From margins to centre: NRI funds power Dalit assertion in Punjab

Grey monsoon clouds hang low over the white domes and arched gateways of the Shiromani Shri Guru Ravidass Mandir in Chak Hakim village, Phagwara, Punjab. The religious complex, spread across 11.5 acres along the Grand Trunk Road, is dedicated to the 15th-century saint-poet Guru Ravidass. For followers, it is more than a place of worship — it is a symbol of the Dalit community’s rising economic, religious and social assertiveness.

Punjab’s agrarian economy has long been dominated by Jat Sikhs, the landowning community, while Scheduled Castes (SCs) have historically worked as agricultural labourers. According to the 2011 Census, SCs constitute nearly 32% of Punjab’s population, the highest among all Indian states. Yet land ownership remains concentrated in the hands of Jat Sikhs, who have also held significant political influence.

For generations, this social hierarchy was reflected in village architecture. Large gurdwaras stood at central locations, built by dominant landowners, while Dalit communities, often landless and marginalised, worshipped in smaller shrines on the outskirts. The Guru Ravidass Mandir at Chak Hakim is changing that pattern.

Davinder Kultham, president of the Shiromani Shri Guru Ravidass Mandir Prabandhak Committee, attributes the change to migration. Over the years, many Dalit families moved abroad — to Dubai, the UK, the US and Canada — in search of better livelihoods. Remittances from non-resident Indians (NRIs) have transformed the community’s socio-economic status, particularly in Punjab’s Doaba region, which has the highest concentration of Dalits.

“Today, the third and fourth generations of our community are living abroad. Money sent home by NRIs has brought about a marked change in how Dalit families see themselves and what they aspire to,” says Kultham.

The Guru Ghar at Chak Hakim, as it is known, has been built largely with NRI contributions — nearly 70% of the funds have come from Dalit families settled overseas. Construction began in the 1960s but accelerated after 2005. “The land for this gurdwara was donated decades ago by a Dalit NRI who owned a textile factory in England,” Kultham says.

The complex now houses a school for underprivileged children, a charitable dispensary, a community kitchen and accommodation for travellers. A sarovar (sacred pool) is under construction. “Years ago, this would have been unimaginable,” Kultham adds.

Chak Hakim holds deep religious significance for the Ravidassia community. Followers believe Guru Ravidass stayed here for about 70 days and held spiritual gatherings. Across the road stands an older shrine, founded in 1845, which continues to attract devotees.

The emergence of such institutions reflects a broader shift. While economic mobility has not erased caste-based discrimination, it has given Dalit communities the resources to build spaces of their own, assert their identity, and seek a greater role in public life. For many, this is a quiet revolution — one brick at a time, funded by hard-earned remittances from abroad.