Dalit Turned Sikh Forms ‘Mini Punjab’ In Bihar After Facing Rejection In Punjab

[chatanga]

Pin point the issue/mistake and then see how to solve them.

It's very hard to solve ingrained attitudes of many people. I have witnessed and endured some really nasty caste-superiority behaviour by jatts, tarkhans, chamars and choore. All castes seem to have it in for one another. The way to solve it is to prevent future generations falling into the same mindset.

[dallysingh101]

This is a really interesting paper which explores changes in a particular village in Panjab in relation to caste, it does well to describe the typical attitudes and practices that often pervade at ground level; as well as offering a good example of how things can change for the better. Remember this represents one exceptional village, the progress reported here doesn't necessarily reflect changes in other pends. I hope people reading this can get a better understanding of deeply ingrained discrimination in rural Panjab so we can tackle it, instead of being in denial about it.

Enjoy and learn.

ਸਭੁ ਕੋ ਆਖੈ ਬਹੁਤੁ ਬਹੁਤੁ ਘਟਿ ਨ ਆਖੈ ਕੋਇ ॥ Everyone says that God is the Greatest of the Great. No one calls Him any less.

ਕੀਮਤਿ ਕਿਨੈ ਨ ਪਾਈਆ ਕਹਣਿ ਨ ਵਡਾ ਹੋਇ ॥ No one can estimate His Worth. By speaking of Him, His Greatness is not increased.

ਸਾਚਾ ਸਾਹਬੁ ਏਕੁ ਤੂ ਹੋਰਿ ਜੀਆ ਕੇਤੇ ਲੋਅ ॥੩॥ You are the One True Lord and Master of all the other beings, of so many worlds. ||3||

ਨੀਚਾ ਅੰਦਰਿ ਨੀਚ ਜਾਤਿ ਨੀਚੀ ਹੂ ਅਤਿ ਨੀਚੁ ॥ Those who are lowest of the low class, the very lowest of the low;

ਨਾਨਕੁ ਤਿਨ ਕੈ ਸੰਗਿ ਸਾਥਿ ਵਡਿਆ ਸਿਉ ਕਿਆ ਰੀਸ ॥ Nanak seeks the company of those. Why should he try to emulate the great?

ਜਿਥੈ ਨੀਚ ਸਮਾਲੀਅਨਿ ਤਿਥੈ ਨਦਰਿ ਤੇਰੀ ਬਖਸੀਸ ॥੪॥੩॥ In that place where the lowly are cared for-there, the Blessings of Your Glance of Grace rain down.

SGGS ji Page 15

Summary

This inquiry is undertaken in the light of previous research and literature on Dalits which conclude that caste remains an important force/dimension in the social and personal lives of Indians. We set out to find out how the social, religious and socio-economic positions of Dalits, especially of women, have changed since the mid 1950s in a Punjabi village. Data were collected by semi-structured interviews 'participant observations' and notes from a personal diary were used to supplement this qualitative data. From the data we have ample evidence to infer that caste still impacts and shapes in a major way the social and personal lives of people in the village under study. There are separate gurdwaras for the Jat Sikhs and Ad Dharmis, and Valmiki families have their own bhavan. There are two cemeteries in the village, one for the Jat Sikhs and other for the Dalits. There have been no inter-caste marriages in the village and social mixing is kept to the minimum and only takes place on special occasions.

However, unlike in the 1950s, Dalits are in the majority and control the village socio-political affairs through panchyat - a village council. 'Ritual untouchability - a common practice up to the 1950s - has completely disappeared. There are no separate wells nor residential areas. The village Dalits no longer work as farm labourers but seek employment in government sponsored projects and in nearby city mills. This has enhanced their self-image and boosted their morale and motivation and they are challenging the hegemony of Jat Sikhs in village affairs. The latter are in minority and in a weak position due to the large scale emigration overseas of their progeny. There is a rising middle class of Dalits, albeit in an embryonic form.There has been a sea change in the lives and treatment of Dalit women. They are no longer exploited by the village farm owners, and sexual abuse which was common in the 1950s has completely ceased.

Real the full paper at:

http://www.academia.edu/6895123/A_case_study_of_a_Punjabi_village_Changes_over_50_years_