Bhatra

The Bhat community, also known as the Sangat community, [ [http://www.sikhsangat.com/index.php?showtopic=33239&mode=threaded Guru Nanak In Sri Lanka - The Voice of Sikh Youth ] ] descent comprised majorly of Sikhs.The word Bhat is a diminutive of the Sanskrit word meaning ‘bard’. The word Bhatra is a corruption of the term Bhat. Today in the United Kingdom there are significant numbers of Sikhs with Bhat ancestry, as there are in India. The Bhat Sikhs were amongst the first followers of Guru Nanak who are also believed to have derived from Sri Lanka. In the Punjab most Bhat Sikhs are now in Patiala, Amritsar, Hoshiarpur, Gurdaspur or Bhathinda districts, or in Jullunder or Chandigarh; elsewhere in India they tend to live in cities, particularly Delhi and Calcutta. [Sikh Encyclopedia]

Introduction to the Bhat Sikhs

Bhat tradition and Sikh text states their ancestors came from Sri Lanka, where the Raja Shivnabh and his kingdom became the original 16th century followers of Guru Nanak, the founder of Sikhism. The Raja's grandson Baba Changa earned the title ‘Bhat Rai’ - the ‘Raja of Poets, and then settled himself and his followers all over India as missionaries where many Sikhs and general Indians became Bhat Sikhs. They also contributed 123 compositions in the Sri Guru Granth Sahib. [ [www.bhatra.co.uk] ] .The Bhat people are not considered as a caste in the typical sense but a group within Sikhism created by Guru Nanak which is not shackled by the caste system, a sangat whose members are from all areas of the Sikh caste spectrum.

In the 17th century some religious Bhat went to fight as "warrior-saints" against Mughal persecution in the Khalsa campaign inspired by Guru Gobind Singh Ji. Since many Bhat lived as travelling missionaries, their mobility led them to depend on occupations which did not require a settled life. [ [http://www.thesikhencyclopedia.com/main.php?article=199&title=BHATRAS&tgt=B&brief= Sikh Encyclopaedia] ]

By the 19th century Bhat was the name of a caste or "jati" within the Indian tradition of social classes, each with its own occupation. Even though Sikhism itself does not support separation by caste, the social system meant that the Bhat followed a hereditary profession of itinerant salesman, while some also foretold the future, [HA Rose, "Glossary of Tribes and Castes of the Punjab" (Lahore 1883), quoted by Pradesh] if they were considered to have clairvoyant ability. They have been praised for business acumen, described as people with “a spirit of enterprise”. [ [http://www.thesikhencyclopedia.com/main.php?article=199&title=BHATRAS&tgt=B&brief= Sikh Encyclopedia] ] They were a small group: so small that even in the Punjab many people did not know of them. [Pradesh] Though some lived in Lahore, many Bhat can trace their roots to villages around Sialkot and Gurdaspur Districts. [Pradesh]

Origins

Many Bhat consider themselves a "sangat" (fellowship) which originated with Guru Nanak's visit to Sri Lanka. According to the "Sikh Encyclopedia", Bhat is related to the Sanskrit word "bhatta", or "bhat", a bard or poet. The "Encyclopedia" says that "more than one story is current about their origin".

Raja Shivnabh and Baba Changa Rai (‘Bhat Rai’)

The Hakikat-Rah-Mukaam-Shivnabh-Raje-Ki states that Guru Nanak visited Sri Lanka during 1574 and met Raja Shivnabh,after the Rajas converion to Sikhism, the Guru bestowed the title of sangat on the Raja and his people, united seven kingdoms and made the Raja Shivnabh leader of them all. [Haqiqat Rah Muqam shivnabh raje ki page 624 [p.1248] khari ] Some scholars consider the Raja was the ruler of Batticaloa. [For more on Guru Nanak's journey to Batticaloa/Batticola see: [http://www.globalsikhstudies.net/pdf/janamsakhi.pdf Kirpal Singh, "Janamsakhi Tradition" (Amritsar 2004)] [www.bhatra.co.uk] ]

