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Do People Of Chamaar Caste Believe In Hinduism?


ranj03
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Do people of Chamaar caste believe in Hinduism?

I have heard that they also believe in a hinduism aspect or something like that.

Please could someone inform me and many others in simple terms.

Thank you

(AND BEFORE YOU SAY CASTE DOESNT MATTER, I KNOW IT DOES'NT, BUT I FEEL THAT THIS SUBJECT SHOULD BE CLEARED UP TO CLEAR ANY JUST CONFUSION)

WJKK WJKF

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chamaar are those who work with "chamri" or "khal" or teh hide of cows and other animals, to make shoes, etc, basically like leather workers. You can say most Italians are chamaars cause they make the best leather shoes :lol:

since the cow is holy in hinduism, people who work with chamri and khal are looked down upon. Some chamaars are hindu some are sikh. unfortunately they are treated the same way in both religions. Sikhs treat them as a low caste even though sikhi is against caste. in western countries you can find "chamaar" gurdwaras or ravidas panthis. Bhagat ravidas was from chamaar caste. in his baani he refers to himslef as khalaas chamara or liberated chamaar, being one with God. Too bad the very people who do all this pakhand around SGGs ji don't see God in chamaars as well even though they bow down to bahagat ravidas ji's baani which is the word of god.

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bhagat ravidas was born into a hindu family but if you read gurbaani you realize one thing. all the hindu bhagats muslim pirs and the guru sahibs share one thing in common. that is the religion of Naam. what is naam in sikhi? Satnaam, the true naam. God is truth, only the true can meet the ultimate truth which is God. These great people were one with God thus they were blessed with god's word or gurbaani. Bhagat ravidas was not any 'religion', people who are one with god have only religion and that is the religion of naam, satnaam, or truth.

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Due to caste prejudice "Chamaars" and so-called "low castes" are more likely to be of different religions (i.e. in one family you may have a hindu uncle, sikh uncle and christian uncle etc).

The hindu caste system made the "Chamaar" (the shoe-maker profession) and other Shoodar castes feel inferior. They were openly discriminated against and treated with little or digntiy (bit like how white americans treated black people before blacks got equal rights). As a consequence of the shackles of caste and being considered low, they are pre-dominantly poor, living in settlements on the outskirts of villages. In the past, due to poverty they generally didn't have wells and flowing water to bathe regularly and keep smart and clean. This further reinforced discrimination and treating them like "untouchables".

When Islam came many so-called low castes embraced Islam to escape the caste labels and get freedom.

When Sikhi came about many so-called low castes embraced Sikhi and took Amrit and rid themselves the feeling of being low and unworthy. They became Sikh Sardaars.

When Christians came about many so-called low castes embraced Christianity with money incentives and a new life with new names, new identity etc.

Sadly despite becoming Hindu, Sikh, Muslim or Christian, the so-called low castes still face prejudice and discrimination. My dad told me of how when he lived in the pindd (village) the Chamaars weren't allow to sit inside the gurdwara and were giving parshaad outside (and even then the parshaad was dropped into their hand making sure that the person didnt touch the chamaar).

So they are different religions due to not being fully accepted by the people of other religions.

My vichaar is that on ground-level for equality to kick in, once Chamaars are good jobs, with resources to have good living, make their homes, have flowing water and become economically prosperous, then they can become socially better... then it will be easier for them to be accepted.

Its really sad that prejudice and discrimination still exist.

Sorry if by posting this i have upset anyone or caused offense (that was not my intention).

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Just to clear things up, i'm a "chamaar" ...however my one and only caste is Sikhi.

Sikhism is a blessing of a number of religions, sects and teachings with a focus on Naam...as the previous posting has already said. So, yes, the chamaar (SIKHI) caste has some aspects of Hinduism in it...but Sikhi has the best bits of many aspects of these religions so if you belive chamaars belive in Hindium then that also applies to Sikhi aswell.

Bhagat ravidas wasn't a Sikh as he appeared before the physical presence of Guru Nanak Ji, but I think Ravidas embodies all we should follow as Sikhs, being a lowly/humble "caste" servent of Naam and God, devout of ego and a "perfect" example of what we should aim for.

The Gurdwara my family go to is called Guru Ravidas Gudwara, and they often refer it to it as "our/chamaar" gudwara. Obviously I think this is totally wrong, but it's embedded in the Pubjabi culture. I think when our generation (those in their 20's) start to play a larger role within the Sikhi community, these distinctions will go. But for me, my Gudwara, EVERY Gudwara that has Maharaji in it is my very own Gudwara.

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In response to Shr_panjab. reply,

Our family is Chamaar family. My mom is a lawyer, dad is an electronic engineer, brother is a Cambridge gradute with top honours, and I'm a Pharmacist and Doctor.

So by definition, we have the good jobs and we have a successful family.

However, I don't think this really matters one bit...its all about Simran and devotion.

I think if you love GuruJi and are devoted to Simran, this caste issue is nothing.

I don't think any caste should have to "prove" themselves.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not offended. I just think this issue of caste will eventually go with current and next generation Sikhs. It's inbreed in Punjabis, but I think those who get out of the Punjabi culture in India and move away to the West will see the equality in everyone. Sadly, this doesn't seem to be happening in the villages within India.

In the eyes of God, those who have devoted themselves to GuruJi and attended to their meditation and Simran, will be saved, regardless of caste.

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