Mochi]]

==References==
{{Reflist|2}}

==Further reading==
*{{cite book |last=Briggs |first=George W. |year=1920 |title=The Religious Life of India — The Chamars|isbn=1-4067-5762-4 |location=Calcutta |publisher=Association Press|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=PTgsR0xjG4MC}}
*{{cite book |title=Reconsidering Untouchability: Chamars and Dalit History in North India |first=Ramnarayan S. |last=Rawat |author-link=Ramnarayan Rawat |publisher=Indiana University Press |year=2011 |isbn=9780253222626 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=bz5dKC81O3IC}} 
*{{cite journal |title=A Bibliographic Essay on Hindu and Christian Dalit Religiosity |journal=[[Journal of Hindu-Christian Studies]] |volume=17 |pages=55–65 |year=2004 |first=Mathew N. |last=Schmalz |doi=10.7825/2164-6279.1318 |url=http://digitalcommons.butler.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1318&context=jhcs|doi-access=free }}

{{Ethnic groups, tribes and clans of the Punjab}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Social groups of Bihar]]
[[Category:Social groups of Haryana]]
[[Category:Scheduled Castes of Uttar Pradesh]]
[[Category:Social groups of Punjab, India]]
[[Category:Social groups of Rajasthan]]
[[Category:Social groups of Delhi]]
[[Category:Scheduled Castes of Haryana]]
[[Category:Ethnic groups in Nepal]]
[[Category:Dalit communities]]
[[Category:Leatherworking castes]]

Chamar

2022-10-23T18:01:06Z

Yash:

{{Short description|Ethnic Group}}
{{About|the Indian caste|the mountain in Nepal|Chamar (mountain)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2017}}

{{Infobox Ethnic group
|image=File:Leather-bottle makers. - Tashrih al-aqvam (1825), f.360v - BL Add. 27255.jpg
|caption=Leather-bottle makers (Presumably members of the ‘Chamaar’ caste), ''Tashrih al-aqvam'' (1825)
|group=Chamar
|population=
|popplace = India • Pakistan
|langs =[[Hindi]] • [[Punjabi language|Punjabi]]
|rels =
|related =
}}

'''Chamar''' is a [[dalit]] community classified as a [[Scheduled Caste]] under modern India's [[Reservation in India|system of positive discrimination]]. Historically subject to [[untouchability]], they were traditionally outside the Hindu ritual ranking system of [[caste]]s known as [[Varna (Hinduism)|varna]]. They are found throughout the [[Indian subcontinent]], mainly in the northern states of India and in [[Pakistan]] and [[Nepal]].

[[Ramnarayan Rawat]] posits that the association of the Chamar community with a traditional occupation of [[Tanning (leather)|tanning]] was constructed, and that the Chamars were instead historically agriculturists.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-features/tp-bookreview/article2914334.ece |work=[[The Hindu]] |date=21 February 2012 |title=Aspirations of Chamars in North India |access-date=14 January 2013 |location=Chennai, India |first=Bhupendra |last=Yadav}}</ref>

The term ''chamar'' is used as a pejorative word for [[dalit]]s in general.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.sabrangindia.in/article/caste-igated-how-indians-use-casteist-slurs-dehumanise-each-other|title=Caste-igated: How Indians use casteist slurs to dehumanise each other|last=Malu|first=Preksha|date=2018-07-21|website=[[Sabrang Communications]]|language=en|access-date=2020-02-29}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.thequint.com/entertainment/hot-on-web/twitter-calls-out-netflix-original-jamtara-sabka-number-ayega-for-casteist-slur|title=Twitter Calls out Netflix's 'Jamtara' for Using Casteist Slur|date=2020-01-18|website=[[The Quint]]|language=en|access-date=2020-02-29}}</ref> It has been described as a [[Casteism|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]].<ref>{{cite news|last=Singh|first=Sanjay L.|title=Calling an SC 'chamar' offensive, punishable, says apex court|url=http://articles.economictimes.indiatimes.com/2008-08-20/news/28488600_1_upper-castes-insult-chamar|work=The Economic Times|date=20 August 2008|access-date=12 August 2015}}</ref>

==Utpala dynasty==
[[Utpala dynasty]] was a Kashmiri dynasty which ruled over the Kashmir region in the northern part of the Indian subcontinent from 9th to 10th century CE. The kingdom was established by Avanti Varman, ending the rule of Karkota dynasty in 855 CE. According to Ain-i-Akbari the rulers of this dynasty were from Chamar Community.<ref>{{cite web |title=The Ain-i-Akbari Vol II |url=https://www.indianculture.gov.in/rarebooks/ain-i-akbari-vol-ii |website=INDIAN CULTURE |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Sarkar |first1=Jadunath |title=Ain-i-akbari Of Abul Fazl I Allami Vol. 2 Ed. 2nd |url=https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.460916/page/n379/mode/2up |date=1949}}</ref>

==Chamar-Satnami kingdom==
There was a Satnami Kingdom of Narnaul (Haryana). The Satnami sect of Hinduism was founded in 1657 in Narnaul (a town in today's Indian state of Haryana, situated about 100 km south-west of Delhi), by a saint names Birbhan. They are considered to be an offshoot of the followers of the great saint Ravidas. The name Satnami reflects the major religious activity of the sect-which is the chanting and meditation of the true name (satnam, names of God), especially the names of Rama and Krishna. Fixing the mind devotedly on divine names, the fluctuations of the consciousness are stabilised, which makes one fit to receive higher intuitive knowledge of the divine.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Singh |first1=Mahendra |title=Dalit's Inheritance in Hindu Religion |url=https://books.google.co.in/books?id=2xSZqwkA5VwC&newbks=0&printsec=frontcover&pg=PA127&dq=satnami+chamar+revolt&hl=en&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q=satnami%20chamar%20revolt&f=false |publisher=Gyan Publishing House |language=en |date=2006}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Edwardes |first1=Stephen Meredyth |last2=Garrett |first2=Herbert Leonard Offley |title=Mughal Rule in India |url=https://books.google.co.in/books?id=4aqU9Zu7mFoC&newbks=0&printsec=frontcover&pg=PA119&dq=satnami+revolt&hl=en&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q=satnami%20revolt&f=false |publisher=Atlantic Publishers & Dist |language=en |date=1995}}</ref>
===Satnami Revolt 1672===
The Satnami revolt occurred in the reign of the Moghul Emperor Aurungzeb. Many Hindus resented Aurungzeb’s strict Islamic policies-which included reviving the hated Islamic Jiziya tax (poll tax on non-Muslim subjects), banning music and art, and destroying Hindu temples. The revolt began in 1672 when a Moghul soldier killed a Satnami. Other Satnamis took revenge on the Moghul soldier, and in turn the Moghul soldiers went about repressing the Satnamis. The result was that about 5,000 Satnamis were up in arms. They routed the Moghul troops situated in the town, drove away the Moghul administrators and set up their own administration in its place. The uprising gained the enthusiasm of Hindus in Agra and Ajmer also. Though totally lacking in weaponry and money, the Satnamis inflicted several defeats on the Moghul forces. The contemporary Moghul chronicler, Saqi Mustaid Khan, expressed amazement as to what came over this “destitute gang of goldsmiths, carpenters, sweepers and tanners and other… artisan castes that their conceited brains became so overclouded? Rebellious pride having found a place in their brains, their heads became too heavy for their shoulders.” This also shows the thinking of Muslim intelligentsia who regard them as untouchables. Amusingly, in contrast, Hindus have greatly respected the Satnamis throughout for their beliefs like prohibition of intoxicants and meat. The resentment of the Satnami’s against the Moghul persecution meant that they even enacted revenge by destroying mosques in the area. It was only with great difficulty that any Muslim soldiers could be brought to face the Satnamis, such was the wrath of the Satnamis at the time. It was only when Aurungzeb himself took personal command and sent 10,000 troops with artillery that the Satnamis fell. They put up a brave defense. According to Saqi Mustaid Khan they believed that they were re-enacting scenes from theMahabharata war. 2,000 Satnamis were slain on the battlefield and many more were slain in pursuit. What followed was an attempt to slay every remaining member of the Satnamis, and destroy all their homes. The remnants of the Satnamis fled in all directions and for a long time were totally disorganized and leaderless..<ref>{{cite web |last1=Singh |first1=Mahendra |title=Dalit's Inheritance in Hindu Religion |url=https://books.google.co.in/books?id=2xSZqwkA5VwC&newbks=0&printsec=frontcover&pg=PA127&dq=satnami+chamar+revolt&hl=en&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q=satnami%20chamar%20revolt&f=false |publisher=Gyan Publishing House |language=en |date=2006}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Edwardes |first1=Stephen Meredyth |last2=Garrett |first2=Herbert Leonard Offley |title=Mughal Rule in India |url=https://books.google.co.in/books?id=4aqU9Zu7mFoC&newbks=0&printsec=frontcover&pg=PA119&dq=satnami+revolt&hl=en&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q=satnami%20revolt&f=false |publisher=Atlantic Publishers & Dist |language=en |date=1995}}</ref>

