The Chamar Regiment

[third eye]

I'd like to share information of a little known regiment of the Indian Army that does not exist today - at least not in its original form & name - The Chamar Regiment.

The 1st Chamar Regiment was an infantry regiment formed by the British during World War II. Officially, it was created on 1 March 1943, as the 27th Battalion 2nd Punjab Regiment was converted.

The Chamar Regiment which was involved in the Pacific War Japanese front and was awarded the Battle Honor of Kohima for theirs distinguished role in the Battle of Kohima. The Regiment was disbanded in 1946.Some time ago , several politicians have demanded that The Chamar Regiment be revived.

Chamar is one of the untouchable communities, or dalits, who are now classified as a Scheduled Caste under modern India's system of positive discrimination. As untouchables, they were traditionally considered outside the Hindu ritual ranking system of castes known as varna.

They are found mainly in the northern states of India, Pakistan and Nepal.

 
During the Second World War, the British raised two regiments that were exclusively from Scheduled Castes - the Chamar Regiment and the Mahar Regiment. The former had to be disbanded during the War, as they could not meet their recruitment quotas. The latter had to be converted into an all India, open class Regiment, as they were not able to get enough recruits from the Mahars alone to meet the recruitment quotas.

The Chamar had a history of military service. Many Chamar families are descended from Kshatriya communities, and share common family names, for example Bhatti, Chauhan or Toor. Many Chamars were recruited in British Indian Army during World War I and II on various ranks. Their contribution in these great wars was exempelary. They received many medals and stars in recognition of their bravery and honest contribution in these wars after being recruited in various regiments of Brish India Army. The Ist Chamar Regiment was awarded the 'BATTLE HONOUR OF KOHIMA' for its distinguished role in the 2nd World War. Former Pakistani Leader Ayub Khan was an officer of the Chamar Regiment.

 

[third eye]

The Raising of the Chamar Regiment.

A committee appointed by the British Indian army recommended the inclusion of Chamars in the Indian army. The Chamars are lower caste Hindus and are mostly cobblers. However they had a history of fighting as soldiers in Central India against the Jats. A decision was taken to raise a regiment of Chamars. However the British retained the caste character of the army and also kept in mind the martial traditions while recruiting.

The Chamar regiment was raised towards the end of 1943 and was thrown into battle against the Japanese Imperial army. It formed part of 168 Division of the Indian army and was commanded by Brigadier Dyer.

The Regiment fought very well and pushed the Japanese back along with other Indian forces out of Burma. Rangoon was captured and no mean part was played by the Chamar Regiment. Many distinguished officers like General Ayub Khan served in the Chamar regiment.

Disbandment if the Chamar Regiment

In 1945 the Second World War came to an end after the dropping of the Atomic bombs on Japan. Suddenly a force of 2.5 million became a luxury and an emaciated England could ill afford such a large army. It was decided to restore the Indian army to pre- war force levels.

Mass scale demobilization was ordered and the newly raised regiments faced the first axe. The British retained the old Sikh, Gurkha and Jat regiments and demobilized all others. Almost 2 million soldiers were sent home. The Chamar Regiment was also disbanded in 1945 end and it ceased to exist except in the history books.

Last Word.

After Independence with the force level of the Indian army again rose to 1. 22 million a demand is made by many political leaders to re induct the Chamar regiment. Backward class leaders are particularly vociferous in this demand.

 

[third eye]

British and Indian Army Units awarded the Battle Honour of Kohima

FOURTEENTH ARMY, XXXIII CORPS

2ND BRITISH DIVISION:

2nd Manchester Regiment (Machine Gun Battalion)
4th Infantry Brigade:

1st Royal Scots
1/8th Lancashire Fusiliers
2nd Royal Norfolk Regiment
5th Infantry Brigade:
7th Worcestershire Regiment
1st Queen’s Own Cameron Highlanders
2nd Dorsetshire Regiment
6th Infantry Brigade:
1st Royal Welch Fusiliers
1st Royal Berkshire Regiment
2nd Durham Light Infantry
10th Field Regiment, Royal Artillery

