Travel, 3 August (continued)

While in Jalandhar, we visited with Mr. Mahey, an influential figure in the Ad Dharm community and a relative of the mayor. In addition to visiting the community’s gurdwara or gurdehara, we sat down for a meal together.

Members of the Ad Dharm (a-dharm, without religion) community are followers of Ravi Das, a Hindu saint who lived in the 14th century. Ravi Das was against the caste system, challenging others by pointing out that his deeds proved himself to be of high caste. Some of his devotional songs (bhakti, in praise of the formless Divine) are included in the Guru Granth Sahib.

The Ad Dharm community is composed of Chamars (leather-workers, tanners), a prominent Dalit (oppressed) sub-caste. An interesting group; Chamars were once a nomadic tribal people who became an occupational group (jati). As such, many Chamars and Jats share surnames.

Of all the Chamars across northern India, those in Punjab are considered to be the most politically and socially influential. In the early 20th century, many Chamars, tired of continued caste oppression, renounced their Hindu faith and became Sikhs. They became Ad Dharmis, numbering 10 times more than mainstream Sikhs. Despite the promises of converting to a religious tradition that is against the recognition of caste, Sikh beliefs do not always reflect in practice. There continues to be social oppression complete with the use of separate gurdwaras in both India and the Diaspora.

The gurdwara we visited in Jalandhar is unique in Sikh religious practice. In most ways, it replicates the ‘traditional’ gurdwara – the Guru Granth is featured at the rear-center on a platform, surrounded by gifts and other finery, and a place for the congregation in front.

It differs as it features a portrait of Ravi Das alongside the Guru Granth. As well, there are portraits of Ravi Das and his disciple Mirabai on the walls.

A shrine dedicated to Mirabai is being built within the walls of the gurdwara complex, mirroring the one found in Rajasthan.

After our meal together, Mr. Mahey lectured on historical and contemporary issues of the Ad Dharm community.

On the topic of Indian politics he noted that although Gandhi spoke for the uplift of the downtrodden, those he labeled as Harijans (children of God), he never challenged the caste system. It was Dr. Ambedkar, a Dalit leader, who was the first politician to challenge the hierarchical structure of the caste system. In 1956, Ambedkar along with thousands of his Dalit followers converted to Buddhism. In fact, a correlation is often made between Buddhism, an age-old religion, and Ad Dharmis, an age-old people. While ‘shopping’ around for a more tolerant religion, Ambedkar considered Sikhism but decided against it when he found same system of Dalit oppression in Punjab.

Speaking on the use of separate gurdwaras, Mr. Mahey raised an important question: if guruship was instilled in the Guru Granth and all gurdwaras have the Granth, why are there separate gurdwaras for ‘communities’ within the Sikh community?
In a way, he answered his own question. We know that the tenth Sikh guru elevated the Sikh scripture to that of the Guru Granth and the community to the Guru Panth (the community as the Guru). The authority of the personal Guru was placed in the text and in the Panth, the right to take decisions on behalf of the community. The Ad Dharmis follow Ravi Das, a ‘Hindu’ saint, along with Sikh beliefs and practices. Yet, authority of personal guruship was only instilled in the text. This places the religious beliefs and practices of the Ad Dharmis at odds with mainstream Sikhism. Add to that some lingering social beliefs about caste and voila, the use of separate gurdwaras.

Despite limits society and religion places upon them, Ad Dharmis, like other Dalit communities, have benefited from economic uplift alongside an increase in social awareness and educational opportunities. For anyone interested in more about this community, please see Juergensmeyer’s Religion As Social Vision.