==Militry service==
Historian Stephen Cohen says:
{{quote|Chamars had strong caste traditions of violence and aggressiveness and were classed as a criminal caste by the British.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Singh |first1=Birinder Pal |title=Ex-Criminal Tribes of Punjab |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/40278313 |website=Economic and Political Weekly |pages=58–65 |date=2008}}</ref>}}
The Chamar Community has a history of military service and served [[Mahar Regiment]], [[Bengal army]], [[Sikh Light Infantry]], [[23rd Sikh Pioneers]], [[34th Royal Sikh Pioneers]], [[32nd Sikh Pioneers]].

According to Karsten,Peter:
{{quote|The Chamar recruitment from the Bengal Army was substantially reduced because of their perceived primary role as "mutineers" in the 1857 rebellion. and were replaced by another untouchable caste, the Mazbhi Sikhs, a change which reflected the growing Punjabization of the Indian Army.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Karsten |first1=Peter |title=Recruiting, Drafting, and Enlisting: Two Sides of the Raising of Military Forces |url=https://books.google.co.in/books?id=Fh_fAQAAQBAJ&pg=RA1-PA161&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q&f=false |publisher=Routledge |language=en |date=31 October 2013}}</ref>}}
==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. It was converted to the 1st Battalion and later disbanded shortly after World War II ended.{{sfn|Sharma1990|2020|p=28}} The Regiment, with one year of service, received three [[Military Cross]]es and three [[Military Medal]]s<ref name="Sharma1990">Gautam Sharma. ''[https://books.google.com/books?id=xLrTzZd0j1kC&pg=PA26 Valour and Sacrifice: Famous Regiments of the Indian Army]''. Allied Publishers; 1990. {{ISBN|978-81-7023-140-0}}. p. 26–.</ref> It fought in the [[Battle of Kohima]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.gautambookcenter.com/images/ww2_kohima.pdf|title=The Battle of Kohima}}</ref> In 2011, several politicians demanded that it be revived.<ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.indianexpress.com/news/rjd-man-raghuvansh-calls-for-reviving-chamar-regiment/759232/ |title=RJD man Raghuvansh calls for reviving Chamar Regiment |work=indianexpress.com |access-date=31 March 2011}}</ref>

==Dhusia==
'''Dhusia''' is a caste in India, sometimes associated with Chamars, Ghusiya, Jhusia or [[Jatav]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Lokniti |url=http://www.lokniti.org/pdfs_dataunit/publications2010/subalterns-U-P.pdf}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://sultanpur.nic.in/peo.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090330034944/https://sultanpur.nic.in/peo.htm |archive-date=2009-03-30 |title=The Inhabitants |publisher=sultanpur.nic.in}}</ref> They are found in [[Uttar Pradesh]],<ref>{{cite web|title=Social Justice|url=http://socialjustice.nic.in/pdf/scorderuttarpradesh.pdf}}</ref> and elsewhere.

Most of the Dhusia in Punjab and Haryana migrated from Pakistan after [[partition of India]]. In Punjab, they are mainly found in Ludhiana, Patiala, Amritsar and Jalandhar cities. They are inspired by [[B. R. Ambedkar]] to adopt the [[surname]] Rao<ref>{{cite journal |title= UP: BJP's Caste Card |first=A. K. |last=Verma |journal=Economic and Political Weekly |volume=36 |issue=48 |date=December 2001 |pages=4452–4455 |jstor=4411406 }}</ref> and Jatav.

==Occupations==
Chamars who have adopted the weaving profession and abandoned tanning and leathercraft, identify themselves as [[Julaha Chamar]]. R. K. Pruthi suggests this is in the hope that they might in future be considered as Julaha by other communities. They believe that leatherwork is "degrading" when compared to weaving.<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=rC1bJcd-MDUC&pg=PA189 |title=Indian caste system |first=R. K. |last=Pruthi |year=2004 |publisher=Discovery |page=189 |isbn=9788171418473 |access-date=14 April 2012}}</ref>

Manusmriti assigns cattle rearing as Vaishya occupation but historical evidence shows that Brahmins, Kshatriyas and Shudras also owned and reared cattle and that cattle-wealth was mainstay of their households. Ramnarayan Rawat, a professor of History and specialising in social exclusion in the Indian subcontinent, states that 19th century British records show that Chamars, listed as untouchables, also owned land and cattle and were active agriculturalists.<ref>{{cite web |first1=Ramnarayan S. Rawat |url=https://www.worldcat.org/title/526083948 |access-date=2011}}</ref>
==Culture and society==
According to Dr.T.A wise and H.H.Risley, H.A. Rose and George W.Briggs: there were no priests in their religious ceremony. He further writes, the Chamars have always displayed a remarkable dislike for Brahmins and Hindu customs. Nevertheless, they observe a number of rites that are popularly believed to be of hindu origin, but which are essentially the worship of village deities for ages before the arrival of the aryans, which remained in the society for centuries and came to be known of Hindus. They eat beef, pork and chickens, all of which are impure for an average Hindu and cooks the meat of animals that die a natural death.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Briggs |first1=Geo W. |title=The Religious Life of India - The Chamars |url=https://books.google.co.in/books?id=PTgsR0xjG4MC&newbks=0&hl=en&redir_esc=y |publisher=Read Books |language=en |date=March 2007}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Ibbetson |first1=Sir Denzil |title=Glossary of the Tribes and Castes of the Punjab and North West Frontier Province |url=https://books.google.co.in/books?id=1QmrSwFYe60C&newbks=0&printsec=frontcover&dq=glossary+of+the+tribes+and+castes+of+the+punjab&hl=en&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q=glossary%20of%20the%20tribes%20and%20castes%20of%20the%20punjab&f=false |publisher=Asian Educational Services |language=en |date=1990}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Risley |first1=Sir Herbert Hope |title=The Tribes and Castes of Bengal |url=https://books.google.co.in/books?id=qAJCAQAAMAAJ&q=the+tribes+and+castes+of+bengal&redir_esc=y#v=snippet&q=the%20tribes%20and%20castes%20of%20bengal&f=false |publisher=Bengal Secretariat Press |language=en |date=1891}}</ref>

Again, Dr.T.A. Wise and H.H.Risley, H.A. Rose and George W.Briggs: describes:The Chamars as being less tanned than the average Chandal and infinitely more fair than many Kshatriyas and Brahmins. M.A. Sherring, was greatly influenced by the Chamar caste's good looks like upper caste.

As a rule the Chamar chooses his wife locally, outside his own village group, but within his own sub-caste. Although the sub-castes are essentially endogamous groups, marriages are occasionally arranged between members of different sub-castes. For example, Dhusiyas and Kanaujiyas intermarry and Jatiyas and Kaiyans sometimes do.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Briggs |first1=Geo W. |title=The Religious Life of India - The Chamars |url=https://books.google.co.in/books?id=PTgsR0xjG4MC&newbks=0&hl=en&redir_esc=y |publisher=Read Books |language=en |date=March 2007}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Ibbetson |first1=Sir Denzil |title=Glossary of the Tribes and Castes of the Punjab and North West Frontier Province |url=https://books.google.co.in/books?id=1QmrSwFYe60C&newbks=0&printsec=frontcover&dq=glossary+of+the+tribes+and+castes+of+the+punjab&hl=en&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q=glossary%20of%20the%20tribes%20and%20castes%20of%20the%20punjab&f=false |publisher=Asian Educational Services |language=en |date=1990}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Risley |first1=Sir Herbert Hope |title=The Tribes and Castes of Bengal |url=https://books.google.co.in/books?id=qAJCAQAAMAAJ&q=the+tribes+and+castes+of+bengal&redir_esc=y#v=snippet&q=the%20tribes%20and%20castes%20of%20bengal&f=false |publisher=Bengal Secretariat Press |language=en |date=1891}}</ref>.

