Analysis of information sources in references of the Wikipedia article "Bhatra Sikhs" in English language version.
From World War I until the 1950s the vast majority of Sikh settlers in Britain were from a much less privileged background, however. In India Bhatras (as their caste was known) were perceived by others as low-status, itinerant fortune-tellers. Many UK Bhatras' families originated from the Sialkot area (now in Pakistan). Pioneering Bhatra Sikhs settled in London, in the seaports of Belfast, Bristol, Cardiff, Glasgow, London, Portsmouth, Southampton, and Swansea, and inland in Birmingham, Edinburgh, Manchester, and Nottingham. From working as door-to-door salesmen Bhatra men moved into shopkeeping, letting property, and, in more recent generations, into a wide range of occupations and professions. [..] By the end of the 20th century, moves were afoot to replace the stigmatized name 'Bhatra' with the title 'Bhat'.
At home in the Punjab the Bhatras were an extremely small caste, limited in origin to a few villages in Sialkot and Gurdaspur districts. In status they verged on the Outcaste. They had, however, one significant advantage, which was that they were by traditional occupation fortune-tellers and hawkers. In other words, they were well fitted to assume the role of pedlars in the British situation. No evidence seems to exist concerning their actual numbers in Britain nor how the first ones actually reached the country, but chain migration was established and in the 1920s and 1930s they were the more conspicuous of the few Sikhs in Britain, going from door to door hawking clothing and spices from suitcases. Most of them lived in small groups situated in ports and in the major industrial cities. Between 1939 and 1945 further immigration effectively ceased, but as soon as the Second World War was over the situation changed dramatically.
As for their origin, the academicians hold that the term Bhatra is a diminutive of the Sanskrit word bhat which literally means bard or panegyrist. They used to recite poetry, lauding the grandeur of the ruler or the gallantry of warrior who happened to be their patron. In the Sikh tradition, Bhatts are poets with the personal experience and vision of the spirituality of the Sikh Gurus whom they eulogize and celebrate in their verses. According to another myth prevalent in India, Bhat is an epithet for a learned Brahman.
Bhatt is a family of bards. Their main professions were writing poetry and recording the genealogy of the prominent families. Bhatts belong to Kaushish sub-group of Gaur Brahmin caste.
In 1921, as has been pointed out previously, many untouchables were being absorbed into Sikhism and there were reform movements as well. This process continued on to 1931 and we find that there had been considerable conversion to Sikhism among the Chuhras. We are also informed that there had been a great decrease in the traditional occupation for castes like the Chamars, Bhats, Jhinwars and others and that, after agriculture, alternate occupations were preferred in industry, trade and transport.
This fact has sometimes been interpreted in terms of Kabir's influence on Sikhism or even on Guru Nanak. It may be pointed out that though Kabir's verses are the largest in number, he is one among many. The proportion of all their compositions put together remains rather small and they are nowhere included in those parts of the Granth which are used for liturgical purposes. The compositions of some of the bhats who served the Gurus are also included in the Granth. It may be suggested that Guru Arjan's decision to include the compositions of devotional theists in his compilation was an attempt to assimilate that tradition to Sikhism. His decision becomes easily understandable in the light of Guru Nanak's approval of sādhs and sants in general.
So, for example, Bhatra Sikhs settled between World War I and World War II in Britain's ports—Glasgow, London, Liverpool, Cardiff, Swansea, Bristol, Southampton, and Portsmouth—with only a few inland settlements in Edinburgh, Birmingham, Manchester and Nottingham.
Bhatras, a group ranked very low in the Hindu spectrum of caste (from which Sikhs, Christians and members of other religions derive their status), were among the first Sikhs to come to Britain, as pedlars between the wars. They established gurdwaras in the post-war period wherever they lived, in ports such as Portsmouth, or Manchester, and Cardiff.
From World War I until the 1950s the vast majority of Sikh settlers in Britain were from a much less privileged background, however. In India Bhatras (as their caste was known) were perceived by others as low-status, itinerant fortune-tellers. Many UK Bhatras' families originated from the Sialkot area (now in Pakistan). Pioneering Bhatra Sikhs settled in London, in the seaports of Belfast, Bristol, Cardiff, Glasgow, London, Portsmouth, Southampton, and Swansea, and inland in Birmingham, Edinburgh, Manchester, and Nottingham. From working as door-to-door salesmen Bhatra men moved into shopkeeping, letting property, and, in more recent generations, into a wide range of occupations and professions. [..] By the end of the 20th century, moves were afoot to replace the stigmatized name 'Bhatra' with the title 'Bhat'.