5TH INDIAN DIVISION:
161st Indian Infantry Brigade:
4th Royal West Kent Regiment
1/1st Punjab Regiment
4/7th Rajput Regiment

7TH INDIAN DIVISION:
33rd Indian Infantry Brigade:
1st Queen’s Royal Regiment
4/15th Punjab Regiment
4/1st Gurkha Rifles
114th Indian Infantry Brigade:
1st Somerset Light Infantry
4/14th Punjab Regiment
4/5th Royal Gurkha Rifle

OTHER XXXIII CORPS UNITS

11th Cavalry
45th Cavalry
149th R.A.C.
1st Burma Regiment
1st Chamar Regiment
1st Assam Regiment
Shere Regiment (Nepalese)
Mahindra Dal Regiment (Nepalese)

268TH INDIAN BRIGADE:
2/4th Bombay Grenadiers
5/4th Bombay Grenadiers
17/7th Rajput Regiment

3RD INDIAN DIVISION (CHINDITS):
23rd Infantry Brigade:
2nd Duke of Wellington’s Regiment
4th Border Regiment
1st Essex Regiment

LUSHAI BRIGADE (UNDER DIRECT COMMAND OF
FOURTEENTH ARMY):

1st Royal Battalion Jat Regiment
8/13th Frontier Force Rifles
7/14th Punjab Regiment
1st Bihar Regiment
British and Indian Army Units
awarded the Battle Honour of Kohima
18 | THE BATTLE OF KOHIMA 

 

[Armstrong]

How exactly does this Untouchability thing work again ? How does one differentiate an Untouchable from (say !) a Brahmin if both were to walk side by side ?

In Singapore I couldn't really tell the castes of any of the Indian Origin People there - Most of them were vegetarians, a little brownish-to-dark in complexions, the women usually had a red or orange dot on their foreheads as did the men sometimes & most of the Aunties were wearing sarees two sizes two small with flabs of fat coming out of everywhere whilst most of the Uncles were wearing neat & freshly pressed Safaris & some with a Dhoti type thing for the lower dress - They all looked the same to me !

 

[GURU DUTT]

salaam bhai jaan

about your first

How exactly does this Untouchability thing work again ? How does one differentiate an Untouchable from (say !) a Brahmin if both were to walk side by side ?

In Singapore I couldn't really tell the castes of any of the Indian Origin People there - Most of them were vegetarians, a little brownish-to-dark in complexions, the women usually had a red or orange dot on their foreheads as did the men sometimes & most of the Aunties were wearing sarees two sizes two small with flabs of fat coming out of everywhere whilst most of the Uncles were wearing neat & freshly pressed Safaris & some with a Dhoti type thing for the lower dress - They all looked the same to me !

question well here in haryana and delhi area there is a very old casetist saying ="kale baman/dark coloured brahmin,gore chamar/fair skinned chamar aur kyahre jaat be kabhi bharosa na kario"
i guess it will explain how to differenciate as bhramins are always fair skinned with thin lips and sharp feauters and long pointed nose , where as chamars are always dark skinned thick lips and short flattish nose with often enlarged nosetrils

and the people you are talking about are mainli south indians and that too tamils , many tamils i know still there men use sindoor/tikka/kumkum on there forehead which is a relegeous coustom now in india

and the dhoti type thing they were qwearing are called lungies which they convientli fold for comfort or say agressive posture

asd for aunties you will not understand why they wear a size smaller bouse with flabs/ghosht comming owt from every place

tu is mamle me abhi kachha hai lagat hai

 

[POKEMON12]

How exactly does this Untouchability thing work again ? How does one differentiate an Untouchable from (say !) a Brahmin if both were to walk side by side ?

In Singapore I couldn't really tell the castes of any of the Indian Origin People there - Most of them were vegetarians, a little brownish-to-dark in complexions, the women usually had a red or orange dot on their foreheads as did the men sometimes & most of the Aunties were wearing sarees two sizes two small with flabs of fat coming out of everywhere whilst most of the Uncles were wearing neat & freshly pressed Safaris & some with a Dhoti type thing for the lower dress - They all looked the same to me !