===Remarriage of widows and divorced wives===
The Chamains(Chamar women) all over Bengal wear huge elegant anklets and bracelets made of bell-metal that resemble the corresponding jewelry worn by Santal women. Chamain considers it a great attraction to have tattoos on her body, as a result of which her chest, forehead, arms and legs are distorted with splendidly shaped partterns. Chamain is generally known to be skilled in all the secrets of midwifery. The bride's father receives money for the marriage of 'his daughter', widows are allowed to remarry and divorce is permitted with the approval of the caste panchayat. Even divorced wives can remarry. The remarriage of widows is legal and the tribal council may declare the children rightful heirs. The limits for such marriages are the same as for virgins. If the widow be young, and there be a younger brother of her former husband, of suitable age, they usually marry. There are traces of the levirate, in the right of the younger brother to take the widow in marriage. There is no idea of raising seed for the dead brother. If the widow have brothers-in-law (brothers of her late husband), she must marry one of them. She may be married to the husband of an elder sister provided the latter be willing, or if the latter has died. If she is old enough to decide for herself, and if she has a child, her consent to the arrangements is taken otherwise her relatives will decide.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Briggs |first1=Geo W. |title=The Religious Life of India - The Chamars |url=https://books.google.co.in/books?id=PTgsR0xjG4MC&newbks=0&hl=en&redir_esc=y |publisher=Read Books |language=en |date=March 2007}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Ibbetson |first1=Sir Denzil |title=Glossary of the Tribes and Castes of the Punjab and North West Frontier Province |url=https://books.google.co.in/books?id=1QmrSwFYe60C&newbks=0&printsec=frontcover&dq=glossary+of+the+tribes+and+castes+of+the+punjab&hl=en&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q=glossary%20of%20the%20tribes%20and%20castes%20of%20the%20punjab&f=false |publisher=Asian Educational Services |language=en |date=1990}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Risley |first1=Sir Herbert Hope |title=The Tribes and Castes of Bengal |url=https://books.google.co.in/books?id=qAJCAQAAMAAJ&q=the+tribes+and+castes+of+bengal&redir_esc=y#v=snippet&q=the%20tribes%20and%20castes%20of%20bengal&f=false |publisher=Bengal Secretariat Press |language=en |date=1891}}</ref>.

===Higher religion===
Some nature-gods have their places in the Chamar's religious world, but their position is not what it was informer times. Suriya, Suraj Deota (the Sun), for example, is now nothing but a godling, or perhaps a deified hero. While the Chamar is not admitted to the shrines of this godling, still, every morning as he leaves his house he bows his head, joins his hands and calls upon the Sun as Suraj Narayan..<ref>{{cite web |last1=Briggs |first1=Geo W. |title=The Religious Life of India - The Chamars |url=https://books.google.co.in/books?id=PTgsR0xjG4MC&newbks=0&hl=en&redir_esc=y |publisher=Read Books |language=en |date=March 2007}}</ref>

==Demographics==
According to the 2001 [[census of India]], the Chamars comprise around 14 per cent of the population in the state of [[Uttar Pradesh]]<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.censusindia.gov.in/Tables_Published/SCST/dh_sc_up.pdf |title=Uttar Pradesh data highlights: the Scheduled Castes, Census of India 2001}}</ref> and 12 percent of that in [[Punjab (India)|Punjab]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.censusindia.gov.in/Tables_Published/SCST/dh_sc_punjab.pdf |title=Uttar Pradesh data highlights: the Scheduled Castes}}</ref>

{|
|-
|
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! colspan=4 | Chamar population in India by State, 2001
|-
! State !! Population!! State Population % !! Notes
|-
| West Bengal<ref>{{cite web |url=http://censusindia.gov.in/Tables_Published/SCST/dh_sc_westbengal.pdf |title=West Bengal — DATA HIGHLIGHTS: THE SCHEDULED CASTES — Census of India 2001 |access-date=14 January 2013}}</ref>|| 999,756 || 1.25% ||
|-
| Bihar<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.censusindia.gov.in/Tables_Published/SCST/dh_sc_bihar.pdf |title=Census table |website=www.censusindia.gov.in }}</ref> || 4,090,070 || 5% ||
|-
| Delhi<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.censusindia.gov.in/Tables_Published/SCST/dh_sc_delhi.pdf |title=Microsoft Word - Delhi comments.doc |access-date=6 February 2017}}</ref> || 893,384 || 6.45% ||
|-
| Chandigarh<ref name="censusindia.gov.in">{{cite web|url=http://censusindia.gov.in/Tables_Published/SCST/dh_sc_chandigarh.pdf |title=Census table |website=www.censusindia.gov.in }}</ref>|| 48,159 || 5.3% ||
|-
| Chhattisgarh<ref>{{cite web|url=http://censusindia.gov.in/Tables_Published/SCST/dh_sc_chhattisgarh.pdf |title=Census table |website=www.censusindia.gov.in }}</ref> || 1,659,303 || 8% ||
|-
| Gujarat<ref name=gujarat>{{cite web|url=https://data.gov.in/resources/state-and-district-wise-scheduled-castes-population-each-caste-seperately-2011-gujarat|title=State and district-wise Scheduled Castes population for each caste separately, 2011 - GUJARAT}}</ref> || 1,032,128 || 1.7% ||
In Gujarat also known as [[Bhambi]], Asodi, Chamadia, Harali, Khalpa, [[Mochi (Hindu)|Mochi]], Nalia, Madar, Ranigar, Ravidas, Rohidas, [[Rohit (caste)|Rohit]], Samgar.<ref name=gujarat/> Gujarat's government has made an effort to change their name from 'Chamar' to 'Rohit' and to change the name of their villages and towns from 'Chamarvas' to 'Rohitvas'.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.dailypioneer.com/nation/rohits-to-replace-chamars-in-gujarat.html|title='Rohits' to replace Chamars in Gujarat|publisher=[[The Pioneer (newspaper)|The Pioneer]]|date=October 8, 2016|first=Nayan|last=Dave|location=[[Gandhinagar]]}}</ref>
|-
| Haryana<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.censusindia.gov.in/Tables_Published/SCST/dh_sc_haryana.pdf |title=Census table |website=www.censusindia.gov.in }}</ref> || 2,079,132 || 9.84% || Known as Jatav

|-
| Himachal Pradesh<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.censusindia.gov.in/Tables_Published/SCST/dh_sc_himachal.pdf |title=Census table |website=www.censusindia.gov.in }}</ref>
|| 414,669 || 6.8% ||
|-
| Jammu & Kashmir<ref>{{cite web|url=http://censusindia.gov.in/Tables_Published/SCST/dh_sc_jk.pdf |title=Census table |website=www.censusindia.gov.in }}</ref>
|488,257|| 4.82% || ||
|-
| Jharkhand<ref>{{cite web|url=http://censusindia.gov.in/Tables_Published/SCST/dh_sc_jharkhand.pdf |title=Census table |website=www.censusindia.gov.in }}</ref>
|| 837,333 || 3.1% ||
|-
| Madhya Pradesh<ref>{{cite web|url=http://censusindia.gov.in/Tables_Published/SCST/dh_sc_madhya_pradesh.pdf |title=Census table |website=www.censusindia.gov.in }}</ref>
|| 837,333 || 9.3% || Chamars are primarily concentrated in [[Sagar district|Sagar]], [[Morena district|Morena]], [[Rewa district|Rewa]],
[[Bhind district|Bhind]] and [[Chhatarpur district|Chhatarpur]] districts. Chamars work in land measurement are described as Balahi.<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=rTdnvQBPWIUC&pg=PA579|title=Indian Encyclopaedia|first=Subodh|last=Kapoor|date=21 July 2018|publisher=Cosmo Publications|isbn=9788177552577|via=Google Books}}</ref> Balahi have major concentration in [[Ujjain district|Ujjain]], [[Khargone district|Khargone]] and [[Dewas district|Dewas]] districts.
|-
| Maharashtra<ref>{{cite web|url=http://censusindia.gov.in/Tables_Published/SCST/dh_sc_maha.pdf |title=Census table |website=www.censusindia.gov.in }}</ref>
|| 1,234,874 || 1.28% ||
|-
| Punjab<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.censusindia.gov.in/Tables_Published/SCST/dh_sc_punjab.pdf |title=Census table |website=www.censusindia.gov.in }}</ref>
|| 2,800,000|| 11.9% || The Chamar caste cluster (34.93%) consists of two castes of Chamars and Ad-dharmis. Chamar—an umbrella caste category—includes Chamars, Jatia Chamars, Rehgars, Raigars, Ramdasias, and Ravidassias.<ref>{{cite journal|last1=Ram|first1=Ronki|title=Internal Caste Cleavages among Dalits in Punjab|journal=Economic & Political Weekly|date=21 January 2017|volume=52|issue=3|url=http://www.epw.in/journal/2017/3/punjab%E2%80%94exploring-prospects/internal-caste-cleavages-among-dalits-punjab.html-0}}</ref>

