The Place of Scripture in the Trajectories of a Distinct Religious Identity among Ravidassias in Britain: Guru Granth Sahib or Amritbani Guru Ravidass

ABSTRACT

This article highlights narratives, collected as informant testimonies, relating to trajectories of a distinct religious identity among the Ravidassia community in Britain. Current tensions surround the replacement of the Guru Granth Sahib with the Amritbani Guru Ravidass in Ravidassia places of worship. This is primarily in response to cartographies of the Ravidassia identity as distinct from Sikh identity. The opinions of Ravidassia individuals, from a varied age range, expressed in interviews conducted at various periods during 2010–2012, are considered in relation to dominant discourses emphasising the importance of one hegemonic ‘Ravidassia’ scripture. The interview data highlight three main positions among the followers of Guru Ravidass: (1) Ravidassias seeking a distinct identity but preferring to retain the Guru Granth Sahib in Ravidassia places of worship, (2) Ravidassias demanding a distinct identity by installing the Amritbani Guru Ravidass, (3) Ravidassias wanting to maintain their link with the Panth as Sikhs or as Ravidassi Sikhs.

Notes

1. Also referred to as Dera Sant Sarwan Dass Ji.

2. See Harmeet Shah Singh, “India’s ‘Untouchables’ Declare own Religion”, available at: http://articles.cnn.com/2010-02-03/world/india.new.religion_1_low-caste-punjab-sikh?_s=PM:WORLD, access date: 5 April 2010.

3. There is much tension about the use of the term ‘Guru’ or ‘Bhagat’ when referring to Ravidass, a fifteenth-century Sant (Saint). Sikhs tend to refer to him as Bhagat since the term ‘Guru’ is reserved for the ten human Gurus and the Guru Granth Sahib in popular Sikh usage. The followers of Ravidass refer to him as ‘Guru’, which for many strengthens a non-Sikh identity.

4. There is much disagreement about dates concerning the birth and death of Ravidass. According to the majority of his followers, Guru Ravidass lived from 1414–1540 CE (see Takhar, Sikh Identity 92–3).

5. Although both terms, ‘Ravidassia’ and ‘Ravidassi’, tend to be used interchangeably, the former is indicative of a distinct Ravidassia identity as non-Sikh and non-Hindu; the latter tends to be used alongside identification as Sikh or Hindu and as being a follower of Guru Ravidass. The spellings ‘Ravidasia’ and ‘Ravidasi’ can also be found.

6. The traditional occupation of the chuhras, who are also members of the Scheduled Castes, was that of sweepers. The term ‘chuhra’, similar to that of ‘chamar’, is perceived to be derogatory. The majority of individuals belonging to this caste prefer the label ‘Valmiki’ (see Takhar, “We are not Sikhs”). Nesbitt’s research (“Valmikis”) highlights that identity formation among the Valmiki community in many ways echoes current identity issues among the Ravidassia community. Similar to Dera Sach Khand Ballan, the Central Valmiki Sabha asserts that multiple identities must be abandoned in favour of a distinct Valmiki identity, which is neither Hindu nor Sikh. However, the overall preference to be labelled as ‘Valmiki Sikhs’ among the Coventry community in particular raises significant questions about monolithic definitions of identity among the Valmiki community (see Takhar, Sikh Identity 124–57).

7. The Namdharis, for example, although regarded as being within the Panth (Sikh community), continue the line of human Gurus from Guru Gobind Singh to the present day.

8. For an exploration of the similarity between the teachings of Guru Nanak and Ravidass, see Takhar, “Congruence”. The teachings of Ravidass can also be found in the Pac Vani and other extant manuscripts held in universities and archive centres in India.

9. See “Guru Ravidass Sampradaye Rejects Separate Religion”, available at: http://www.tribuneindia.com/2010/20100204/punjab.htm#3, access date: 3 February 2010.

10. Regarded as the authority in matters relating to the global Sikh Panth, Makkar is the President of the SGPC (Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee) Who made a public declaration that by dropping his surname, he supported Sikhi’s stance of speaking out against caste-based discrimination. Ironically however, Makkar continues to use his surname.

11. See “SGPC Meeting Today to Discuss Sikh-Ravidassia Issue” in The Indian Express of 3 February 2010. Available at: http://www.indianexpress.com/news/SGPC-meeting-today-to-discuss-Sikh-Ravidassia-issue/575222, access date: 7 February 2010. The article highlights that the tensions are essentially a clash between Deras and Gurdwaras; the latter include all places of worship that house the Guru Granth Sahib. Essentially, the report is an indication that not all members of the Ravidassia community are in favour of distancing themselves from a Sikh identity.

12. I. P. Singh. “Ravidassia Dharm Divides Dalits”, The Times of India, 2 February 2010: 3.

13. The emphasis placed on clearly differentiating between Ravidassia beliefs and practices from Sikh beliefs and practices are discussed in Takhar, Sikh Identity 102–19.

