‘Deras are Dalit Punjab’s search for dignity, not crisis’: Sociologist Santosh K Singh

Punjab’s 12,000 villages are home to nearly 9,000 deras, informal spiritual congregations, that, according to sociologist Santosh K Singh, mirror the state’s deep pluralism and the assertion of its marginalised communities rather than religious or social breakdown.

At the session “Dera and the Next Generation: Navigating Punjab’s Crisis” at the Khushwant Singh Literature Festival in Kasauli, Singh discussed his recent book The Deras in conversation with Manraj Grewal Sharma, Resident Editor of The Indian Express at Chandigarh . He argued that Punjab doesn’t need to seek new models for renewal — its living traditions already embody resilience and dialogue.

“Punjab engages you with its complexities,” Singh said, recalling how his research began when he noticed women agricultural labour