Changa Rai or Changa Bhat,was the grandson Raja Shivnabh who after fourteen years of eduction Changa Rai gained the title of ‘Bhat Rai’ - the ‘Raja of Poets. Thereafter Changa Rai accompinied by his son Taru Dhoni led his followers to india where they setteled in Arogapeth in India. Changa Rai himself became known as ‘Changa Bhat’. Hence his followers became known as Bhats. Thereafter Bhats established Sikh sangats in many parts of India, and began spreading the teachings of Nanak. After the death of Changa Rai, Taru Dhoni became the head of the sangat. From the compositions written by the various Bhats many were sent to the durbar of Guru Angad Dev ji who at the time was compiling the Guru Granth Sahib ji. The Guru Angad Dev ji included the works of 17 Bhats. The Bhats contributed to a total of 123 compositions in the Sri Guru Granth Sahib (pp.1389-1409), ‘recorded under the title of Savaiyye, known as Bhata de Bani. [ "Haqiqat Rah Muqam" [www.bhatra.co.uk] "included in Bhai Banno's "bir", according to the [http://www.thesikhencyclopedia.com/main.php?brief=&tgt=C&article=29&lastArt=111 Sikh Encyclopedia] and others. [http://www.thesikhencyclopedia.com/main.php?article=199&title=BHATRAS&tgt=B&brief= Sikh Encyclopaedia] ] One suggestion is that the meeting of Guru Nanak and changa Bhat took place about 12 miles south of his meeting with the Raja. [ [http://www.globalsikhstudies.net/pdf/janamsakhi.pdf Kirpal Singh, "Janamsakhi Tradition" (Amritsar 2004)] ]

The "Sikh Encyclopedia" discusses a possible link between Bhat Sikhs and Changa Bhat of Sri Lanka, who became a disciple of Guru Nanak Dev Ji. [ [http://www.thesikhencyclopedia.com/main.php?article=199&title=BHATRAS&tgt=B&brief= Sikh Encyclopaedia] ]

Bhats in the punjab

As Bhat Sikhs were itinerant missionaries, they did not take to settled life. In the 16th and 17th century small bands of bard singers travelled northwards to the Punjab, their numbers began to increase substantially as they preached to many of villages. The Punjab was where they gained their greatest number of followers. Therefore this was were they settled.From hearing the Bards poetry punjabis from all walks of life embraced Guru Nanak’s teachings, therefore many punjabis joined the Bhats and became Sikhs. Hence Bhats surnames include those from Jats, Khatris and Rajputs among others. [ "Haqiqat Rah Muqam" [www.bhatra.co.uk] ]

ri Lanka

M.S. Ahluwalia, a Senior Fellow at the Indian Council of Historical Research, New Delhi, offers historical evidence for Guru Nanak's presence in Sri Lanka, probably in the year 1510. [ [http://www.sikhspectrum.com/082004/ceylon_guru_nanak.htm M.S. Ahluwalia, "Guru Nanak in Ceylon" (Sikh Spectrum Quarterly 2004)] ] Many scholars, though not all, agree that the Guru visited Sri Lanka on his travels.Some jatt clans are known to have originated from Sri Lanka

Challenges to Theory of Origin

A place called Singaldeep or Sangladeep is often mentioned in 'Hakikat-Rah-Mukaam-Shivnabh-Raje-Ki' and is stated to be in Sri Lanka. A few scholars dispute the idea that there was ever a ruler of Singladeep called Shivnabh (Sivnabh). [ [http://www.sikhstudies.org/Periodicals.asp?TtlCod=1341 DR JAGJIT SINGH KHANPURI, HISTORY OF GURU GRANTH SAHIB] ]

Contribution To Sikhism

The Bhat Sikhs were bards who recited poetry, singing praises to God from the teachings and inspiration from the Gurus.

