| Type: | Hindu |
| Chauharmal | |
| Script Name: | Devnagari. |
| Script: | "चौहरमल" |
| Affiliation: | Non-Brahmanical deity. |
| Weapon: | Hansiya and Khurpi |
| Consort: | unmarried |
| Mount: | Donkey |
"Chauharmal" or "Chuharmal" or "Veer Chauharmal" was a folk hero who was later apotheosized by the members of Dusadh caste. Chauharmal was an illegal son of a Dusadh woman Bichhiya Rani and a Bhumihar landlord. The story of Chauharmal within Dusadh folklore is an empowering message which gives the Dalit community a sense of struggle against upper caste.[1]
Chauharmal was born in Anjani village, He is described as a devotee of Goddess Durga.[2]
In the folklores of Bihar, various stories of Chauharmal exist. Some of these stories consider him a folk hero of Dusadh community, while other degrade him as an anti-hero. According to the most popular variant, Baba Chauharmal was a chivalrous man of Dusadh caste who used to study along with his [] friend. The father of Ajab Singh was a powerful landlord named Ranjit Singh and his sister was Reshma, who had fallen in one sided love with the Chauharmal who considered her as his sister. Annoyed by the attitude of Chauharmal, Reshma sends an army of his father to defeat Chauharmal and demoralise him. But, Dusadhs performed Rahu Puja and Chauharmal escaped due to the grace of Isht devi (folk goddess) of the Dusadh caste while Reshma was burnt into ashes.[3]
According to another version of the story Chauharmal and Reshma were lovers but their relationship was not supported by her father, who was a powerful landlord of the Bhumihar caste. In order to defeat and assassinate the person who was responsible for letting him down, the father of Reshma sent an army. Chauharmal, who was known for his valour, defeated all of them single-handedly and later assumed "Samadhi"(meditation) to give up his life himself. Thus, he became popular as a symbol of Dusadh's victory over the landlord Bhumihar Brahmins.[3]
Reshma is often described in the plays in an abusing and insulting language, highlighting her as a sexual and immoral person. There is a view that lower castes take a vicarious revenge on the Upper castes through this subversion.[4] The Dalit community also praises Chauharmal and Sahles through various folk songs usually sung in the Bhojpuri language . One of the notable folk song sung in the praise of Chauharmal after Reshma's introduction in his life goes as follows : [5]
The celebrations had witnessed violent clashes between the upper and the lower castes in past, the most infamous being the "Ekauni incident".The Dalits however organise theatrical performances like "Rani Reshma ka khela" to commemorate the whole life of Chauharmal in which various stages of his life are performed by the trained artists. The ritual head of Dusadhs, the Bhagat performs rituals during such occasions.