|-
| Rajasthan<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.censusindia.gov.in/Tables_Published/SCST/dh_sc_rajasthan.pdf |title=Census table |website=www.censusindia.gov.in }}</ref>
|| 6,100,236|| 10.8% || Chamars in Rajasthan can only be identified in the districts adjoining to the states of Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh. The districts of [[Bikaner district|Bikaner]], Shriganganagar, Hanumangarh, Churu, Jhunjhunu, [[Alwar district|Alwar]], [[Bharatpur district|Bharatpur]] and Dhaulpur are inhabited by Chamars. In the districts of Bharatpur, Dhaulpur and parts of Alwar (adjoining to Bharatpur) they are known as [[Meghwal]]<ref>{{cite book |title=Studies in Social Protest | publisher=VEDAMS | last=Rawat |first=Shyam | year=2010 | isbn=978-8131603314}}</ref>{{Page needed|date=April 2013}} ''[[Raigar]]'' (leather tanners) and ''[[Mochi (Hindu)|Mochi]]'' (shoe makers) are other two castes related to the leather profession.{{citation needed|date=February 2013}}In Bikaner region, they are known as Balai.<ref>{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=eKGhCWZs59oC&q=balai+bikaner&pg=PA65|title=Balai: Chamars in Bikaner region are known as Balai.|isbn=9788176258418|last1=Gupta|first1=R. K.|last2=Bakshi|first2=S. R.|year=2008}}</ref>

|-
| Uttar Pradesh<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.censusindia.gov.in/Tables_Published/SCST/dh_sc_up.pdf |title=Census table |website=www.censusindia.gov.in }}</ref>
|| 19,803,106 || 14% ||

|-
| Uttaranchal<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.censusindia.gov.in/Tables_Published/SCST/dh_sc_uttaranchal.pdf |title=Census table |website=www.censusindia.gov.in }}</ref> || 444,535 || 5% ||
|}
|
|
|}

The [[2011 Census of India]] for Uttar Pradesh combined the Chamar, Dhusia, Jhusia, Jatava Scheduled Caste communities and returned a population of 22,496,047.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.censusindia.gov.in/2011census/PCA/SC_ST/PCA-A10/SC-0900-PCA-A-10-ddw.xlsx |title= A-10 Individual Scheduled Caste Primary Census Abstract Data and its Appendix - Uttar Pradesh |publisher=Registrar General & Census Commissioner, India |access-date=4 February 2017}}</ref>

==Notable people==
*[[Jagjivan Ram]], former Deputy Prime Minister of India<ref name="Roy">{{cite book |author=Roy, Kaushik |editor-last=Pant |editor-first=Harsh V. |title=Handbook of Indian Defence Policy: Themes, structures and doctrines |date=2016 |publisher=Routledge |isbn=978-1138939608 |page=67 |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=9xG4CwAAQBAJ&pg=PA67 |access-date=12 July 2020 |chapter=Indian society and the soldier: will the twain ever meet? |quote=In 1970, when Babu Jagjivan Ram (himself, a chamar) became the defence minister, he attempted to raise the chamar regiment.}}</ref>
* [[Kanshi Ram]] (1934–2006), founder of [[Bahujan Samaj Party]] and mentor of Mayawati Kumari<ref>{{cite web|title=I will be the best PM and Mayawati is my chosen heir|url=http://www.indianexpress.com/storyOld.php?storyId=23080|quote=...I am a chamar from Punjab...|work=[[Indian Express]]|date=2 May 2003}}</ref>
* [[Meira Kumar]], Former [[Speaker of the Lok Sabha]]
* [[Mayawati]], leader of Bahujan Samaj Party and Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh.<ref name="Mayawati">{{cite news |title=Mayawati talks of a secret successor |url=https://www.indiatoday.in/latest-headlines/story/mayawati-talks-of-a-secret-successor-28178-2008-08-09 |access-date=4 April 2019 |work=[[India Today]] |publisher=[[Indo-Asian News Service]] |date=9 August 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190404213026/https://www.indiatoday.in/latest-headlines/story/mayawati-talks-of-a-secret-successor-28178-2008-08-09 |archive-date=4 April 2019 |url-status=live |df=dmy-all}}</ref>

==See also==
* [[Ahirwar]]
* [[Mochi (Hindu)|Hindu Mochi]]
* [[Mochi (Muslim)|Muslim Mochi]]

==References==
{{Reflist|2}}

==Further reading==
*{{cite book |last=Briggs |first=George W. |year=1920 |title=The Religious Life of India — The Chamars|isbn=1-4067-5762-4 |location=Calcutta |publisher=Association Press|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=PTgsR0xjG4MC}}
*{{cite book |title=Reconsidering Untouchability: Chamars and Dalit History in North India |first=Ramnarayan S. |last=Rawat |author-link=Ramnarayan Rawat |publisher=Indiana University Press |year=2011 |isbn=9780253222626 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=bz5dKC81O3IC}} 
*{{cite journal |title=A Bibliographic Essay on Hindu and Christian Dalit Religiosity |journal=[[Journal of Hindu-Christian Studies]] |volume=17 |pages=55–65 |year=2004 |first=Mathew N. |last=Schmalz |doi=10.7825/2164-6279.1318 |url=http://digitalcommons.butler.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1318&context=jhcs|doi-access=free }}

{{Ethnic groups, tribes and clans of the Punjab}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Social groups of Bihar]]
[[Category:Social groups of Haryana]]
[[Category:Scheduled Castes of Uttar Pradesh]]
[[Category:Social groups of Punjab, India]]
[[Category:Social groups of Rajasthan]]
[[Category:Social groups of Delhi]]
[[Category:Scheduled Castes of Haryana]]
[[Category:Ethnic groups in Nepal]]
[[Category:Dalit communities]]
[[Category:Leatherworking castes]]

User:Yash/sandbox

2022-10-23T17:46:14Z

Yash:

Chaudhary Family of Punjab

Chaudhary Family is Political families of Punjab, India.

●Late Master Gurbanta Singh, former Agriculture Minister of Punjab

●Late [[Chaudhary Jagjit Singh]], former Cabinet Minister and MLA

●Chaudhary Surinder Singh, former MLA Kartarpur

●[[Santokh Singh Chaudhary]] Member of Parliament from Jalandhar and former Cabinet Minister of Punjab

●Vikramjit Singh Chaudhary, MLA Phillaur and former Chief of Punjab Youth Congress

Chaudhary Ram Lubaya

2022-10-23T17:43:03Z

Yash:

{{short description|Indian politician}}
{{Orphan|date=January 2021}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2020}}
{{Use Indian English|date=October 2020}}

{{Infobox officeholder
| name = Chaudhary Ram Lubaya
| term = 2002–2007
| children = 3
| parents = [[Chaudhary Sunder Singh]]
| spouse = [[Santosh Chowdhary]]
| religion =
| party = [[Indian National Congress]]
| successor = [[Mohinder Kaur Josh]]
| predecessor = [[Mohinder Kaur Josh]]
| constituency = [[Sham Chaurasi Assembly Constituency|Sham Chaurasi]]
| image =
| office = [[Member of Legislative Assembly|MLA]], [[Punjab (India)|Punjab]]
| residence =
| death_place = [[Hoshiarpur]], [[Punjab, India|Punjab]], India
| death_date = 2017
| birth_place = Piplanwala, [[Hoshiarpur district|Hoshiarpur]], [[Punjab Province (British India)|Punjab]], [[British India]]
| birth_date = 1941
| caption =
| website =
}}

'''Chaudhary Ram Lubaya''' (1914-2017) was a politician from [[Punjab, India|Punjab]], India.