Bhat Bani recorded under the title ‘Bhata de Savaiyye‘, is the name given to the composition of the Bhats as included in the Sri Guru Granth Sahib (pp.1389-1409).

During the time of Guru Amar Das ji, some Bhats reached the plains of the Punjab. Only a handful of Bhats would have come to the Punjab from the south, and their influence saw non-Sikhs from all communities to be mesmerised into Guru Nanak’s teachings. The Bhat Sikhs grew in population from the mass-followers from the Punjab. Hence the majority of Bhat Sikhs are of Punjabi origin.

The early Bhats, Bhai Bhikha and Bhai Toda embraced the Sikh faith during the time of Guru Amar Das. Bhai Gurdas also gives a brief account of Bhats in his Varan, XI.21.

Bhai Kalh, a leading Bhat poet, took it upon himself to note down some of the verses of the Bhats from the vahis and passed it on to Guru Arjan Dev at the time of the compilation of the holy Granth. Bhai Vir Singh writer of the Guru Granth Kosh, notes that 17 Bhats contributed to the Sri Guru Granth Sahib. [ [www.bhatra.co.uk] ]

Bhat Sikhs In The United Kingdom

Bhat Sikhs started to arrive in the United Kingdom in the 1920s, but most immigrated in the late 1940s or 1950s.

Jobs

The traditional Bhat profession of itinerant salesman was useful to those arriving in the UK, and was "a skill with considerable potential". [Pradesh] At first most Bhat, like some other Sikhs, worked either as doorstep or market traders (working with the Khatri community), but some settled in big cities like Leeds or Birmingham, gave up self-employment and took waged jobs in industry. (At this time many educated immigrants to Britain had difficulty finding employment suited to their qualifications and experience, because of racial and/or cultural prejudice.)

Bhat traders 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 Bhat Sikhs moved towards commercial enterprises like market stalls, shops, supermarkets and wholesale warehouses. [ Pradesh] Nowadays the younger Bhat genaration are represented in many varied professions from doctors to accountants, from engineers to lawyers.

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.

‘One group of Sikhs who kept theirturbans were a group called Bhartedas (sic)’ [The Irish Raj, 1997, p.174] .

The Bhat Sikhs are the pioneer Sikh community to migrate to Britain. Whilst most men from other Sikh communities were finding a foothold in Britain in the early 1950‘s, the Bhats had already established themselves as a settled community all over Britain in port towns and cities.

Bhat Sikhs first started coming from the Punjab to Great Britain in the 1920s. Among the first were Hakum Singh Rathore and his sons in 1926, who settled in Glasgow. They would come in small groups of about half a dozen men.

The first place of call was always the Maharajah Bhupinder Singh Dharamsala, later known as the Shepherds Bush Gurdwara at 79 Sinclair Road. From here the batches of Bhats would seek Indian lodging houses. Most of which were in the East End of London, the most popular ones at Shenfiled Street and Artillery Passage. The majority of the Bhats would come annually and stay for about six months, in which time they would make enough money and return to their families for the remainder of the year.

The Bhat Sikhs took over the British pedling trade, which was formerly in the hands of the Jewish Community. Pedling consisted of selling door to door from village to village by foot, from a large hand held suitcase. Items from clothing apparel, such as ties and handkerchiefs, to household goods, such as dish cloths to curtains, were offered. As a brown skinned salesman with a turban and beard the typical Bhat had to look smart to impress their white customers, most of whom who had never seen a dark skinned person, never mind a turbaned one. Therefore they would always dress smartly, tying their beards, wearing a tailored suit, tie, and a smart overcoat if the weather required it.

Many Sikhs, who came to England in this period, were firstly introduced to the barber’s shop, to fit into British life or the more excusable reason of being unable to find a job. However, The Bhats were known for keeping strict with their Sikh faith, so cutting hair and doing away with their turbans and beards was rare. Sikhi was very close to the heart of the early Bhats, and for this reason the majority kept their turbans and uncut hair, no matter what hardship they encountered.