If you chose to expand the horizon, you will find all men and women with same 2 hands, 2 legs, 2 eyes, wearing clothes, walking on 2, one mouth and having similar human emotions. But then we are social animal and inclined to create class, its just the granularity differs.

They looked same to you, just ask some tamil, UP wala, kannada and they will find the difference. Same goes with other ethnicity and countries.

 

[notsuperstitious]

Horizon expanded, and yet I could not see any untouchable in any other ethnicity and any other country, other than India.

What a stupid selective comment. Its like saying ''and yet I could not see any sex slavery of defeated people sanctioned by god in any religious retards in our country other than you imported tribal lot''!!!

Social ills is not our monopoly, and a pakistani muslim making fun of us is rich humor indeed.

 

[POKEMON12]

Horizon expanded, and yet I could not see any untouchable in any other ethnicity and any other country, other than India.

Yours is a troll post. Not sure why you feel to post this.

Untouchable is just one act of classification. Humans do find ways to create classes to feel superior, it may be based on economics, color, region, inheritance, history or whatever be an easier way to earn superiority. You can see ahmadis, muhajirs, shias, hindus in your own country. You can see sunnis to be more proud on whatever and see others in disdain. You can see more rich class looking down on poor. Can pakistan president be non muslim? Isn't it a sort of political/administrative untouchability?

You didn't expand the horizon of your thinking but further narrows it down to score a point against some entity. This is one another example of how you want to downgrade indian culture and then feel superior.

You may do so...you dont have to be an exception. I was just replying to a good post made by @Armstrong

 

[Nassr]

What a stupid selective comment. Its like saying ''and yet I could not see any sex slavery of defeated people sanctioned by god in any religious retards in our country other than you imported tribal lot''!!!

Social ills is not our monopoly, and a pakistani muslim making fun of us is rich humor indeed.

Yours is a troll post. Not sure why you feel to post this.

Untouchable is just one act of classification. Humans do find ways to create classes to feel superior, it may be based on economics, color, region, inheritance, history or whatever be an easier way to earn superiority. You can see ahmadis, muhajirs, shias, hindus in your own country. You can see sunnis to be more proud on whatever and see others in disdain. You can see more rich class looking down on poor. Can pakistan president be non muslim? Isn't it a sort of political/administrative untouchability?

You didn't expand the horizon of your thinking but further narrows it down to score a point against some entity. This is one another example of how you want to downgrade indian culture and then feel superior.

You may do so...you dont have to be an exception. I was just replying to a good post made by @Armstrong

I merely stated a fact. Please quote any other country in the world where untouchability is practiced. I would stand educated.

 

[third eye]

I merely stated a fact. Please quote any other country in the world where untouchability is practiced. I would stand educated.

 

[Shabaz Sharif]

Legacy of caste system. Anyway Sikh Light Infantry is chamar regiment with different name.

 

[RazPaK]

@shan

I think this thread is for you. 

Legacy of caste system. Anyway Sikh Light Infantry is chamar regiment with different name.

LOL.

Tu ponch bhi gya.

 

[cloud_9]

How exactly does this Untouchability thing work again ? How does one differentiate an Untouchable from (say !) a Brahmin if both were to walk side by side ?

In Singapore I couldn't really tell the castes of any of the Indian Origin People there - Most of them were vegetarians, a little brownish-to-dark in complexions, the women usually had a red or orange dot on their foreheads as did the men sometimes & most of the Aunties were wearing sarees two sizes two small with flabs of fat coming out of everywhere whilst most of the Uncles were wearing neat & freshly pressed Safaris & some with a Dhoti type thing for the lower dress - They all looked the same to me !

How do you differentiate a Butt from a Arian,a Rajput from a Chaudary and a Jatt

Biradri system is a less severe form of Caste system.

 

[Nassr]

@third eye,
What you have highlighted is a euphemistic expression and I do not condone it and condemn it in strongest possible terms. But this can never imagined to be compared with untouchability as practiced in India. There is no comparison anywhere in the world, but India.

 

[third eye]

Legacy of caste system. Anyway Sikh Light Infantry is chamar regiment with different name.

The point being attempted to be made therefore is ..?