== Personal life ==
Ram Lubhaya was born into [[Chamar]] family to [[Chaudhary Sunder Singh]] at Hoshiarpur, Punjab, British India. He was a graduate from [[Panjab University]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=Choudhary Ram Lubhaya (Indian National Congress: Constituency- Sham Chaurasi (Hoshiarpur) – Affidavit Information of Candidate:|url=http://myneta.info/pb2007/candidate.php?candidate_id=95|access-date=2020-10-15|website=myneta.info}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|date=October 21, 2012|first=IP |last=Singh|title=Rahul Gandhi: Congress's dalit card turning against established dalit leaders of Doaba region |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/chandigarh/Congresss-dalit-card-turning-against-established-dalit-leaders-of-Doaba-region/articleshow/16900368.cms|access-date=2020-10-15|website=The Times of India|language=en}}</ref>

He was married to former Union Minister of state and M.P, [[Santosh Chowdhary]].<ref>{{Cite web|date=2017-01-13|title=Ex-Congress MLA Ram Lubhaya dies at 77|url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/punjab/ex-congress-mla-ram-lubhaya-dead/story-NbTiVOilopgzc2d0KVGodL.html|access-date=2020-10-15|website=Hindustan Times|language=en}}</ref>

== Career ==
In 2002, he became MLA from [[Sham Chaurasi Assembly Constituency|Sham Chaurasi]] constituency defeating Mohinder Kaur Josh.<ref>{{Cite web|title=In Doaba, Majha, only 10 women candidates to slug it out on 48 seats - Indian Express|url=http://archive.indianexpress.com/news/in-doaba-majha--only-10-women-candidates-to-slug-it-out-on-48--seats/898351/2|access-date=2020-10-15|website=archive.indianexpress.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Sham Chaurasi Election and Results 2018, Candidate list, Winner, Runner-up, Current MLA and Previous MLAs|url=https://www.elections.in/punjab/assembly-constituencies/sham-chaurasi.html|access-date=2020-10-15|website=Elections in India}}</ref>

Lubhaya died in 2017 due to heart attack in the All India Institute Of Medical Science, Delhi.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Congress leader Santosh Chaudhary bereaved, husband Ram Lubhaya no more|url=http://www.babushahi.com/full-news.php?id=54308&headline=Congress-leader-Santosh-Chaudhary%C2%A0bereaved,-husband-Ram-Lubhaya%C2%A0no-more|access-date=2020-10-15|website=www.babushahi.com}}</ref>

== References ==
{{reflist}}

{{Improve categories|date=October 2020}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Ram Lubaya, Chaudhary}}
[[Category:1941 births]]
[[Category:2017 deaths]]
[[Category:People from Punjab, India]]
[[Category:Panjab University alumni]]
[[Category:Indian National Congress]]

{{PunjabIN-INC-politician-stub}}

User:Yash/sandbox

2022-10-23T17:41:10Z

Yash: Chaudhary Family of Punjab

Chaudhary Family of Punjab

Chaudhary Family is Political families of Punjab, India.
●Late Master Gurbanta Singh, former Agriculture Minister of Punjab
●Late [[Chaudhary Jagjit Singh]], former Cabinet Minister and MLA
●Chaudhary Surinder Singh, former MLA Kartarpur
●[[Santokh Singh Chaudhary]] Member of Parliament from Jalandhar and former Cabinet Minister of Punjab
●Vikramjit Singh Chaudhary, MLA Phillaur and former Chief of Punjab Youth Congress

Chamar

2022-10-23T16:02:36Z

Yash:

{{Short description|Ethnic Group}}
{{About|the Indian caste|the mountain in Nepal|Chamar (mountain)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2017}}

{{Infobox Ethnic group
|image=File:Leather-bottle makers. - Tashrih al-aqvam (1825), f.360v - BL Add. 27255.jpg
|caption=Leather-bottle makers (Presumably members of the ‘Chamaar’ caste), ''Tashrih al-aqvam'' (1825)
|group=Chamar
|population=
|popplace = India • Pakistan
|langs =[[Hindi]] • [[Punjabi language|Punjabi]]
|rels =
|related =
}}

'''Chamar''' is a [[dalit]] community classified as a [[Scheduled Caste]] under modern India's [[Reservation in India|system of positive discrimination]]. Historically subject to [[untouchability]], they were traditionally outside the Hindu ritual ranking system of [[caste]]s known as [[Varna (Hinduism)|varna]]. They are found throughout the [[Indian subcontinent]], mainly in the northern states of India and in [[Pakistan]] and [[Nepal]].

[[Ramnarayan Rawat]] posits that the association of the Chamar community with a traditional occupation of [[Tanning (leather)|tanning]] was constructed, and that the Chamars were instead historically agriculturists.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-features/tp-bookreview/article2914334.ece |work=[[The Hindu]] |date=21 February 2012 |title=Aspirations of Chamars in North India |access-date=14 January 2013 |location=Chennai, India |first=Bhupendra |last=Yadav}}</ref>

The term ''chamar'' is used as a pejorative word for [[dalit]]s in general.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.sabrangindia.in/article/caste-igated-how-indians-use-casteist-slurs-dehumanise-each-other|title=Caste-igated: How Indians use casteist slurs to dehumanise each other|last=Malu|first=Preksha|date=2018-07-21|website=[[Sabrang Communications]]|language=en|access-date=2020-02-29}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.thequint.com/entertainment/hot-on-web/twitter-calls-out-netflix-original-jamtara-sabka-number-ayega-for-casteist-slur|title=Twitter Calls out Netflix's 'Jamtara' for Using Casteist Slur|date=2020-01-18|website=[[The Quint]]|language=en|access-date=2020-02-29}}</ref> It has been described as a [[Casteism|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]].<ref>{{cite news|last=Singh|first=Sanjay L.|title=Calling an SC 'chamar' offensive, punishable, says apex court|url=http://articles.economictimes.indiatimes.com/2008-08-20/news/28488600_1_upper-castes-insult-chamar|work=The Economic Times|date=20 August 2008|access-date=12 August 2015}}</ref>

==Utpala dynasty==
[[Utpala dynasty]] was a Kashmiri dynasty which ruled over the Kashmir region in the northern part of the Indian subcontinent from 9th to 10th century CE. The kingdom was established by Avanti Varman, ending the rule of Karkota dynasty in 855 CE. According to Ain-i-Akbari the rulers of this dynasty were from Chamar Community.<ref>{{cite web |title=The Ain-i-Akbari Vol II |url=https://www.indianculture.gov.in/rarebooks/ain-i-akbari-vol-ii |website=INDIAN CULTURE |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Sarkar |first1=Jadunath |title=Ain-i-akbari Of Abul Fazl I Allami Vol. 2 Ed. 2nd |url=https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.460916/page/n379/mode/2up |date=1949}}</ref>