Most of these Bhat Sikhs had settled primarily in London, as the suppliers for the pedling trade were all in the East End. The main suppliers were at Artillery Passage, who would give the Sikh pedlars credit, and even mail order supplies to which ever location the pedlars were working in. The Bhats would ply their trade all over Britain, reaching the rural areas of Scotland, Wales and Ireland. The pedlars would just message their orders to their suppliers in London and the supplier would parcel their orders to their nearest post office for collection The trade was so profitable, it was adopted by Sikhs from other communities, also Muslims and Hindus alike, who saw the this an excellent way of earning a living.

By the late 1930’s, the Bhats were coming in significant numbers, paving the way for the first mass migration of Sikhs to Britain, and many of them started bringing over their families. One of the earliest known families was that of Harnam Singh Koumi, who brought his wife and children over in 1938. His children still recall their arrival by plane where by a step ladder was placed up against the aeroplane at London Airport and the smaller children were flung out where the stewards on the ground would catch them.

During the late 1930’s the extensive Bhat Sikh community led to the need of a society to solidify their presence in Britain and establishing a common ground and policy making for social issues. At the instigation of Gyani Rattan Singh Shad, on the 6th June 1939 the first ever meeting was held in London’s East End at 8 Golding Street, at the house of his brother Harnam Singh Koumi. The Sabha enjoyed the patronage of pioneers such as Babu Jiwan Singh Pal, Gehna Singh Chauhan, Vir Singh, Deru Singh, Sant Singh Pardesi, Mool Singh Nirman (Daska Kot), Giani Pritam Singh (Daska), Jhanda Singh Patel and Harnam Singh Talib. After prolonged deliberation it was unanimously resolved to set up an organisation and invite all known Bhat Sikhs to attend. On the 15 August 1939, a General Meeting was held at Harnam Singh Koumi’s house, where Bhat Sikhs from London, Birmingham, Crewe, Ipswich, Chatham, Brighton and Swindon attended and the ‘Changa Bhatra Naujwan Sabha UK’ was formed. Golding Street was conveniently made the head office of the Sabha, as everyone came to London, weekly, to stock up on their pedling and domestic supplies.

Post-war Britain

The partition of the Punjab, gave the Bhat Sikh Community a greater reason to migrate to Britain, as many had already visited England and had their feet firmly established here. By the late 1940’s and 1950 the Bhats were settled in all the major town and cities in Britain, including Cardiff, Bristol, Ipswich, Peterborough, Doncaster, Birmingham, Aberdeen, Glasgow, Edinburgh, Leeds, Liverpool, Middlesbrough, Southampton, Portsmouth and Manchester.

here had even been a makeshift Gurdwara in Birmingham founded by the Bhat Sikhs during the Second World War as the Guru Granth Sahib at the Maharajah Bhupinder Singh Dharamsala was removed by President Dr Diwan Singh due to the air bombings in London. A house belonging to Sant Singh Pardesi, at 8 Belgrave Road, Balsall Heath Birmingham 12, was converted to a Gurdwara for the duration of the War. A weekly deewan began at Belgrave Road every Sunday. Religious and social issues were also discussed, and after a collection was made, a Nishan Sahib was erected outside, and was named ‘Gurdwara Guru Nanak Mission Centre.’ All Akhand Paths and Gurprubs were held here, and langar was still served there for a full three days during prayers, even though a ration system was in place because of the war.

The Bhats Sikhs were responsible for opening the first Gurdwaras in Britain’s major towns and cities, such Edinburgh, Glasgow, Bristol, Manchester, Ipswich, Cardiff, Preston, Portsmouth and Southampton. Today, some of these town and cities have many flourishing Gurdwaras.

