Sikligar’s cast-iron identity

With a dozen padlocks jangling from a ring on their arm, and many more inside a bag slung on their shoulder, bearded men in turbans are often spotted on the streets of Kolkata and its outskirts. Few know that they’re Sikligar Sikhs — ironsmiths originally from Rajasthan.

Guru Hargobind (1595-1644) bestowed on them the title of Sikligar, which derives from the Persian word sakalgar , or polisher of metals, says Sikh historian and veteran Kolkata-based journalist Bachan Singh Saral.

“They were originally Rajputs from Mewar who came to the aid of Guru Hargobind when he perceived the need for Sikhs to learn and master martial arts for the growing community’s survival. He initiated the ‘practice of arms’ and ‘statehood’ among Sikhs with his donning of ‘Miri’ and ‘Piri’ (his two swords which symbolised spiritual and worldly power),” says Saral.

Later, Guru Gobind Singh, the tenth guru, is said to have initiated a lohar (ironsmith) named Ram Chand as the first Sikligar Sikh.

They continued to lead a nomadic life, making and polishing weapons for a living. However, following the 1857 sepoy uprising, the colonial British rulers banned arms manufacture and this hit the Sikligar Sikhs hard.

“The advent of modern weapons and industrial technology spelled doom for them. Engaged in an obsolete occupation, they are today a poor and backward community designated as one of the scheduled castes under the Indian Constitution,” says Saral.

While some make padlocks, other members of the community sharpen knives and scissors for a living. Besides West Bengal, they can be found in Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana and Delhi among other places. Depending on where they live, the Sikligar Sikhs speak a mixture of the local languages. Unlike the Sikhs of Punjab, they do not speak Punjabi.

The suffix talewala , or lock maker/seller, is routinely appended to their names. Hansraj Singh talewala , a 63-year-old Sikligar Sikh from Meerut, Uttar Pradesh, says his family moved to Kolkata over 50 years ago. They initially sought shelter in the Howrah gurdwara because of its proximity to the railway station.

Turbanned legacy: Hansraj Singh’s family moved to Kolkata over 50 years ago to make and sell locks

“The city suited them and they began selling padlocks, going from place to place on foot,” says Hansraj, who has been living in the gurdwara for over three decades.

Regretting the fact that he has nine children, the sexagenarian blames it on illiteracy. “We weren’t educated enough to understand the importance of family planning. Our children also didn’t study much. Like me, my three sons sell padlocks in Delhi and UP.”

He wants the Sikh governing body, the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC), to extend support to his community.

Although they no longer have child marriages — once prevalent in the community — early marriages are common, while divorces and marriages outside the community are considered taboo, says another locksmith, Kirat Singh. “All disputes are settled by a panchayat (meeting of village elders),” he says.

Given the tough nature of their job and the poor earnings, many of the younger folk are looking for alternative livelihoods. “We walk at least 8-9 km every day, carrying 20-25 kg of padlocks on our shoulders. Some days we earn ₹500-600 while on others it is difficult to make even ₹100. We are also harassed by the cops if we try to set up makeshift shops on the footpath,” says Darshan Singh, 36.

Security’s sake: Darshan Singh, like many Sikligar Sikhs today, no longer makes locks and only sells those he sources from Aligarh

He adds that many members of the community have stopped making the locks and merely sell the ones they source from manufacturers in Aligarh.

With many of the older sellers returning to their native place as they are no longer able to lug around the heavy locks, their numbers are dwindling in Kolkata. “A mere 10-12 remain, compared to 40 till a decade ago. Several local shopkeepers have also begun to sell padlocks, which has affected our business,” says Om Pal Singh, 39.

Denying that the SGPC has neglected the Sikligar community, Balwinder Singh Jourasingha, secretary of the Amritsar-headquartered organisation’s Dharamprachar Committee, says all efforts are being made to bring the community to the mainstream.

“Earlier we built or renovated gurdwaras in their respective areas, but now the focus is on educating their children by providing free education in both government and private schools for those who cannot afford to pay for it,” he says.

After securing the lives and belongings of generations of people with their hardy locks, the Sikligars now hope to unlock a brighter future for themselves.

Gurvinder Singh is a freelance journalist based in Kolkata