|
Volume I: History Literature Society Beyond Punjab.
Editors Knut A. Jacobsen, Gurinder Singh, Mann Kristina
Myrvold, Eleanor Nesbitt. (The Encyclopedia has a
chapter contributed by Swarn Kahlon - Pgs 462-465).
The Sikh migration to Burma, now renamed Myanmar, was an
important component of global Sikh migration from the
1880s and remained a popular destination for about six
decades. Many Sikhs in India are nostalgic about the
Burma days even if they have long since returned to
India. Sikhs first came as a part of the British Indian
Army followed by labour immigration wherein, they sought
employment in services, agriculture, and trade. Their
numbers kept increasing till the three exoduses from
Burma, starting first with the Japanese invasion during
World War II and subsequently post-independence of the
country and later post-military coup which severely
limited the business and other opportunities for
migrants. The Sikhs presence all over the country was
evidenced by the extensive number of gurdwaras and Sikh
institutions, most of them now closed or taken over by
the government.
Sikh Migration
Sikh migration to Burma started in the 19th century with
the recruitment of Sikhs to the British Indian Army
after the annexation of Punjab in 1849 and their
participation in the Anglo-Burmese Wars. Of the three
wars that the British fought with the Burmese during the
years 1824-26 (the first), 1852-53 (the second), and
1885-86 (the third), Sikh soldiers took part in small
numbers in the Second War and with a larger
participation in the Third War (Kahlon 2014; Maini
2015). Following the Third War, Burma became a province
of British India and later in 1937, a separate colony.
Prior to the World War II, there was an overwhelming
presence of Indians, including Sikhs, in various spheres
of activity such as the army, government departments,
trading, agriculture and various professions, such as
teachers, and doctors. It is estimated that almost half
of Rangoon's population at the time of Japanese invasion
comprised of Indians (Singh, 2005, 81). The 1931 Census
of India listed a total of 10,761 Sikhs in Burma, 6195
in the urban areas and 4712 in rural areas and more were
coming in subsequently until the World War II (Census of
India, 1931, 422). Migrating to Burma in colonial India
was just as if settling in another province of India.
When integrated in the colonial empire, the Burmese
province was also used for political dispersions. The
Namdhari Guru, Baba Ram Singh, because of his
spearheading a resistance movement against cow
slaughter, was exiled to Burma first to Rangoon and then
to Mandalay. Since his followers started to visit him
from India, the British moved him to a more isolated sea
resort of Mergui on the Southeast coast, where he
eventually died in 1885. During the twentieth century
there were three major exoduses of Indians/Sikhs from
Burma: the first of which was in early 1940s when the
Japanese occupied Burma during World War II. The second
exodus was post-Independence of Burma in 1948 as
anti-Indian feelings had started simmering in the
country even prior to independence because of their
dominance in urban areas. Soon after the military coup
of 1962, the Government decided to follow what came to
be known as 'Burmese way to Socialism' whereby most
businesses, including retail trade, were nationalized
and handed over to the government. This was a big
setback for all Indians which resulted in the third
exodus from Burma. The Indians who remained in the
country were free to work as managers of the shops but
on paltry salaries (Kahlon 2014). The Sikh population in
the current state of Myanmar is difficult to estimate
but may be assessed to comprise between 2000 and 6000
people (Kahlon, The Sikh Review, February 2014; Maini,
2015). Most of the Sikhs are males and keshadharis
keeping unshorn hair. Presently the main cities of Sikh
presence are Yangon, Mandalay, Myitykyina, Taunggyi,
Pyawbwe, and Mogoke , and Yangon (Interviews, Naseeb
Singh, Main Gurdwara, Yangon on 4/12/2011 and Tony
Singh, Member Executive Committee, Sikh Dharma Myanmar,
which coordinates all gurdwaras, Mandalay 8/12/2011).
|