Harbans Singh’s ‘Encyclopaedia of Sikhism’ mentions ‘The Bhatras were first to get a Gurdwara registered in England, in 1953 in Manchester, and many of the total number of the Gurdwaras in England are Bhatra Gurdwaras‘.

Although the East End of London’s Sikh community was the earliest in Britain, it was not until 1959 that the first Gurdwara was founded in the area. This was partly due to the fact that the community was served by the Maharajah Bhupinder Singh Dharamsala in Central London and later also by the Gurdwara in Gravesend. As the East End community expanded and moved further eastwards towards Stepney, Bethnal Green, and Mile End, there became an increasing need for a more local and conveniently located place of worship. During the late 1950’s the Sikh community had gathered at weekly prayers at St Nicholas Church in Stepney. In 1959, the Bhat Sikhs purchased 1a Campbell Road in Bow, and the ‘Gurdwara Sikh Sangat’ was founded. Here the combined communities congregated until the Ramgarhia Gurdwara was established at Forest Gate, and ‘Gurdwara Dasmesh Darbar’ in East Ham. ‘Gurdwara Sikh Sangat’ moved to much larger premises in 1979, at the former ‘Mile End & Bow District Synagogue’ on Harley Grove.

Establishing Gurdwaras

The Bhat Sikh community has for years been associated with the establishment, construction and running of Gurdwaras. In Sialkot, the historical Gurdwara of Guru Nanak, Gurdwara Baoli Sahib was maintained by Bhats for years prior to partition in 1947, whilst in the 1930s Dr Kartar Singh Bance and his brother Gyani Preetam Singh researched and located the site of Gurdwara Rehta Sahib in Uttar Pradesh, where Guru Nanak miraculously made the normally bitter fruit of a soapnut tree sweet for Bhai Mardana to feed on. There now stands a large Gurdwara at this place.

The first and only Gurdwara when the Bhat Sikhs began arriving to Britain in the 1920’s was the ‘Maharajah Bhupinder Singh Dharamsala’, which was founded with the generous donation of Maharajah Bhupinder Singh in 1911. Originally in Putney, the Gurdwara moved to 79 Sinclair Road, Shepherds Bush, London in 1913. The Bhats being the majority community played a big part in its running and the famous photograph of the 1938 gathering at the Dharamsala shows the predominant Bhat Sikh Community present at the time.

Shaheed Udham Singh, who stayed among the Bhat Sikh community during his stay in England. Many elder Sikhs still remember him. The turban that Udham Singh wore is still in the hands of a Bhat Sikh family of Saudagar Singh, an early pedlar, a close friend of Udham Singh’s who spent much time pedaling with him before the shooting at Caxton Hall where Udham Singh shot dead Sir Michael O’Dwyer.

As a very orthodox community, their first duty after settling into a new place of residence was to set up a darbar for the Sri Guru Granth Sahib as soon as possible. At first, the room in a Sikh house would be used until such time the community was big enough to afford a house or building for use as a temple. Such cases where, in Birmingham where a Bhat Sikh used his house for early congregations before there was any Gurdwara in Birmingham. There were similar cases for Cardiff (Harnam Singh Koumi‘s house), Manchester (Bhil Singh Landa’s house), and Ipswich (Narinjan Singh Lovlee‘s house). Early Bhats Sikhs of Birmingham recall how the first Karah Prasad in Birmingham was made in 1938.

Partition

The Partition of India in 1947 led many Sikhs to emigrate, and the Bhat population in the UK was greatly enlarged. Later arrivals tended to join relatives, friends and neighbours from the Punjab, so that some British Bhat communities have links to one or two particular villages. [Nye] 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 Bhat community described the trials of leaving northern India in turbulent times. ["Western Mail", December 13 2001]

The Birmingham Bhat Community

Most Bhat SIkhs emmigrated and moved to big cities as did many other Sikhs at time of the big emmigration of the 1950s and 1960s. But the first Sikh settlers of Birmingham were the Bhat Sikhs. The Maharajah Bhupinder Singh Dharamsala, Shepards Bush in London held the only copy of the Guru Granth Sahib Ji in the UK. At the time of World War One, London was under great danger of military attacks, so the Bhat Sikhs moved the holy Guru Granth Sahib Ji to Mary Street Sikh Community Centre in Balsall Heath, Birmingham. This centre later became the Bhatra Sikh Singh Sabha Gurdwara. The first Sikh gurdwara of Birmingham.

