What’s in a name? religion, maybe

SEHWAJPUR/WAJIDPUR/MALERKOTLA: Before Partition drove a wedge between people of different religions, many Sikh families used to give sons names rooted in Urdu, which was one of the most important languages of undivided Punjab. There were Muslims with Sikh names too. After Independence, the practice took on a different form. As Punjab was ripped apart in the bloodbath of Partition, a few Muslim families gave two names to their children – one Muslim, one Sikh. Slowly, the violence eased and so did the fear. But the practice continued...



Omar Farooq, alias Narayan Singh, is a tailor in Sahwajpur village, 11 km from Patiala, which has had a Sikh majority population since the British raj. The tailor, who is in his 40s, lives with his wife and three children in a family of more than 20 members, including his father and three uncles.


Initially, religious identity was never an issue for them because most people had two names — one with Persian and Arabic roots and the other distinctly Sikh. That was the way it was and no one thought much about it. Farooq says he realized he was a Muslim only after he got married in his late 20s.

“When we were young, we used to play with other teenagers, who would sometimes call us ‘Mussalman (Muslim)’ in jest. This was so lighthearted that we thought we were just another caste in the Sikh fold. Also, many of our Sikh friends used the surname, Maan,” recalls Farooq, who celebrates Lohri and Holi with his neighbours and friends and has langar in the local gurdwara, just like everyone else in the village.

Farooq is matter-of-fact about his dual identity, which, he says, has been a common practice in his community for generations.

His uncle Habib alias Arjun Singh, who is in his late 80s, says the practice of giving two names started in 1947 after a majority of Muslims migrated to the newlycarved Pakistan and only a handful were left in the villages of Indian Punjab.

Apprehensive about their children’s safety, the families that stayed back started giving them dual names. That’s how Habib, who was 15 at the time, got another name, Arjun Singh.

As gruesome as it was, the violence of Partition eased, as did the fear. But the practice of giving two names to children continued in some of these families.

Sahwajpur, a village which has around 400 households, is home to about 100 Muslim families, many of whom have continued the practice.

In Wajidpur village, about 4 km from Sehwajpur, 38-year-old Jalle Khan, a mason, is better known as Jarnail Singh. His 15-year-old son, Akram Khan goes by the name Rinku Singh and 18-year-old daughter Sabeena has the name Satinder on her Aadhaar card.

“I didn’t know much about my religion till a few years ago. We realized our true religious identity only after Jamaat (a group of preachers) came to the village,” said Jalle Khan.

His son is a student of Islamic studies in Rajasthan’s Suratgarh and Sabeena studies at a madrassa in Malerkotla.

“We knew we are Muslims by birth but didn’t know much about our religious practices. Even now, my name in my bank account and postal address is Jarnail Singh,” says Jalle Khan as he introduces his uncle as Baljeet Singh, alias Beera Khan, and his cousins as Manpreet Singh and Jaswinder Singh.

In nearby Banhra, villagers who were born to parents with two different names did not have much knowledge about their religious identity.

Several Muslims with dual names have now started following their religious practices, thanks to the support of fellow villagers, who are mainly Sikhs and Hindus.

Manpreet Singh, husband of sarpanch Mandeep Kaur of Wajidpur village, says community celebrations of Sikh and Muslim festivals are common in the village.

“Recently, villagers even got a mosque constructed for Muslims and they are an integral part of every activity,” says Manpreet.

Abdul Sattar, a youth from a nearby village, says local leaders are taking steps to help them follow their religious practices, particularly since they also form a significant vote bank.

Mixed Rituals And Dilemmas
There are several Muslim families which have been following rituals of both religions, as they were born to parents with dual identity. Many had no clarity on their religious identity for years.

“Several members in our extended family have been following Sikh rituals of birth and death. Two years ago, when my cousin passed away, his wife and children were preparing to cremate him. It was only after some elder members of the family asserted his Muslim identity and insisted on Islamic rituals that his mortal remains were buried near the village cremation ground,” recalls Sehwajpur tailor Omar Farooq.

Muslims In Punjab

Muslims comprise less than 2% of the population in Punjab, but Islam has a strong historical presence with many mosques, mausoleums and shrines. The Muslim population came down drastically after Partition, when most Muslims migrated to Pakistan and many were killed in the ensuing violence.

“Muslims acquired dual names to escape persecution during partition, but things have changed on various fronts for the community. With growing awareness, many have started following their religious practices and are asserting their religious identity,” says Dr Naseer Akhter, a social worker and Islamic preacher from Malerkotla.

Up till Independence, Muslims were in a majority in Jalandhar, Amritsar, Ferozepur and Gurdaspur. Except for Malerkotla, the only Muslim-dominated town in Punjab, Muslims are scattered across the state and have a significant presence in and around Qadian, Chandigarh, Hoshiarpur and Ludhiana.

At present, Punjab has a Muslim population of over five lakh, of which nearly 20% may comprise people like Farooq alias Narayan Singh and Habib alias Arjun Singh, who live with a dual identity.

True Secularism
Muslim scholar and historian Muhammad Rafi, who has written many books on socio-cultural and political aspects of Muslims and is based in Malerkotla, observes that the dual identity trend started in Muslims who were too scared to migrate to Pakistan during Partition. Gradually, the practice helped forge a bond between Sikhs and Muslims. “They not only imbibed the culture but also each other’s religions. History is replete with instances of Muslims and Sikhs helping each other. Even gurus and saints of both communities have shown respect for each religion. Islam and Sikhism have been close and their amicable co-existence in villages of Punjab is a true example of our secular character,” he says.

Eminent Punjabi poet and writer Surjit Patar, chairman of Punjab Arts Council, observes that the bond between Muslim and Punjabi culture has been reflected in literature and even Sufi songs. It is also reflected in the lifestyle of such members of the minority community.

Dr Naseer, the Malerkotla preacher, points out that in 8,500 villages of Punjab, every village has at least 10 Muslim families. He estimates that Muslims with dual names constitute roughly around 20% of the population. However, this estimate is anecdotal as no survey has ever been conducted to examine the issue of dual identity.

“The trend of dual identity became prominent in villages where there were not many Muslims and the ones that were there feared backlash whenever there was tension,” he observes.

We knew we are Muslims by birth but didn’t know much about our religious practices. Even now, my name in my bank account and postal address is Jarnail Singh

Jalle Khan

Two years ago, when my cousin passed away, his wife and children were preparing to cremate him. Later some elder members of the family asserted his Muslim identity and insisted on Islamic rituals and he was duly cremated

Omar Farooq | TAILOR

They not only imbibed the culture but also each other’s religions. History is replete with instances of Muslims and Sikhs helping each other
Muhammad Rafi | HISTORIAN

A person may have two or three names but as far as official work is concerned, we go by the name mentioned in the birth certificate issued by the MC or in the Aadhaar card.

Kumar Amit | PATIALA DC




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