Rai Sikh

The Rai Sikh are a Sikh community mainly associated with agriculture, found in the states of Haryana, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Uttrakhand, Delhi and Punjab in India.^[1][2] Rai Sikhs have been classified as Scheduled Caste in 2007 in Punjab.^[3][4]

Origin

Rai Sikh are members of the Mahatam ethnic group who have converted to the Sikh faith. The term Mahtam is now used mainly for those members of this ethnic group who profess Hinduism and Islam. Historically, the majority of the Rai Sikh were found in territory that is now Pakistan, mainly in Sahiwal, and Multan districts, and the erstwhile Bahawalpur State. A small number were also found along the banks of the Sutlej in Jalandhar and Firozpur districts, as well the princely state of Kapurthala. In terms of distribution, the Rai Sikh are found mainly in over two hundred villages in Firozpur District, sixty villages in Kapurthala District, fifty villages in Jalandhar and Ludhiana districts.^[5] In neighbouring Haryana, the Rai Sikh are now found in the districts of Karnal, Hissar and Kurukshetra. Almost of all these are refugees from Shaikhupura District in Pakistan.^[6] Mahtam under the jurisdiction of four police stations were declared as a criminal tribe under the Criminal Tribes Act by the British colonial authorities in India. After independence, they were denotified in 1952, when the Criminal Tribes Act was replaced with the Habitual Offenders Act and on that basis members of the community have demanded that they be granted Scheduled Tribe status, which had been denied to them. They are found all across the Pakistan-India border.

Present circumstances

The Rai Sikh are strictly endogamous, and practice clan exogamy. Their main clans are the Baksawan, Rai,Akwann,Bawara,warwal, Rawari, Bhatti, Sanora, Bhichar, Sardia, Chuahan, Gogha, Saroya, Dandal, Seotra, Dilsari, Sarari, Dosa, Sauni, Toor, Jandi, Kachura, Tonwar, Vanura, Katwal, Wachwala, Khokhar, War, Madha, Malhi, Mandal, Manha, Navada, Parbar, Warwal, kachura, sawna, Buke(katara), tetru, and Panwar. Their customs and traditions are similar to neighbouring Sikh communities such as the Jatt Sikh, and they speak Punjabi. Basically they have a good knowledge of Urdu. In Haryana, the Rai Sikh continue to speak Punjabi which distinguishes them from their neighbours.^[7] Basically, the Rai Sikh are agricultural community. They are descendants of Jamal- Fatah (rajputs) who were brave soldiers in the army of Maharana pratap. Their settlements were found mainly along river banks, where the community harvested reed.The Rai Sikhs, settled mainly along the riverine tract, have transformed into a political force and are increasingly being known as hardy farmers and workers who will become more socially relevant after grant of Scheduled Caste status to one and a no of years back.The Radha Soami dera has brought about this change. A large section of the community, known for bootlegging, besides other social ills, has given up liquor and non-vegetarian food. At least half of the Rai Sikh community is said to be Radha Soami followers. There are a few followers of Dera Sacha Sauda also. However, with the partition of India, the Rai Sikh as refugees from Pakistan, were allocated lands of the departing Muslim peasants. The community are now mainly cultivators, with a steady immigration to towns and cities, where many have taken up blue and white collar jobs. Rope making has almost disappeared as an occupation, and is unheard of among the Haryana Rai Sikhs.Like other caste, the Rai Sikh have also set own their own caste association, the All India Rai Sikh Welfare Association (Registered), which deals with issues of community welfare as well as a pressure group.^[8]

References