The Lingering Ghost of Caste

Punjab, despite its commitment to equality and the sincere efforts of various Sikh reform organizations, could not free itself from the clutches of caste. The 1881 and1931 Censuses documented numerous castes within the Sikh community, includingAroras, Ahluwalias, Bhattras, Chhimbas, Jats, Jheers, Khatris, Kambohs, Labanas,Lohars, Mahatam, Mazhabis, Nais, Ramgarhias, Ramdasias, Ranghretas, and Sainis.Among these, eleven castes comprised the 'caste constituency': Jat and Kamboh(related to agriculture), Khatri and Arora (related to trade), Tarkhan, Lohar, Nai, andChhimba (related to artisan skills), Kalal (distiller), and Chamar and Chuhra (Dalits who were considered outcastes).

I was reminded of this information when I witnessed a microcosm of the entire caste system unfolding in a children's game. Recently, I visited one of my schools and observed the students engaging in outdoor activities. Curious, I asked them about the game they were playing, and they told me it was called Chundi (Pinch) and Mukka (Punch). Intrigued, I joined in and played with them. The game involved all the students sitting in a circle with blindfolds on, while two or three other students took turns pinching and punching one of them. The blindfolded student then had to guess who pinched and who punched. However, it wasn't the game itself that shocked me; it was the subsequent outcome of the game. The student who failed to guess correctly was designated as the Chuhra (outcaste Dalits) and the others who won became the kings. The students playing the roles of outcastes would humbly request ration and other necessities from the kings, while the kings would push them away, wanting to keep them at a distance. This game served as a stark reflection of the entire caste system prevalent in the past, illustrating how lower-caste individuals were treated by others. It was disheartening to witness how such games and attitudes are still ingrained in our society today.