Chhimba

Not to be confused with the Chhimba Darzi a Muslim community.

The Chhimba(Punjabi: ਛੀਂਬਾ is a caste found in the Punjab region , which stradles North India. They are mainly of the Sikh faith.^[1]

History

The word Chhimba comes from the Sanskrit word chappa( चापा) , meaning "print". Chhimba or Chhippa were used to work as printers of long lengths of cloth for sarees or Khaddar used before the rise of Industrialisation in Asia. Chhimbe before the Industrial age, were calico printers/artists who would color and print the textiles with art work using colors. After the rise of Industrialisation in Asia textile printing preferred more than hand printing, from 18th century England imported cheap printed textile as compared to Indian textile.

Divisions

Genetically,Many of the jat sikhs in India are also chhimbe,as when Oral culture gradually converted into Print culture which appeared in Europe in the centuries after the advent of the Western printing-press (and much earlier in China where woodblock printing was used from at least 800 AD),this movable type adopted by India and gradually when this movable type come in northern India, ploughman(known to be jat community) adopted woodblock printing and Cloth printing and leave arable land.

Notable members

• Sant Namdev, whose gurbani is included in the Guru Granth Sahib, the holy book of the Sikhs, was a chhippa by profession from Maharashtra. He spent the last part of his life at Ghuman in District Gurdaspur, Punjab.

• Bhai Nanu, resident of Delhi, a Sikh contemporary of Guru Teg Bahadur and Guru Gobind Singh, who reclaimed the severed head of Guru Teg Bahadur from Chandni Chowk, the site of Guru's execution in November 1675, and, accompanied by Bhai Jaita, also of Delhi, carried it to Anandpur. Bhai Nanu became Nanu Singh after taking the rites of the Khalsa. He laid down his life in the battle of Chamkaur on December 7, 1705. His two sons also laid down their lives at Anandpur.

• One of the Panj Pyaras ("Five Chosen Ones"), Bhai Mohkam Singh of Burya village near Ambala was a calico printer/tailor.

• Mahan Kavi Bhai Santokh Singh, the writer of Gur Partap Suraj Parkaash was from this community.

Chhimbas, who are Kashatryas by caste, are also known as Tonk Kashatryas.

People from this profession/caste are found among Sikhs, Hindus and Muslims. Bhagat Namdev Gurudwaras all over India and abroad are run by this community of Kashatryas.

REFERENCES: 1. Adi Sri Guru Granth Sahib pages 733, 1375. 2. Mahan Kosh, Bhai Kahn Singh Nabha, page 492. 3. Sri Guru Granth Sahib Kosh, Bhai Vir Singh page 262.