==Chamar-Satnami kingdom==
There was a Satnami Kingdom of Narnaul (Haryana). The Satnami sect of Hinduism was founded in 1657 in Narnaul (a town in today's Indian state of Haryana, situated about 100 km south-west of Delhi), by a saint names Birbhan. They are considered to be an offshoot of the followers of the great saint Ravidas. The name Satnami reflects the major religious activity of the sect-which is the chanting and meditation of the true name (satnam, names of God), especially the names of Rama and Krishna. Fixing the mind devotedly on divine names, the fluctuations of the consciousness are stabilised, which makes one fit to receive higher intuitive knowledge of the divine.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Singh |first1=Mahendra |title=Dalit's Inheritance in Hindu Religion |url=https://books.google.co.in/books?id=2xSZqwkA5VwC&newbks=0&printsec=frontcover&pg=PA127&dq=satnami+chamar+revolt&hl=en&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q=satnami%20chamar%20revolt&f=false |publisher=Gyan Publishing House |language=en |date=2006}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Edwardes |first1=Stephen Meredyth |last2=Garrett |first2=Herbert Leonard Offley |title=Mughal Rule in India |url=https://books.google.co.in/books?id=4aqU9Zu7mFoC&newbks=0&printsec=frontcover&pg=PA119&dq=satnami+revolt&hl=en&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q=satnami%20revolt&f=false |publisher=Atlantic Publishers & Dist |language=en |date=1995}}</ref>
===Satnami Revolt 1672===
The Satnami revolt occurred in the reign of the Moghul Emperor Aurungzeb. Many Hindus resented Aurungzeb’s strict Islamic policies-which included reviving the hated Islamic Jiziya tax (poll tax on non-Muslim subjects), banning music and art, and destroying Hindu temples. The revolt began in 1672 when a Moghul soldier killed a Satnami. Other Satnamis took revenge on the Moghul soldier, and in turn the Moghul soldiers went about repressing the Satnamis. The result was that about 5,000 Satnamis were up in arms. They routed the Moghul troops situated in the town, drove away the Moghul administrators and set up their own administration in its place. The uprising gained the enthusiasm of Hindus in Agra and Ajmer also. Though totally lacking in weaponry and money, the Satnamis inflicted several defeats on the Moghul forces. The contemporary Moghul chronicler, Saqi Mustaid Khan, expressed amazement as to what came over this “destitute gang of goldsmiths, carpenters, sweepers and tanners and other… artisan castes that their conceited brains became so overclouded? Rebellious pride having found a place in their brains, their heads became too heavy for their shoulders.” This also shows the thinking of Muslim intelligentsia who regard them as untouchables. Amusingly, in contrast, Hindus have greatly respected the Satnamis throughout for their beliefs like prohibition of intoxicants and meat. The resentment of the Satnami’s against the Moghul persecution meant that they even enacted revenge by destroying mosques in the area. It was only with great difficulty that any Muslim soldiers could be brought to face the Satnamis, such was the wrath of the Satnamis at the time. It was only when Aurungzeb himself took personal command and sent 10,000 troops with artillery that the Satnamis fell. They put up a brave defense. According to Saqi Mustaid Khan they believed that they were re-enacting scenes from theMahabharata war. 2,000 Satnamis were slain on the battlefield and many more were slain in pursuit. What followed was an attempt to slay every remaining member of the Satnamis, and destroy all their homes. The remnants of the Satnamis fled in all directions and for a long time were totally disorganized and leaderless..<ref>{{cite web |last1=Singh |first1=Mahendra |title=Dalit's Inheritance in Hindu Religion |url=https://books.google.co.in/books?id=2xSZqwkA5VwC&newbks=0&printsec=frontcover&pg=PA127&dq=satnami+chamar+revolt&hl=en&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q=satnami%20chamar%20revolt&f=false |publisher=Gyan Publishing House |language=en |date=2006}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Edwardes |first1=Stephen Meredyth |last2=Garrett |first2=Herbert Leonard Offley |title=Mughal Rule in India |url=https://books.google.co.in/books?id=4aqU9Zu7mFoC&newbks=0&printsec=frontcover&pg=PA119&dq=satnami+revolt&hl=en&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q=satnami%20revolt&f=false |publisher=Atlantic Publishers & Dist |language=en |date=1995}}</ref>

==Militry service==
Historian Stephen Cohen says:
Chamars had strong caste traditions of violence and aggressiveness and were classed as a criminal caste by the British.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Singh |first1=Birinder Pal |title=Ex-Criminal Tribes of Punjab |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/40278313 |website=Economic and Political Weekly |pages=58–65 |date=2008}}</ref>
The Chamar Community has a history of military service and served [[Mahar Regiment]], [[Bengal army]], [[Sikh Light Infantry]], [[23rd Sikh Pioneers]], [[34th Royal Sikh Pioneers]], [[32nd Sikh Pioneers]].

According to Karsten,Peter:
The Chamar recruitment from the Bengal Army was substantially reduced because of their perceived primary role as "mutineers" in the 1857 rebellion. and were replaced by another untouchable caste, the Mazbhi Sikhs, a change which reflected the growing Punjabization of the Indian Army.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Karsten |first1=Peter |title=Recruiting, Drafting, and Enlisting: Two Sides of the Raising of Military Forces |url=https://books.google.co.in/books?id=Fh_fAQAAQBAJ&pg=RA1-PA161&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q&f=false |publisher=Routledge |language=en |date=31 October 2013}}</ref>
==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. It was converted to the 1st Battalion and later disbanded shortly after World War II ended.{{sfn|Sharma1990|2020|p=28}} The Regiment, with one year of service, received three [[Military Cross]]es and three [[Military Medal]]s<ref name="Sharma1990">Gautam Sharma. ''[https://books.google.com/books?id=xLrTzZd0j1kC&pg=PA26 Valour and Sacrifice: Famous Regiments of the Indian Army]''. Allied Publishers; 1990. {{ISBN|978-81-7023-140-0}}. p. 26–.</ref> It fought in the [[Battle of Kohima]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.gautambookcenter.com/images/ww2_kohima.pdf|title=The Battle of Kohima}}</ref> In 2011, several politicians demanded that it be revived.<ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.indianexpress.com/news/rjd-man-raghuvansh-calls-for-reviving-chamar-regiment/759232/ |title=RJD man Raghuvansh calls for reviving Chamar Regiment |work=indianexpress.com |access-date=31 March 2011}}</ref>

==Dhusia==
'''Dhusia''' is a caste in India, sometimes associated with Chamars, Ghusiya, Jhusia or [[Jatav]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Lokniti |url=http://www.lokniti.org/pdfs_dataunit/publications2010/subalterns-U-P.pdf}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://sultanpur.nic.in/peo.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090330034944/https://sultanpur.nic.in/peo.htm |archive-date=2009-03-30 |title=The Inhabitants |publisher=sultanpur.nic.in}}</ref> They are found in [[Uttar Pradesh]],<ref>{{cite web|title=Social Justice|url=http://socialjustice.nic.in/pdf/scorderuttarpradesh.pdf}}</ref> and elsewhere.

Most of the Dhusia in Punjab and Haryana migrated from Pakistan after [[partition of India]]. In Punjab, they are mainly found in Ludhiana, Patiala, Amritsar and Jalandhar cities. They are inspired by [[B. R. Ambedkar]] to adopt the [[surname]] Rao<ref>{{cite journal |title= UP: BJP's Caste Card |first=A. K. |last=Verma |journal=Economic and Political Weekly |volume=36 |issue=48 |date=December 2001 |pages=4452–4455 |jstor=4411406 }}</ref> and Jatav.

==Occupations==
Chamars who have adopted the weaving profession and abandoned tanning and leathercraft, identify themselves as [[Julaha Chamar]]. R. K. Pruthi suggests this is in the hope that they might in future be considered as Julaha by other communities. They believe that leatherwork is "degrading" when compared to weaving.<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=rC1bJcd-MDUC&pg=PA189 |title=Indian caste system |first=R. K. |last=Pruthi |year=2004 |publisher=Discovery |page=189 |isbn=9788171418473 |access-date=14 April 2012}}</ref>

Manusmriti assigns cattle rearing as Vaishya occupation but historical evidence shows that Brahmins, Kshatriyas and Shudras also owned and reared cattle and that cattle-wealth was mainstay of their households. Ramnarayan Rawat, a professor of History and specialising in social exclusion in the Indian subcontinent, states that 19th century British records show that Chamars, listed as untouchables, also owned land and cattle and were active agriculturalists.<ref>{{cite web |first1=Ramnarayan S. Rawat |url=https://www.worldcat.org/title/526083948 |access-date=2011}}</ref>
==Culture and society==
According to Dr.T.A wise and H.H.Risley, H.A. Rose and George W.Briggs: there were no priests in their religious ceremony. He further writes, the Chamars have always displayed a remarkable dislike for Brahmins and Hindu customs. Nevertheless, they observe a number of rites that are popularly believed to be of hindu origin, but which are essentially the worship of village deities for ages before the arrival of the aryans, which remained in the society for centuries and came to be known of Hindus. They eat beef, pork and chickens, all of which are impure for an average Hindu and cooks the meat of animals that die a natural death.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Briggs |first1=Geo W. |title=The Religious Life of India - The Chamars |url=https://books.google.co.in/books?id=PTgsR0xjG4MC&newbks=0&hl=en&redir_esc=y |publisher=Read Books |language=en |date=March 2007}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Ibbetson |first1=Sir Denzil |title=Glossary of the Tribes and Castes of the Punjab and North West Frontier Province |url=https://books.google.co.in/books?id=1QmrSwFYe60C&newbks=0&printsec=frontcover&dq=glossary+of+the+tribes+and+castes+of+the+punjab&hl=en&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q=glossary%20of%20the%20tribes%20and%20castes%20of%20the%20punjab&f=false |publisher=Asian Educational Services |language=en |date=1990}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Risley |first1=Sir Herbert Hope |title=The Tribes and Castes of Bengal |url=https://books.google.co.in/books?id=qAJCAQAAMAAJ&q=the+tribes+and+castes+of+bengal&redir_esc=y#v=snippet&q=the%20tribes%20and%20castes%20of%20bengal&f=false |publisher=Bengal Secretariat Press |language=en |date=1891}}</ref>

Again, Dr.T.A. Wise and H.H.Risley, H.A. Rose and George W.Briggs: describes:The Chamars as being less tanned than the average Chandal and infinitely more fair than many Kshatriyas and Brahmins. M.A. Sherring, was greatly influenced by the Chamar caste's good looks like upper caste.