14. Importantly, there are 41 hymns composed by Ravidass in the Guru Granth Sahib, not 40, as the informant states. She highlights that the compositions of Ravidass in the Guru Granth Sahib are explained in further detail in the Amritbani Guru Ravidass, but she does not suggest that the Amritbani Guru Ravidass only consists of the hymns of Ravidass contained in the Guru Granth Sahib.

15. A significant number of informants stated that they were followers of the Radha Soami Sants of Beas in Punjab. The Sikh identity of the Radha Soami tradition has been rejected by the more conservative Sikh community. The debate about defining a Sikh is complex and has preoccupied much scholarly debate over the years (see Takhar, Sikh Identity; McLeod, Who is a Sikh?; Singh and Barrier; Nesbitt, “Pitfalls”).

16. See http://www.gururavidassguruji.com/ourreligiousbook.htm, access date: 15 December 2012. For Ravidassias who support a distinct identity, there is no issue about replacing the 1,430 pages of the Guru Granth Sahib with the Amritbani, which contains 240 teachings of Guru Ravidass, in their places of worship. For this group of Ravidassias, there is to be a total severing of any association with a Sikh identity.

17. Although the egalitarian teachings of Sikhi do not prohibit a female becoming a Giani, I have not come across evidence yet that female Gianis actually exist.

18. In their teachings, the Sikh Gurus repeatedly emphasised that the essence of the Divine is immanent in the hearts of all human beings, which entails that all human beings are equal. However, in actual practice, the teachings of egalitarianism have not always been adhered to by Sikhs who discriminate against the castes which were lower on the hierarchical scale according to the Hindu caste system. See Takhar (“Egalitarian”) for a detailed discussion of issues relating to the lived reality of the teachings of the Gurus regarding caste-based prejudice.

19. Traditional Punjabi folk songs which are increasingly mixed with Western vibes in the Punjabi music scene (see Roy).

20. Undergraduate female Ravidassia student, aged 21; informal conversation on 17 October 2011 at the University of Wolverhampton.

21. See also Anypamo Rao and Nicholas Dirks for an excellent discussion of the disagreements between Ambedkar and Gandhi on the political representation of dalits.

22. The traditional occupation of the chuhra zat was largely that of sweepers and cleaners. I am uncomfortable with using this term due to its derogatory nature. The majority of the members of this zat refer to themselves as ‘Balmiki/Valmiki’; they regard Valmiki, author of the Hindu epic Ramayana, as their Guru (see Takhar, Sikh Identity chapter 5). Valmikis also label themselves as ‘dalits’.

23. The term ‘Scheduled Caste’ was brought into use under the Government of India Act of 1935. This Act enforced the policy of the reservation of seats for the traditionally oppressed and disadvantaged castes in India.

24. Subaltern attitudes have been, and continue to be, challenged by those at the forefront of nurturing social mobility; therefore, many of the founders of political dalit organisations in the UK were at one time affiliated with, or continue to be influenced by, the aspirations of the Ad Dharm movement. Dera Sach Khand in Ballan became the religious centre for the promotion of the Ad Dharmi identity (Ram, “Untouchability”). A number of suggestions have been put forward for the decline of the Ad Dharm movement and its lack of emphasis on a distinct religious identity (Juergensmeyer; Jodhka). The Punjab Buddhist Society, the membership of which includes many former dalits who have embraced Buddhism as a result of the efforts of Ambedkar (see Dirks), is also based in Wolverhampton.

25. An identity based on solidarity and identification as a nation.

26. This view relates to the concept of the Guru Granth Sahib as the eternal Guru for the Panth, in the presence of which no human leader should be accorded the same level of respect. The continuation of human Gurus among the Namdharis, for example, brings their identity as Sikhs into much contentious debate.

27. See Thomas Hochwarter, “Murdered Guru is Laid out in Vienna.” Available at: http://www.begumpura.com/, access date: 15 January 2010.

28. Organisations such as Castewatch UK (www.castewatch.org), Dalit Solidarity Network (see Dalit Solidarity Network UK), and other dalit UK-based organisations have been lobbying the British Parliament to add caste-based discrimination as a punishable offence under the Single Equality Bill which makes it illegal to discriminate on the basis of sex, race, disability, sexual orientation, religion or belief and age. The NHS Foundation Trust states that “The aim of the Equality Act is to strengthen the law, fight discrimination in all its forms and help to make equality a reality for everyone” (see http://www.wwl.nhs.uk/Equality/single_equality_act_2010.asp, access date: 22 July 2012.

29. See “Ravidass Followers Declare Separate Religion, Released Separate Religious granth”, Punjab Newsline Network, 31 January 2010. Available at: http://www.punjabnewsline.com/content/view/22953/38, access date: 5 February 2010.

