The Rai Sikh is a Sikh community,[1][2] mainly found in the states of Punjab, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Uttrakhand, Delhi and Haryana in India.[3][4][5][6][7]
They came to India after partition of India from Okara, Pakpattan, Kasur, Minchinabad, Haroonabad, Nankana Sahib, Bahawalnagar, and Sahiwal. Rai Sikhs originated from the banks of river ravi from where the caste got its name. They were likely converted to Sikhism from Hinduism and Islam between 1792 and 1815, in the Misl era and early stages of the Sikh Empire[8] Historically, the majority of the Rai Sikh lived in territory that is now Pakistan, mainly in undivided Sahiwal, and Multan districts, and the erstwhile Bahawalpur State.[9]
In terms of distribution, the Rai Sikh are living mainly in over two hundred villages in Firozpur District and Fazilka district, sixty villages in Kapurthala District, fifty villages in Jalandhar and Ludhiana districts. In neighbouring Haryana, the Rai Sikh are now living in the districts of Karnal, Hisar and Kurukshetra. Almost of all these are refugees from Sheikhupura District in Pakistan.[10]
History
editRai Sikh settlements were found mainly along riverbanks like Ravi River. Following the partition of India in 1947, the Rai Sikhs were allocated the lands of departing Muslim peasants due to their status as refugees from Pakistan.[11]
Their main clans are the Ghogha, Rai, Bawara, Villasra, Rawari, Bhatti, Sanora, Bhichar, Sardia, Chauhan, Saroya, Dandal, Baksawan Seotra, Dilsari, Sarari, Dosa, Sauni, Toor, Jandi, Kachauri, Tonwar, Karnawal, Vanura, Katwal, Wachwala, Khokhar, War, Madha, Malhi, Mandal, Manha, Parbar, Warwal, Kachura, Sawna, Boock, Khera, Tetru, Panwar and Akvan which was better known as Bains in ancient times.
They have a good knowledge of Urdu and Punjabi. Large amount of this society lives in Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Uttrakhand, Delhi, Haryana, Punjab, Madhya Pradesh. The Rai Sikh continue to speak Punjabi which distinguishes them from their neighbours.
The community is now mainly cultivators, with steady immigration to towns and cities, where they have taken up blue and white-collar jobs. Nowadays Rai Sikhs are doctors, engineers, politicians and government employees. Mostly they are farmers and some are traders.
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.
Lifestyle
editThe community is now mainly cultivators, with steady immigration to towns and cities, where they have taken up blue- and white-collar jobs. Nowadays Rai Sikh[12] Sikhs are Doctors, Engineers, politicians and government employees . Mostly they are farmers and they raise cows and buffaloes for milk.[13]
Demographics
edit| Districts | 2011 India census | |
|---|---|---|
| Rai Sikh Caste Population | % | |
| Amritsar | 42,778 | 1.72% |
| Barnala | 25 | 0% |
| Bathinda | 3,133 | 0.23% |
| Faridkot | 142 | 0.02% |
| Fatehgarh Sahib | 66 | 0.01% |
| Firozpur | 374,192 | 18.44% |
| Gurdaspur | 2,307 | 0.1% |
| Hoshiarpur | 390 | 0.02% |
| Jalandhar | 19,033 | 0.87% |
| Kapurthala | 20,685 | 2.53% |
| Ludhiana | 18,010 | 0.52% |
| Mansa | 11,353 | 1.48% |
| Moga | 14,154 | 1.43% |
| Sri Muktsar Sahib | 6,783 | 0.75% |
| Patiala | 2,928 | 0.15% |
| Rupnagar | 8 | 0% |
| Sahibzada Ajit Singh Nagar | 163 | 0.02% |
| Sangrur | 119 | 0.01% |
| Nawanshahr | 99 | 0.02% |
| Tarn Taran | 327 | 0.03% |
References
edit- ^ "Rai Sikh farmers' jatha leaves for Delhi to join protesters". The Times of India. 29 May 2021. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved 28 August 2023.
- ^ "Rai Sikh". Dainik Bhaskar (in Hindi). Retrieved 28 August 2023.
- ^ People of India Punjab Volume XXXVII edited by I.J.S Bansal and Swaran Singh pages 367 to 372 Manohar
- ^ People of India Hayana Volume XXIII edited by M.L Sharma. and A.K Bhatia pages 416 to 418 Manohar
- ^ Ellensburg Daily Record. 26 April 2001. Retrieved 9 August 2023.
- ^ "Castle category in Rajasthan" (PDF). ThePrint. 21 September 2021. Retrieved 28 February 2022.
- ^ "Rai Sikh support, 'Congress wave' helped youngest MLA". The Times of India. 12 March 2017. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved 28 August 2023.
- ^ Singh, K. S. (1998). Rajasthan. Popular Prakashan. ISBN 978-81-7154-769-2.
- ^ "Punjab: vol. xxvi: Buy Punjab: vol. xxvi by unknown at Low Price in India". Flipkart.com. Retrieved 5 September 2023.
- ^ "Punjab: vol. xxvi: Buy Punjab: vol. xxvi by unknown at Low Price in India". Flipkart.com. Retrieved 5 September 2023.
- ^ "Punjab: vol. xxvi: Buy Punjab: vol. xxvi by unknown at Low Price in India". Flipkart.com. Retrieved 5 September 2023.
- ^ "An Indian Political Life : Charan Singh and Congress Politics, 1937 to 1961 | Chapter no.10". www.worldcat.org. Retrieved 11 August 2023.
- ^ "Sikh farmers who migrated twice suffered the most during Partition". The Indian Express. 15 August 2022. Retrieved 5 September 2023.
- ^ "A-10 Appendix: District wise scheduled caste population (Appendix)". Retrieved 8 May 2024.