At home in the Punjab the Bhatras were an extremely small caste, limited in origin to a few villages in Sialkot and Gurdaspur districts. In status they verged on the Outcaste. They had, however, one significant advantage, which was that they were by traditional occupation fortune-tellers and hawkers. In other words, they were well fitted to assume the role of pedlars in the British situation. No evidence seems to exist concerning their actual numbers in Britain nor how the first ones actually reached the country, but chain migration was established and in the 1920s and 1930s they were the more conspicuous of the few Sikhs in Britain, going from door to door hawking clothing and spices from suitcases. Most of them lived in small groups situated in ports and in the major industrial cities. Between 1939 and 1945 further immigration effectively ceased, but as soon as the Second World War was over the situation changed dramatically.
As for their origin, the academicians hold that the term Bhatra is a diminutive of the Sanskrit word bhat which literally means bard or panegyrist. They used to recite poetry, lauding the grandeur of the ruler or the gallantry of warrior who happened to be their patron. In the Sikh tradition, Bhatts are poets with the personal experience and vision of the spirituality of the Sikh Gurus whom they eulogize and celebrate in their verses. According to another myth prevalent in India, Bhat is an epithet for a learned Brahman.
The Bhatts are Brahmins, who sang praises of their patrons (Jajmans) and maintained the registers called Vahees, mentioning accounts of various happenings in different parts of the Punjab including birth and death records of their Jajmans, since ancient times. There are two major subdivisions of Brahmins namely Gaur and Sarsut (Saraswat) Brahmins. The Gaur Brahmins lived on the banks of the river Ganges on the eastern side of the Saraswati River (now Ghagar) in the Ganga-Jamna divide, while the Sarsut Brahmins lived on the western side of the Saraswati river in the Punjab. The Bhatts are a sub-sect of the Sarsut Brahmins. In the pre-modem times they inhabited numerous villages in the Punjab along the banks of Saraswati River in and around Pehowa, in Karnal district. Some of the Bhatts came to Guru's Darbar during the pontificate of Guru Arjan Dev soon after the demise of Guru Ram Dass and their hymns are found recorded in Guru Granth Sahib, under the heading, "Bhattan Dey Sawayye". A Bhatt Vahee related with the events in the ...
In 1921, as has been pointed out previously, many untouchables were being absorbed into Sikhism and there were reform movements as well. This process continued on to 1931 and we find that there had been considerable conversion to Sikhism among the Chuhras. We are also informed that there had been a great decrease in the traditional occupation for castes like the Chamars, Bhats, Jhinwars and others and that, after agriculture, alternate occupations were preferred in industry, trade and transport.
This fact has sometimes been interpreted in terms of Kabir's influence on Sikhism or even on Guru Nanak. It may be pointed out that though Kabir's verses are the largest in number, he is one among many. The proportion of all their compositions put together remains rather small and they are nowhere included in those parts of the Granth which are used for liturgical purposes. The compositions of some of the bhats who served the Gurus are also included in the Granth. It may be suggested that Guru Arjan's decision to include the compositions of devotional theists in his compilation was an attempt to assimilate that tradition to Sikhism. His decision becomes easily understandable in the light of Guru Nanak's approval of sādhs and sants in general.
So, for example, Bhatra Sikhs settled between World War I and World War II in Britain's ports—Glasgow, London, Liverpool, Cardiff, Swansea, Bristol, Southampton, and Portsmouth—with only a few inland settlements in Edinburgh, Birmingham, Manchester and Nottingham.
Bhatras, a group ranked very low in the Hindu spectrum of caste (from which Sikhs, Christians and members of other religions derive their status), were among the first Sikhs to come to Britain, as pedlars between the wars. They established gurdwaras in the post-war period wherever they lived, in ports such as Portsmouth, or Manchester, and Cardiff.
The Bhatts are Brahmins, who sang praises of their patrons (Jajmans) and maintained the registers called Vahees, mentioning accounts of various happenings in different parts of the Punjab including birth and death records of their Jajmans, since ancient times. There are two major subdivisions of Brahmins namely Gaur and Sarsut (Saraswat) Brahmins. The Gaur Brahmins lived on the banks of the river Ganges on the eastern side of the Saraswati River (now Ghagar) in the Ganga-Jamna divide, while the Sarsut Brahmins lived on the western side of the Saraswati river in the Punjab. The Bhatts are a sub-sect of the Sarsut Brahmins. In the pre-modem times they inhabited numerous villages in the Punjab along the banks of Saraswati River in and around Pehowa, in Karnal district. Some of the Bhatts came to Guru's Darbar during the pontificate of Guru Arjan Dev soon after the demise of Guru Ram Dass and their hymns are found recorded in Guru Granth Sahib, under the heading, "Bhattan Dey Sawayye". A Bhatt Vahee related with the events in the ...
