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Above: Two recent migrants to Punjab. Below: 1st from bottom - relics of Guru Gobind Singh displayed at his birthplace. 2nd from bottom: The main building of the Takht complex. 3rd from bottom: an antiquated portrait of Guru Gobind Singh.

History

The Heirs of Gobind Rai

by JATINDER PREET

 

The tenth and final Sikh Guru, Gobind Singh, who was born as Gobind Rai in Bihar's capital, Patna, almost 340 years ago,  would have approved of this sociologial trend in contemporary Punjab.

The old advisory to people to adapt to the culture of the places they go to, "When in Rome, do as the Romans do", has been assimilated with gusto by the migrant population of Bihar and Uttar Pradesh, in "The Land of the Five Rivers".

Indeed, with a kara around his wrist, a long-flowing and unshorn beard, a turban, and "Singh" suffixed to his name, the bhaiyya from the heartland has transformed into bhaa-ji in Punjab.

In a study by Punjab Agricultural University's Department of Economics and Sociology  -  with a sample size of 240 migrants (120 local labourers and 120 farmers)  -  a whopping 81% of migrants reported a change in the language they speak, the food they eat and the clothes they wear. Pegged at more than a million in a city of about five million people, there is one migrant from UP or Bihar for every five Punjabis.

The study, carried out by Dr. M. S. Sidhu, Dr. A. S. Joshi and Inderpreet Kaur, employed something called a multi-stage sampling framework, wherein samples were taken from districts, blocks and villages. It also zeroed in on local labourers and farmers for cross-references.

Interestingly, in similar studies in 1978-79 and 1983-84, 33% and 40% of migrant labourers had reported a noticeable change in their language. In the last survey, however, the change in language went up to 76%. Also, 84% of respondents reported a change of preference from the traditional favourite rice to wheat. Similarly, 88% had switched from dhoti to pyjama-kameez. Some went for the more comfortable lungi, even as the womenfolk made the sartorial switch from sari to salwar-kameez.

Like Ranjit Kumar, who now calls himself Ranjit Singh, nearly 11% of people from Bihar and UP use Punjabi surnames. The 25-year-old, who came from Bihar to Sainian Bahurian village in Gurdaspur district to work in the farm of Mann Singh, is as much Punjabi as anybody around him.

Sukhram, too, is no exception. He came to Sunam in Sangrur from Purnea in Bihar, some fifteen years ago, to work for Mohinderpal Singh Dhindsa.

Now, with a kara on his wrist and a beard, he is indistinguishable from the people around him in this nondescript town.

[Courtesy: The Times of India]

Conversation about this article

1: Vrinder (U.S.A.), November 30, 2007, 10:40 AM.

It's amazing that we feel comfortable in the fact that people coming to earn their livelihood in Punjab have have adopted the culture, language and religous values. We don't feel awkward that they kind of moved away from their cultural or religous values. Then why do we feel so awkward about it when our kids come to these western countries and adopt the culture and values of the land where they live now or are born in. Doesn't it sound like a double-standard? Being pure (Khalis) at heart defines a Sikh, actually any human being, more than anything else. With members of almost every family we know now living in the diaspora, it's good to know we are in good hands in the trustworthy lineage of Guru Gobind Rai ... Gobind Singh!

2: Jagdeep Singh (London, England), November 30, 2007, 11:43 AM.

Vrinder, you make an excellent point. I'll even add something to it. I have lost count of the number of times I have listened as Sikhs who are immigrants in the UK are bigoted and chauvinist towards immigrants from other parts of India to Punjab, speaking in the same ways about them as British right-wingers talk about Sikhs and other ethnic minorities. But when it comes down to it, they are the first to claim all their rights to live in liberal and pluralist societies in which their religious freedom is guaranteed and the presence of Sikhs is all part of the 'multicultural' tapestry and diversity of British life!

3: Prabhu Singh Khalsa (Española, New Mexico, U.S.A.), December 02, 2007, 11:54 AM.

Vrinder Ji, a Sikh who is pure in the heart will accept the Guru's hukam. Many parts of the western culture do not support purity of heart. However the Guru's path is 100%: It is guaranteed to take you to excellence. Adoption of culture is no big deal, but abandonment of the Guru's teachings is pitiful for a Sikh.

4: R. Sandhu (Brampton, Canada), December 07, 2007, 8:01 AM.

This provides a great opportunity to reflect. No matter how negatively some people might look at it, this is not only a tribute to the enterprising immigrant's zeal to improve his lot, but also to his enthusiasm towards accepting the universal message of Sikhi. Those who take Sikhi for granted now know there are others who revel in its universality and humanism, and need no invitation, coercion, harassment or any kind of proselytizing by missionaries, to accept it.

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