The London Bhat Community

The first and only Gurdwara when the Bhat Sikhs began arriving to Britain in the 1920’s was the ‘Maharajah Bhupinder Singh Dharamsala’, which was founded with the generous donation of Maharajah Bhupinder Singh in 1911. Originally in Putney, the Gurdwara moved to 79 Sinclair Road, Shepherds Bush, London in 1913, and is still in service and of interest to social historians. The Community also moved to a retired Synagogue in a Grade Two listed building in Harley Grove, East London, recognised as a fine example of Jewish Architecture and visited by Jewish historians. This fits with Sikh beliefs in tolerance and respect for other cultures. The Harley Grove Gurdwara has large Vasakhi celebrations at the Sikh New Year, and is a focal point for Bhat Sikhs in London. {Fact|date=June 2007

The Leeds Bhat Community

Gurdwara Guru Hargobind Sahib ji, Potternewton Mansion, was recently established by the Bhat Sangat in Leeds; mainly consisting of the families of the following: S Hazara Singh Rathore, S Jagdish Singh Rathore (Pardaan), S Ranjit Singh Rathore, S Jaswant Singh Rathore(Secretary), S Himmat Singh Landa and many others. It is a grade two listed building, situated in Potternewton Park. The Gurdwara Sahib is in an excellent location with good transport links and good car parking facilities. The building has been a Gurdwara for around two years to date, it was Park Lane college before the building was bought.

On Sunday 13th April 2008, The new building of Gurdwara Kalgidhar Sahib ji was opened just in time for Vaisakhi thanks to the efforts of its hardworking Sangat who made this possible. The new building replaces 138 Chapeltown Road which had been previous Gurdwara building for 21 years.

The previous Gurdwara Sahib, Gurdwara Kalgidhar Sahib was established by a few members of the Bhat Sangat around 21 years ago. These included S Mehlia Singh Rathore, S Boota Tehl Singh Rathore, S Jaswant Singh Rathore,S Sapuran Singh Digwa,S Sardar Singh Sathi,S Sher Singh Sathi, S Bahadur Singh Landa and some others. It was previously Gurdwara Ramgarhia Board.

The very first Sikh Gurdwara in Leeds on Chapeltown Road was established with the help of many Bhat Sikhs. These included, S Mehlia Singh Rathore, S Boota Tehl Singh Rathore, S Sardar Singh Rathore, S Hazara Singh Rathore, S Niranjan Singh Landa, Akali Balwant Singh Landa S Kartar Singh Landa, S Sapuran Singh Digwa, S Sardar Singh Sathi,S Sher Singh Sathi,S Bahadur Singh Landa. Indeed, these people were among the first Sikh settlers in Leeds.Visit wwwBhatra.co.uk

Bhat Sikhs in The United States of America

The first Bhat Sikh in U.S.A was Vilati Singh Rathour. He originally had the surname Rathore, although because of spelling changed to Rathour. He came from Sialkot, Punjab before the Partition. His brothers decided to move to the United Kingdom, while he decided to move to America.

Bhat Sangat name groups

The "Names of the Jarth" came from certain tribal groups with names representing animals like dragons, lions, tigers and elephants. Bhat Sikhs consist of 2 groups, who at around the 16th and 17th century started travelling and preaching Sikhism around India separately and overtime, formed 2 Bhat groups, Darewal and Landervaser. The Landervaser are from a village farming background.