30. This point is also poignantly expressed by a Ravidassia Sikh in Stalin’s documentary entitled “India Untouched”. Available at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PTv4JmeznnQ&feature=player_embedded, access date: 2 August 2012.

31. In 2003, large-scale riots broke out between jats and dalits in the Punjabi village of Talhan in the Jalandhar district. The riots spilled into the Boota Mandi area, which has a largely chamar population due to the abundance of leather trading in shoes and boots (hence the name ‘Boota Mandi’). Although dalits are represented as the majority caste in Talhan, the tensions arose as a result of dalit representation in the local Gurdwara’s management committee, which had consisted largely of jats. One of my informants from Birmingham who was born in Boota Mandi pointed out that the dalit and jat riots in Talhan and Boota Mandi were caused by a lack of dalit recognition in the Baba Nihal Singh Gurdwara which manages large amounts of cash from worshippers established in the US and UK. He felt that the jats in Talhan undermined the teachings of the Sikh Gurus by continuing to practise caste-based discrimination against the dalits.

32. There are numerous studies which explore the place of caste among Sikhs in both a historical and a contemporary context (see Nesbitt, “Pitfalls”; Singh; Takhar, “Egalitarian”). Essentially, although the Sikh Gurus spoke out against caste discrimination, there is no evidence to suggest that they envisaged overthrowing the system per se. Importantly, all ten Sikh Gurus belonged to the khatri caste and the marriages of their offspring were undertaken in accordance with the rules of endogamy. The influx of the jats into the Panth resulted in jat dominance from the seventeenth century. Positions of authority within the Panth (for example, the leadership structure of the SGPC [Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee]) continue to be occupied by jats to the present day. During my research, the issue of caste-based Gurdwaras (among non-jats) has become a regular point of discussion by informants who remarked that the origins of their particular Gurdwara arose from the dominance of the jats in the earlier Gurdwaras established in Britain. This is a point that was also repeatedly made by informants from the Ravidassia community. However, whether or not the Ravidassias aimed at setting Gudwaras up with other non-jat castes is an under-researched topic. The main narrative appears to be discontent with jats; more research is needed into relationships between the chamars and the ramgarhias, chuhras, sainis, bhatras, ahluwalias, and so on. Without such research, one is in danger of repeating the stereotypes about jatwad (jat pride), despite a number of jats actively campaigning against caste-based discrimination through organisations such as One Sikh No Caste and recently, on 2 December 2012 at a seminar hosted at the Singh Sabha Gurdwara Hounslow (West London) where a number of jats actively sought ways forward to rid Sikh society of caste-based prejudice and discrimination.

33. The Akal Takhat (one of the five seats of spiritual authority for Sikhs) recently issued a statement that it would tackle the increase in caste-based Gurdwaras (see “Takhat Jathedars to Further Discuss Caste Based Gurdwaras”, available at: http://www.sikh24.com/2012/07/takhat-jathedars-to-further-discuss-caste-based-gurdwaras/, access date: 13 July 2012).

34. According to the Herberg Thesis, religion offers a strong sense of belonging and identity for communities who, being minorities within a society, are traditionally marginalised and oppressed. William Herberg’s study of American religion furthered his thesis that religion has a strong societal function through which shared identities are formalised among minority groups.

35. The Gurmukhi script surrounding the emblem reads, transliterated, Nam tere ki jot lagayi, bhaio ujiaaro Bhawan saglaare (‘Your Name is the flame I light, it has illuminated the entire world’).

36. The pilgrimage place for Ravidassias is the birthplace of Guru Ravidass at Banares: Shri Guru Ravidass Janam Asthan Mandir Seer Goverdhanpur Varanasi (Uttar Pradesh). This is also the location where the declaration of the distinct Ravidassia Dharm was announced on 30 January 2010. See “Ravidassi Dera Parts Ways with Sikhism”, World Sikh News, 5 March 2010. Available at: http://worldsikhnews.com/3%20February%202010/Ravidassi%20Dera%, access date: 5 March 2012.

38. Available at: www.ravidassia.wordpress.com, access date: 5 March 2012.

39. The significance of the internet in promoting religious identity is discussed by Doris Jakobsh.

40. Available at: http://www.ravidassiauk.co.uk/openletter.pdf, access date: 7 August 2012.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Opinderjit Kaur Takhar

Opinderjit Kaur Takhar is Senior Lecturer and Course Leader of Religious Studies at the University of Wolverhampton, UK. Her PhD explored Sikh identity by looking at a number of sects/groups among Sikhs. These included the Namdharis, Ravidassias, Valmikis, Guru Nanak Nishkam Sewak Jatha, and Sikh Dharma of the Western Hemisphere/3HO. Since then she has carried out research into the egalitarian teachings of the Guru Granth Sahib in relation to women and caste. Her current research interests explore religious identity among Punjabi dalits and Sikhs and the transmission of Sikhi to British-born Sikhs.