As a rule the Chamar chooses his wife locally, outside his own village group, but within his own sub-caste. Although the sub-castes are essentially endogamous groups, marriages are occasionally arranged between members of different sub-castes. For example, Dhusiyas and Kanaujiyas intermarry and Jatiyas and Kaiyans sometimes do.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Briggs |first1=Geo W. |title=The Religious Life of India - The Chamars |url=https://books.google.co.in/books?id=PTgsR0xjG4MC&newbks=0&hl=en&redir_esc=y |publisher=Read Books |language=en |date=March 2007}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Ibbetson |first1=Sir Denzil |title=Glossary of the Tribes and Castes of the Punjab and North West Frontier Province |url=https://books.google.co.in/books?id=1QmrSwFYe60C&newbks=0&printsec=frontcover&dq=glossary+of+the+tribes+and+castes+of+the+punjab&hl=en&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q=glossary%20of%20the%20tribes%20and%20castes%20of%20the%20punjab&f=false |publisher=Asian Educational Services |language=en |date=1990}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Risley |first1=Sir Herbert Hope |title=The Tribes and Castes of Bengal |url=https://books.google.co.in/books?id=qAJCAQAAMAAJ&q=the+tribes+and+castes+of+bengal&redir_esc=y#v=snippet&q=the%20tribes%20and%20castes%20of%20bengal&f=false |publisher=Bengal Secretariat Press |language=en |date=1891}}</ref>.

===Remarriage of widows and divorced wives===
The Chamains(Chamar women) all over Bengal wear huge elegant anklets and bracelets made of bell-metal that resemble the corresponding jewelry worn by Santal women. Chamain considers it a great attraction to have tattoos on her body, as a result of which her chest, forehead, arms and legs are distorted with splendidly shaped partterns. Chamain is generally known to be skilled in all the secrets of midwifery. The bride's father receives money for the marriage of 'his daughter', widows are allowed to remarry and divorce is permitted with the approval of the caste panchayat. Even divorced wives can remarry. The remarriage of widows is legal and the tribal council may declare the children rightful heirs. The limits for such marriages are the same as for virgins. If the widow be young, and there be a younger brother of her former husband, of suitable age, they usually marry. There are traces of the levirate, in the right of the younger brother to take the widow in marriage. There is no idea of raising seed for the dead brother. If the widow have brothers-in-law (brothers of her late husband), she must marry one of them. She may be married to the husband of an elder sister provided the latter be willing, or if the latter has died. If she is old enough to decide for herself, and if she has a child, her consent to the arrangements is taken otherwise her relatives will decide.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Briggs |first1=Geo W. |title=The Religious Life of India - The Chamars |url=https://books.google.co.in/books?id=PTgsR0xjG4MC&newbks=0&hl=en&redir_esc=y |publisher=Read Books |language=en |date=March 2007}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Ibbetson |first1=Sir Denzil |title=Glossary of the Tribes and Castes of the Punjab and North West Frontier Province |url=https://books.google.co.in/books?id=1QmrSwFYe60C&newbks=0&printsec=frontcover&dq=glossary+of+the+tribes+and+castes+of+the+punjab&hl=en&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q=glossary%20of%20the%20tribes%20and%20castes%20of%20the%20punjab&f=false |publisher=Asian Educational Services |language=en |date=1990}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Risley |first1=Sir Herbert Hope |title=The Tribes and Castes of Bengal |url=https://books.google.co.in/books?id=qAJCAQAAMAAJ&q=the+tribes+and+castes+of+bengal&redir_esc=y#v=snippet&q=the%20tribes%20and%20castes%20of%20bengal&f=false |publisher=Bengal Secretariat Press |language=en |date=1891}}</ref>.

===Higher religion===
Some nature-gods have their places in the Chamar's religious world, but their position is not what it was informer times. Suriya, Suraj Deota (the Sun), for example, is now nothing but a godling, or perhaps a deified hero. While the Chamar is not admitted to the shrines of this godling, still, every morning as he leaves his house he bows his head, joins his hands and calls upon the Sun as Suraj Narayan..<ref>{{cite web |last1=Briggs |first1=Geo W. |title=The Religious Life of India - The Chamars |url=https://books.google.co.in/books?id=PTgsR0xjG4MC&newbks=0&hl=en&redir_esc=y |publisher=Read Books |language=en |date=March 2007}}</ref>

==Demographics==
According to the 2001 [[census of India]], the Chamars comprise around 14 per cent of the population in the state of [[Uttar Pradesh]]<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.censusindia.gov.in/Tables_Published/SCST/dh_sc_up.pdf |title=Uttar Pradesh data highlights: the Scheduled Castes, Census of India 2001}}</ref> and 12 percent of that in [[Punjab (India)|Punjab]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.censusindia.gov.in/Tables_Published/SCST/dh_sc_punjab.pdf |title=Uttar Pradesh data highlights: the Scheduled Castes}}</ref>

{|
|-
|
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! colspan=4 | Chamar population in India by State, 2001
|-
! State !! Population!! State Population % !! Notes
|-
| West Bengal<ref>{{cite web |url=http://censusindia.gov.in/Tables_Published/SCST/dh_sc_westbengal.pdf |title=West Bengal — DATA HIGHLIGHTS: THE SCHEDULED CASTES — Census of India 2001 |access-date=14 January 2013}}</ref>|| 999,756 || 1.25% ||
|-
| Bihar<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.censusindia.gov.in/Tables_Published/SCST/dh_sc_bihar.pdf |title=Census table |website=www.censusindia.gov.in }}</ref> || 4,090,070 || 5% ||
|-
| Delhi<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.censusindia.gov.in/Tables_Published/SCST/dh_sc_delhi.pdf |title=Microsoft Word - Delhi comments.doc |access-date=6 February 2017}}</ref> || 893,384 || 6.45% ||
|-
| Chandigarh<ref name="censusindia.gov.in">{{cite web|url=http://censusindia.gov.in/Tables_Published/SCST/dh_sc_chandigarh.pdf |title=Census table |website=www.censusindia.gov.in }}</ref>|| 48,159 || 5.3% ||
|-
| Chhattisgarh<ref>{{cite web|url=http://censusindia.gov.in/Tables_Published/SCST/dh_sc_chhattisgarh.pdf |title=Census table |website=www.censusindia.gov.in }}</ref> || 1,659,303 || 8% ||
|-
| Gujarat<ref name=gujarat>{{cite web|url=https://data.gov.in/resources/state-and-district-wise-scheduled-castes-population-each-caste-seperately-2011-gujarat|title=State and district-wise Scheduled Castes population for each caste separately, 2011 - GUJARAT}}</ref> || 1,032,128 || 1.7% ||
In Gujarat also known as [[Bhambi]], Asodi, Chamadia, Harali, Khalpa, [[Mochi (Hindu)|Mochi]], Nalia, Madar, Ranigar, Ravidas, Rohidas, [[Rohit (caste)|Rohit]], Samgar.<ref name=gujarat/> Gujarat's government has made an effort to change their name from 'Chamar' to 'Rohit' and to change the name of their villages and towns from 'Chamarvas' to 'Rohitvas'.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.dailypioneer.com/nation/rohits-to-replace-chamars-in-gujarat.html|title='Rohits' to replace Chamars in Gujarat|publisher=[[The Pioneer (newspaper)|The Pioneer]]|date=October 8, 2016|first=Nayan|last=Dave|location=[[Gandhinagar]]}}</ref>
|-
| Haryana<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.censusindia.gov.in/Tables_Published/SCST/dh_sc_haryana.pdf |title=Census table |website=www.censusindia.gov.in }}</ref> || 2,079,132 || 9.84% || Known as Jatav