Most of the Punjabis from all walks of life that embraced Guru Nanak’s teachings from hearing the Bards of these travellers, joined the Bhat Sikhs and became Sikhs. Hence Bhat Sikh surnames include those from Jatts, Khatris and Rajputs.

*Aboee
*Athangal
*Ark
*Amlawat
*Arora

*Bagga
*Bagri
*Bahia
*Baidwan
*Bajya
*Bala
*Balhara
*Balyan
*Bains
*Bance
*Bath/Badh
*Bhai
*Bhagat
*Bhaker/Bhakar/Prabhakar/Sharma
*Bhatti
*Bhikha
*Bana
*Bandechha
*Bansi
*Barham
*Barhama
*Bariana
*Bath/Badh
*Basati
*Basra
*Basrai
*Basran
*Bharat
*Bhari
*Bhati / Bhatti / Bhatia
*Bhattal
*Bhandal
*Bhoot
*Bhukar
*Bhana

*Chakkal
*Chatha
*Chadhar
*Chughtai
*Chilka
*Chima
*Chahal
*Chhokar, Chokar
*Chanana
*Chakal
*Chohan
*Changa
*Chauhan

*Digpal/Digwa
*Das
*Daska
*Derewal
*Dhoni
*Dara
*Dehr
*Dehal
*Dev
*Deo
*Dhaka
*Dadrai
*Dhanesar
*Dhankhar
*Dharan
*Dharni
*Dhadwar

*Gami
*Gaurrh
*Gill
*Grewal
*Goojra/Gojrah
*Gola
*Gaina
*Gakhal
*Gandas
*Gandhar
*Godara
*Gora
*Goraya

*Jaswal
*JanjuaFact|date=July 2008
*Jogi
*Jajra
*Jakhar
*Jakhu
*Jande
*Jewlia
*Jhaal
*Jhaj
*JhajjJhajharia
*Jhandi
*Jhammat
*Jhuj
*Josan
*Joon

*Kag
*Khalsa
*Khalsi
*Kasbia
*Kirat
*Kaumi
*Karwasra
*Katewa
*Katyal
*Karri
*Kehal
*Khagwal
*Khainwar
*Khainwar
*Khaira
*Khara

*Laanda/Landa/Lakhanpal
*Ladh/Lad
*Larr
*Lohia
*Luddu
*Lakhat

*Mangawa
*Mangat
*Maun
*Mavi
*Mehmi
*Mehndi/Mendhi
*Minocha
*Moit
*Mohar
*Monga
*Mundi
*Mungut
*Mattu
*Madho
*Makhan
*Manku

*Nandra/Nanra
*Nain
*Nandal
*Nantaal
*Natt

*Pall
*Pardesi
*Parhar
*Parmar
*Patel
*Pawar
*Phalaswal
*Phagura
*Phangureh
*Phogat
*Phoolka
*Pilania

*Palak
*Palrwal
*Palsania
*Panaich
*Panag

*Rai
*Raudh/Roudh
*Rana
*Rangila
*Rathore/Rathour (descendants from ancient royal warrior dynasties of Rajput Kshatriyas)
*Rattan
*Rao
*Rajian
*Rakkar
*Randhawa
*Ranjha
*Raina
*Rawat
*Redhu
*Rahan
*Riar

*Sabarwal
*Saharan
*Sahasi
*Sahi
*Sahota
*Sandha
*Sandhar
*Suwali/Swali
*Sagar
*Sathi
*Shad
*Sheri
*Soroya

*Taak
*Tar
*Thariwal
*Toda
*Toor
*Thathaal
*Thenua
*Thor

*Wahiwala

*Vaire

Culture

Commentators have found Bhat Sikhs pride themselves on an orthodox approach to their religion, and many have more conservative attitudes than other Sikhs. [Pradesh, also Ghuman] Though Sikhism supports equality for women.

