Chamar

Encyclopedia

Chamar

 is a dalit community classified as a Scheduled Caste under modern India’s system of positive discrimination. Historically subject to untouchability, they were traditionally outside the Hindu ritual ranking system of castes known as 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 was constructed, and that the Chamars were instead historically agriculturists.

The term chamar is used as a pejorative word for dalits in general. It has been described as a 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.

Dhusia

Dhusia is a caste in India, sometimes associated with Chamars, Ghusiya, Jhusia or Jatav. They are found in Uttar Pradesh, 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 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.

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. The Regiment, with one year of service, received three Military Crosses and three Military Medals It fought in the Battle of Kohima. In 2011, several politicians demanded that it be revived.

Demographics

According to the 2001 census of India, the Chamars comprise around 14 per cent of the population in the state of Uttar Pradesh and 12 percent of that in Punjab.

Chamar population in India by State, 2001
State Population State Population % Notes
West Bengal 999,756 1.25%
Bihar 4,090,070 5%
Delhi 893,384 6.45%
Chandigarh 48,159 5.3%
Chhattisgarh 1,659,303 8%
Gujarat 1,032,128 1.7% In Gujarat also known as Bhambi, Asodi, Chamadia, Harali, Khalpa, Mochi, Nalia, Madar, Ranigar, Ravidas, Rohidas, Rohit, Samgar. 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’.
Haryana 2,079,132 9.84% Known as Jatav
Himachal Pradesh 414,669 6.8%
Jammu & Kashmir 488,257 4.82%
Jharkhand 837,333 3.1%
Madhya Pradesh 837,333 9.3% Chamars are primarily concentrated in Sagar, Morena, Rewa,Bhind and Chhatarpur districts. Chamars work in land measurement are described as Balahi. Balahi have major concentration in Ujjain, Khargone and Dewas districts.
Maharashtra 1,234,874 1.28%
Punjab 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.
Rajasthan 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, Shriganganagar, Hanumangarh, Churu, Jhunjhunu, Alwar, 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 Raigar (leather tanners) and Mochi (shoe makers) are other two castes related to the leather profession.In Bikaner region, they are known as Balai.
Uttar Pradesh 19,803,106 14%
Uttaranchal 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.

Notable people

  • Jagjivan Ram, former Deputy Prime Minister of India
  • Kanshi Ram (1934–2006), founder of Bahujan Samaj Party and mentor of Mayawati Kumari
  • Meira Kumar, Former Speaker of the Lok Sabha
  • Mayawati, leader of Bahujan Samaj Party and Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh.