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ONLY PEOPLE WHO HAVE ACTUALLY READ THE HOLY SIKH SCRIPTURES AND ARE EXPERTILY FAMILIER WITH SIKH CULTURE MAY ALTER THIS PAGE

The Bhatra or Bhattra community, also known as the Sangat Bhatra community or the Bhat Sikh community, are a group of Sikhs whose origins lie in the Punjab. Today in the United Kingdom there are significant numbers of Sikhs with Bhatra ancestry, as there are in India. In the Punjab most Bhatra Sikhs are now in Patiala, Amritsar, Hoshiarpur, Gurdaspur or Bhathinda districts; elsewhere in India they tend to live cities, particularly Delhi and Calcutta.

Heritage of Bhatra Sikhs in the UK

Originally Bhatra was the name of a caste or jati within the Indian tradition of social classes, each with its own occupation. Sikhism does not support the caste system, The Bhatra were said to be the original sungat of Guru Nanak who were decendents of Raja Shivnabh and the holy poet Baba Changa Rai.The Bhatra hereditary profession was to work as skilled salesmen , and some were said to be blessed with the gift to see into the future, However this did not apply to all Bhatra during the tyranny of the moguls many sikhs were being murdered, any Sikh who spiritually transcended joined Guru Gobind Singh Ji’s Khalsa and would take the role as warrior saint and if need be go into battle. They were a small group who were said to have sharp,calculated minds. Though some lived in Lahore, many Bhatra can trace their roots to villages around Sialkot and Gurdaspur Districts. In the 1920s some men travelled to Britain to work as door-to-door salesmen, most leaving their families in the Punjab to begin with. By the time of the Second World War there were a few hundred Sikhs clustered in British seaports like Cardiff, Bristol, and Southampton. Some returned to India when war broke out, but others stayed on and used contacts with Punjabi merchant seamen to import scarce goods.

The Partition

The Partition of India in 1947 led many Sikhs to emigrate, and the Bhatra population in the UK was greatly enlarged. Later arrivals tended to join relatives, friends and neighbours from the Punjab, so that some British Bhatra communities have links to one or two particular villages. Difficult journeys following Partition are not forgotten. The Edinburgh Sikh women's group (Sikh Sanjog) has exhibited artwork telling the story of leaving the Punjab and arriving in a strange land. A 2001 obituary of a senior figure in the Cardiff Bhatra community described the trials of leaving northern India in turbulent times.

Jobs

Bhatra sikhs which were educated in india who emigrated to Britain were forcred to become salesmen even though qualifyed for other jobs. This was the case for most asians , As racial tensions occurring during this period would not allow employment. The traditional Bhatra profession of itinerant salesman was useful to those arriving in the UK. At first most Bhatras and sikhs in general, worked either as doorstep or market traders. They gradually moved into other roles as self-employed businessmen, often specialising in retailing. By the end of the 1950s selling door-to-door was less common and many British Bhatra Sikhs moved towards commercial enterprises like market stalls, shops, supermarkets and wholesale warehouses. Not all Bhatras continued in self-employment. Many settled in big cities like Leeds or Birmingham and some took waged jobs in industry. Nowadays the younger Bhatra generation is represented in many varied professions from doctors to accountants,Engineers,surveyors to musicians.

Gurdwaras

When possible the Bhatra community has established its own Gurdwaras (temples). As of 2006 there are more than 30 Bhatra or Bhat Sikh temples in the UK, the newest being the one opened in Peterborough in 2004. In some British towns Bhatras are a small proportion of the overall Sikh population (in Glasgow 5%); elsewhere, as in Edinburgh, they are in the majority.

Origins

Among the Sikh people there exists the Bhat (Bhatra Sikhs). Amongst themselves they refer to themselves as sangat. Upon further questions they will tell you that their origins are from Sangla-deep (sri Lanka) and from a place called Beeza-qur (pronounced such) and they will inform you that they are the original sangat of Guru Nanak. Apart from speaking various dialects of Punjabi they still possess a language which they only speak amongst themselves. In and around Sangladeep there are hindus who still speak this language. Further if you look at the bir of Bhanno (Adi Granth) you will find the name of shivabh but more importantly you will find Bhatra sikhs being mentioned. This may prove we still have living Sikh whose descendants are from the South or from Shri Lanka.

However, some unknown person recorded an account of the route leading to Sri Lanka on the flyleaf of a manuscript copy of the Adi Granth. This account is captioned Haqiqat Rah Muqam Raja Shivnabh Ki which was later copied by several other scribes. It is rightly believed that the Haqiqat Rah Muqam Raja Shivnabh Ki, with the exception of the route of Sri Lanka given therein, is confusing and full of contradictions. Fortunately, however, the recent researches on this issue show that whatever meager information is contained in the manuscript is basically true. Since there is a definite mention of the Guru’s visit to Sri Lanka in various traditional sources, it will not be futile to study the whole issue from the point of view of history.

Raja Shivnabh

In the Janam Sakhis it has been stated that Guru Nanak met Raja Shivnabh. The very name indicates that the Guru met a Shaivite Raja.. The ruling princes of Sri Lanka at the beginning of the sixteenth century were either Shaivites or Buddhists. There were two powerful Sinhali kingdoms with their capitals at Kotte and Gampota (Kandy). The rulers of these states were adherents of Buddhism. The third was the Jaffna kingdom with its capital at Nullure. Its ruler was Shaivite. During the same period the rulers of the vassal states on the eastern coast were Shaivites. Guru Nanak appears to have met some Tamil Hindu Shaivite ruler of Sri Lanka.4 According to Tawarikh-i-Sikhan 16of Khushwaqat Rai "Nanak Shah then went to Singaldeep. Having heard of his (Nanak's) praises, Raja Shivnabh of that place was anxious to see him. He had vowed that he would believe the arrival of Nanak only if his dry garden were to become green. This came to happen. With the touch of Nanak's feet the dry garden became green and fruitful. The Raja still had some doubt. The Raja's wife had given birth to a daughter but she had told him that a son had been born. She went to Nanak Shah and prayed in all humility that if, with his blessings, the daughter could become a boy, and she would be saved from the wrath of the raja. Nanak told her that her wish would be fulfilled. The female child became a boy. Seeing this the Raja and the Rani became his disciples with heart and soul. Guru Nanak then proclaimed there after that Raja Shivnabh lineage would be named Bhat as said in the Janam Sakhis.

Baba Changa Rai

The word Bhat has come from the word Bhatra, About 400 years ago our 1st Guru Nanak Dev Ji started a community called Sangat Bhatra Samparda because one of our ancestor was called Changa Bhatra who became Guru's disciple. Originally we had 17 Bhat whose verses are written in our holy Guru Granth Sahib ji. One of the Bhats, went to Kashi to educate. When he came back he was given the title of RA, (which means a high-class poet) because he was already a Bhat he added the RA after that and he started to call him self "Bhatra".

According to the Sikh Encyclopedia, bhatra is related to the Sanskrit word bhatta, or bhat, a bard or poet. Bhatra Sikhs trace their name to Changa Bhatra, also known as Baba Changa Rai, or Changa Bhai, of Sri Lanka who became a disciple of Guru Nanak Dev Ji. He added Bhatra to his name and he spread the word of guru nanak to his followers who also became known as Bhatra. The encyclopedia also says that "more than one story is current about their origin". Today some UK Bhatra Sikhs explain the Bhatra name as made up of bhat, referring to the poets whose verses are included in the Guru Granth Sahib,

Bhatra Sangat name groups

First of all there are two main groups: Darewal and the Landervaser. The Landervaser are from a village farming background.

There is a story that the Names of the Jart came from 14 Tribes, with names representing animals like Snakes and Lions. The names are as follows:

• Raudh
• Ghola
• Chohan
• Laanda/Landa/Lakhanpal
• Digpal/Digwa
• Rathore: Suali became a derivative from Rathore after a marriage
• Ragge: also from a religious order
• Raudh
• Khalsa
• Bhaker
• Bhatti
• Sherek
• Kasbia
• Jogi
• Potiwal
• Swali
• Thariwal
• Taak

and many more..........

These help to stop the families getting married to their own relatives. It is not acceptable to marry someone who has the same father's family name.

Culture

Commentators have found Bhatra Sikhs pride themselves on an orthodox approach to their religion, and many have more conservative attitudes than other Sikhs. Though Sikhism supports equality for women, a generation ago researchers found some Bhatra girls were withdrawn from English schools before the official leaving age of 16 as parents feared that unshaparoened fraterization may occur as indian tradition states that relationships between youths must be apporoved by the parents, other fears such as disatachment to culture and religon were also considered . While this may no longer be the case, some still feel that girls should be preparing for marriage and motherhood.

Food

Sharing food or Langar is important in Sikhism, and each Gurdwara has its own community centre with kitchen.

Marriage

Marriages arranged by the couple's parents are common,Sikh Bhatra believe by arranging there sons/daughters marriage they will be able to insure that there son/daughter will be matched up with the rite partner, the rite family and hopefully have a stable and happy future by doing this they will be able to keep tradition, culture and religion alive. In most cases parents will accompany the son/daughter when finding their partner as the parents usually help in finding a suitable match. Traditional arranged marriages have been used all over the world for centuries, which includes the royal family. In 1999 were found to be almost the rule in some UK Bhatra communities (for instance, Edinburgh) while elsewhere about half of Bhatra Sikh marriages are arranged by the parents (for instance, Birmingham). This is similar to the frequency of arranged marriage in other UK Asian communities. The typical age of marriage in the Bhatra community varies. as a whole although there is a increases in signs in further education. Most Sikh marriages in the UK involve members of the same caste. Wedding ceremonies in their various stages may last up to two weeks or more. The BBC filmed a Bhatra wedding in 1997 which was a traditional rare "blind marriage" involving a bride and groom who had not seen each other before the ceremony, this is practiced by a small minority of sikhs .

Names for relationships within the family

• Bupu - Papa: Father, Grandfather
• Bebe - Bube: Mother, Grandmother
• Chacha - Chuche: Younger than Father
• Thi-ya - Theuy: Older than Father
• Pupore: Uncle To Sister
• Prajai: Brother's Wife

Further information

See also: List of Sikhism-related topics

Prince Charles has a long-term interest in Sikhism and has met Bhatra Sikhs in various parts of the UK, praising their community work in Manchester.

Other Sikhs in the UK

Although Sikhism does not support the old Indian caste system, in the UK there are some tensions between Jat Sikhs and Bhatra Sikhs which probably have an element of leftover caste prejudice.Jat Sikhs are the biggest group of the approximately 600,000 Sikhs in the UK, though in the first half of the 20th century they and the Bhatra Sikhs had equal numbers of people in the country. The Jats worked as "door-knock" salesmen then too, though it was not their traditional occupation (farming). Ramgharia Sikhs (traditionally wood workers and craftsmen) are another sizeable group.

Films and music

See also: Music of Punjab

Actors, films, music which may be of special interest to Sikhs in the UK include:

• Baleah Baleh - a traditional Punjabi folk-singer
• Gandhi - the film directed by Richard Attenborough which portrays the Amritsar massacre
• Films with Gurdas Maan
• Dholki drumming - a traditional art

Historical figures

See also: List of prominent Sikhs

People of historical importance for Sikhs in the UK include:

• Guru Ram Das
• Udham Singh
• Bhagat Singh
• Mata Sahib Kaur

Bibliography

• Desh Pradesh, Differentiation and Disjunction among the Sikhs in South Asian Experience in Britain (1994) ed. Roger Ballard
• Roger Ballard, The Growth and Changing Character of the Sikh Presence in Britain in The South Asian Religious Diaspora in Britain, Canada, and the United States (2000), ed. Harold Coward, Raymond Brady Williams, John R Hinnells
• Roger Ballard, Migration,Remittances, Economic Growth and Poverty Reduction: Reflections on the basis of South Asian Experience
• R and C Ballard, The Sikhs: the development of South Asian settlements in Britain in Between Two Cultures ed. JL Watson (1977)
• P Ghuman, Bhattra Sikhs in Cardiff: Family and Kinship Organization. New Community (1980) 8, 3.
• Marie Gillespie, Television, Ethnicity and Cultural Change (Routledge 1995)
• Malory Nye, A Place for Our Gods: The Construction of an Edinburgh Hindu Temple Community (1995)
• Difference within Sikh Communities
• Sikh settlers in Britain (includes material on caste and on "Bhattra")
• The Sikh Encyclopedia

References

1. Sikh Encyclopedia
2. Nye, also Glasgow Herald, April 17 1999, and others
3. William Gould, Hindu Nationalism and the Language of Politics in Late Colonial India: Glossary
4. Gillespie

External links

• Bhatra in the UK before Partition
• Sikh Sanjog
• Sikh Directory UK - includes Bhatra Gurdwaras
• Cardiff Bhatra Gurdwara
• Who are the Bhat Sikhs?
• Bhat Sikh Community in Peterborough
• The Bhatra Forum

ONLY PEOPLE WHO HAVE ACTUALLY READ THE HOLY SIKH SCRIPTURES AND ARE EXPERTILY FAMILIER WITH SIKH CULTURE MAY ALTER THIS PAGE

• Sikh groups and sects
• Immigration to the United Kingdom