Food

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

Marriage

Marriages arranged by the couple's parents are common. Sikh Bhat believe that by arranging their son's or daughter's marriage they will be able to ensure that their son/daughter will be matched up with the right partner, the right family and hopefully have a stable and happy future. Another reason for doing this, for Bhat and many other communities, is 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. [ [http://www.mala.bc.ca/~lanes/english/engl290/kelly4.htm Sikh marriage traditions] ] In 1999 arranged marriages were found to be almost the rule in some UK Bhat communities (for instance, Edinburgh) while elsewhere about half of Bhata Sikh marriages are arranged by the parents (for instance, Birmingham). ["Glasgow Herald", April 17 1999] This is similar to the frequency of arranged marriage in other UK Asian communities. [ [http://www.cas.lancs.ac.uk/notes/Soc%20244/arranged%20marriages%20in%20western%20europe.pdf Roger Penn and Peter Lambert, "Arranged Marriages in Western Europe" 2002] ]

The typical age of marriage in the Bhata community is younger than in the UK as a whole, although there are signs of change as more go into higher education or focus on careers.Fact|date=February 2007 Most Sikh marriages in the UK involve members of the same caste. [Gillespie] ["Blackwell Dictionary of Modern Social Thought" (2003)] Wedding ceremonies in their various stages may last up to two weeks or more.

Some wedding ceremonies take 3 days and involve close relatives staying at the groom's family home.

Names for relationships within the family

*"Bapu - Papa": Father, Grandfather
*"Bebe - Bube - Ma": Mother, Grandmother
*"Chacha - Chuche": Younger than Father
*"Taa-ya - Theuy": Older than Father
*"Phuphurh": Uncle To Sister
*"Parjayi": Brother's Wife
*"Pehnji - Didi": Sister
*"Jija": Sisters Husband
*"Veer ji - Bhaji": Brother

Early experiences of the UK

Further information

"See also: List of Sikhism-related topics"

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

=Films and music= "See also: Music of Punjab"

Actors, films, music and musicians 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
* Jasbir Singh Bhogal, tabla player
* Rhythm Dhol Bass (RDB), a Bhangra group
* Mehsopuria, a Bhangra singer
* Onkar Singh, London based Stand Up Comic
* Daljit Neer, singer, writer, media, radio, tv presenter

Historical figures

"See also: List of prominent Sikhs"

People of historical importance for Sikhs in the UK include:
*Mata Sahib Kaur

Bibliography

*Desh Pradesh, [http://books.google.com/ "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
* [http://www.art.man.ac.uk/CASAS/pdfpapers/remittances.pdf 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, "Bhat Sikhs in Cardiff: Family and Kinship Organization." New Community (1980) 8, 3.
* [http://books.google.com/books?vid=ISBN041509674X&id=MN0AoM9ahQ0C&printsec=toc 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)
* Eleanor Nesbitt, "Sikhism: A Very Short Introduction" (OUP 2005) ISBN 0-19-280601-7
* [http://www.sikhsanjog.com/contents/differences.htm Difference within Sikh Communities]
* [http://www.sscnet.ucla.edu/issr/paper/issr55.pdf Sikh settlers in Britain (includes material on caste and on "Bhat")]
* [http://thesikhencyclopedia.com/ The Sikh Encyclopedia]

References

External links

* [http://www.bhatra.co.uk Bhatra.co.uk - includes unique content on the early decades in the UK - collection of photographs]
* [http://www.movinghere.org.uk/galleries/histories/asian/settling/community_4.htm Bhatra in the UK before Partition]
* [http://www.sikhsanjog.com Sikh Sanjog]
* [http://www.geocities.com/Athens/1818/sikhdir.htm Sikh Directory UK - includes Bhat Gurdwaras]
* [http://www.ngfl-cymru.org.uk/vtc/ngfl/re/m_parry_carmarthenshire/addoldai/gurdwaratwo.html Cardiff Bhatra Gurdwara]
* [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/cambridgeshire/3884487.stm Bhat Sikh Community in Peterborough]