|-
| Himachal Pradesh<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.censusindia.gov.in/Tables_Published/SCST/dh_sc_himachal.pdf |title=Census table |website=www.censusindia.gov.in }}</ref>
|| 414,669 || 6.8% ||
|-
| Jammu & Kashmir<ref>{{cite web|url=http://censusindia.gov.in/Tables_Published/SCST/dh_sc_jk.pdf |title=Census table |website=www.censusindia.gov.in }}</ref>
|488,257|| 4.82% || ||
|-
| Jharkhand<ref>{{cite web|url=http://censusindia.gov.in/Tables_Published/SCST/dh_sc_jharkhand.pdf |title=Census table |website=www.censusindia.gov.in }}</ref>
|| 837,333 || 3.1% ||
|-
| Madhya Pradesh<ref>{{cite web|url=http://censusindia.gov.in/Tables_Published/SCST/dh_sc_madhya_pradesh.pdf |title=Census table |website=www.censusindia.gov.in }}</ref>
|| 837,333 || 9.3% || Chamars are primarily concentrated in [[Sagar district|Sagar]], [[Morena district|Morena]], [[Rewa district|Rewa]],
[[Bhind district|Bhind]] and [[Chhatarpur district|Chhatarpur]] districts. Chamars work in land measurement are described as Balahi.<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=rTdnvQBPWIUC&pg=PA579|title=Indian Encyclopaedia|first=Subodh|last=Kapoor|date=21 July 2018|publisher=Cosmo Publications|isbn=9788177552577|via=Google Books}}</ref> Balahi have major concentration in [[Ujjain district|Ujjain]], [[Khargone district|Khargone]] and [[Dewas district|Dewas]] districts.
|-
| Maharashtra<ref>{{cite web|url=http://censusindia.gov.in/Tables_Published/SCST/dh_sc_maha.pdf |title=Census table |website=www.censusindia.gov.in }}</ref>
|| 1,234,874 || 1.28% ||
|-
| Punjab<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.censusindia.gov.in/Tables_Published/SCST/dh_sc_punjab.pdf |title=Census table |website=www.censusindia.gov.in }}</ref>
|| 2,800,000|| 11.9% || The Chamar caste cluster (34.93%) consists of two castes of Chamars and Ad-dharmis. Chamar—an umbrella caste category—includes Chamars, Jatia Chamars, Rehgars, Raigars, Ramdasias, and Ravidassias.<ref>{{cite journal|last1=Ram|first1=Ronki|title=Internal Caste Cleavages among Dalits in Punjab|journal=Economic & Political Weekly|date=21 January 2017|volume=52|issue=3|url=http://www.epw.in/journal/2017/3/punjab%E2%80%94exploring-prospects/internal-caste-cleavages-among-dalits-punjab.html-0}}</ref>

|-
| Rajasthan<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.censusindia.gov.in/Tables_Published/SCST/dh_sc_rajasthan.pdf |title=Census table |website=www.censusindia.gov.in }}</ref>
|| 6,100,236|| 10.8% || Chamars in Rajasthan can only be identified in the districts adjoining to the states of Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh. The districts of [[Bikaner district|Bikaner]], Shriganganagar, Hanumangarh, Churu, Jhunjhunu, [[Alwar district|Alwar]], [[Bharatpur district|Bharatpur]] and Dhaulpur are inhabited by Chamars. In the districts of Bharatpur, Dhaulpur and parts of Alwar (adjoining to Bharatpur) they are known as [[Meghwal]]<ref>{{cite book |title=Studies in Social Protest | publisher=VEDAMS | last=Rawat |first=Shyam | year=2010 | isbn=978-8131603314}}</ref>{{Page needed|date=April 2013}} ''[[Raigar]]'' (leather tanners) and ''[[Mochi (Hindu)|Mochi]]'' (shoe makers) are other two castes related to the leather profession.{{citation needed|date=February 2013}}In Bikaner region, they are known as Balai.<ref>{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=eKGhCWZs59oC&q=balai+bikaner&pg=PA65|title=Balai: Chamars in Bikaner region are known as Balai.|isbn=9788176258418|last1=Gupta|first1=R. K.|last2=Bakshi|first2=S. R.|year=2008}}</ref>

|-
| Uttar Pradesh<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.censusindia.gov.in/Tables_Published/SCST/dh_sc_up.pdf |title=Census table |website=www.censusindia.gov.in }}</ref>
|| 19,803,106 || 14% ||

|-
| Uttaranchal<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.censusindia.gov.in/Tables_Published/SCST/dh_sc_uttaranchal.pdf |title=Census table |website=www.censusindia.gov.in }}</ref> || 444,535 || 5% ||
|}
|
|
|}

The [[2011 Census of India]] for Uttar Pradesh combined the Chamar, Dhusia, Jhusia, Jatava Scheduled Caste communities and returned a population of 22,496,047.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.censusindia.gov.in/2011census/PCA/SC_ST/PCA-A10/SC-0900-PCA-A-10-ddw.xlsx |title= A-10 Individual Scheduled Caste Primary Census Abstract Data and its Appendix - Uttar Pradesh |publisher=Registrar General & Census Commissioner, India |access-date=4 February 2017}}</ref>

==Notable people==
*[[Jagjivan Ram]], former Deputy Prime Minister of India<ref name="Roy">{{cite book |author=Roy, Kaushik |editor-last=Pant |editor-first=Harsh V. |title=Handbook of Indian Defence Policy: Themes, structures and doctrines |date=2016 |publisher=Routledge |isbn=978-1138939608 |page=67 |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=9xG4CwAAQBAJ&pg=PA67 |access-date=12 July 2020 |chapter=Indian society and the soldier: will the twain ever meet? |quote=In 1970, when Babu Jagjivan Ram (himself, a chamar) became the defence minister, he attempted to raise the chamar regiment.}}</ref>
* [[Kanshi Ram]] (1934–2006), founder of [[Bahujan Samaj Party]] and mentor of Mayawati Kumari<ref>{{cite web|title=I will be the best PM and Mayawati is my chosen heir|url=http://www.indianexpress.com/storyOld.php?storyId=23080|quote=...I am a chamar from Punjab...|work=[[Indian Express]]|date=2 May 2003}}</ref>
* [[Meira Kumar]], Former [[Speaker of the Lok Sabha]]
* [[Mayawati]], leader of Bahujan Samaj Party and Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh.<ref name="Mayawati">{{cite news |title=Mayawati talks of a secret successor |url=https://www.indiatoday.in/latest-headlines/story/mayawati-talks-of-a-secret-successor-28178-2008-08-09 |access-date=4 April 2019 |work=[[India Today]] |publisher=[[Indo-Asian News Service]] |date=9 August 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190404213026/https://www.indiatoday.in/latest-headlines/story/mayawati-talks-of-a-secret-successor-28178-2008-08-09 |archive-date=4 April 2019 |url-status=live |df=dmy-all}}</ref>

==See also==
* [[Ahirwar]]
* [[Mochi (Hindu)|Hindu Mochi]]
* [[Mochi (Muslim)|Muslim Mochi]]

==References==
{{Reflist|2}}

==Further reading==
*{{cite book |last=Briggs |first=George W. |year=1920 |title=The Religious Life of India — The Chamars|isbn=1-4067-5762-4 |location=Calcutta |publisher=Association Press|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=PTgsR0xjG4MC}}
*{{cite book |title=Reconsidering Untouchability: Chamars and Dalit History in North India |first=Ramnarayan S. |last=Rawat |author-link=Ramnarayan Rawat |publisher=Indiana University Press |year=2011 |isbn=9780253222626 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=bz5dKC81O3IC}} 
*{{cite journal |title=A Bibliographic Essay on Hindu and Christian Dalit Religiosity |journal=[[Journal of Hindu-Christian Studies]] |volume=17 |pages=55–65 |year=2004 |first=Mathew N. |last=Schmalz |doi=10.7825/2164-6279.1318 |url=http://digitalcommons.butler.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1318&context=jhcs|doi-access=free }}

{{Ethnic groups, tribes and clans of the Punjab}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Social groups of Bihar]]
[[Category:Social groups of Haryana]]
[[Category:Scheduled Castes of Uttar Pradesh]]
[[Category:Social groups of Punjab, India]]
[[Category:Social groups of Rajasthan]]
[[Category:Social groups of Delhi]]
[[Category:Scheduled Castes of Haryana]]
[[Category:Ethnic groups in Nepal]]
[[Category:Dalit communities]]
[[Category:Leatherworking castes]]