Col. J P Singh
Something exceptional happened on 17th June 2022. For the first time in the history of India, a politician representing the Government of India, and that too as a Defense Minister of the country, reiterated the role, the contribution and the sacrifices of the Dogras in creating the modern boundaries of India which were acknowledged and lauded publicly. His statement reminded us that history repeats and resonates.
Unfortunately, history has resonated more often with distortions when it comes to the Dogras, their wars, victories, defeats and nationalism. Hence it is incumbent to talk about it, expose the fallacies and uncover the truth. To start with, in the modern times Maharaja Gulab Singh stands apart from a galaxy of national heroes for he is the sole architect of a vast empire of his own in North India. This is all the more remarkable for he achieved this at a time in history when all the regional powers were gradually crumbling, being annihilated or gobbled by the British imperialists. Even as a layman, I have no hesitation in asserting that Maharaja Gulab Singh has no parallel in the history. The fact that he survived the cesspool of corruption and conspiracies that Lahore had become after the death of the great Maharaja Ranjit Singh is in itself an achievement. But much before us is that he created a separate Empire for himself and his dynasty. He had scripted a narrative that was to give a new direction and dimension to the history of the subcontinent. Led by him and his legendary General Zorawar Singh, Dogras extended Indian boundaries from Punjab to Pamir Mountains with their sword. They rose to power on the pedestal of sheer valour, pride and sacrifices. They tested the limits of their endurance in the face of adverse climatic and geographical condition and emerged victorious. They challenged Nature to extend Indian boundaries as far as possible in the Himalayas to provide the Indian heartland foolproof security from Northern invaders and plunderers. At a time when India was classified as the British India and Princely India, the Dogras were the sentinels of the North.
Even as the colonized India was striving to achieve freedom from the British, the Dogra State of Jammu and Kashmir had begun to contribute towards its freedom when its last ruler Maharaja Hari Singh spoke about the aspirations of Indians and his support for that goal.
Few people today know that J&K was the biggest Princely State in India with most progressive and inclusive character. Regrettably, it was not given due recognition for its progressive character. While earlier, the colonial historians distorted facts and achievements of Dogras the new age historians have perpetuated the distortion and added a few more. The conduct of the Dogras in public life and spirit of service for the motherland has continued unabated yet they have, regrettably, not been given adequate recognition. It is beyond debate that Dogras have given much more than any other community to uphold the constitutional ‘Idea of India’ but denied the dignity and honour that is due to them.
Denigration of Dogra identity has been persistent and aggressive ever since the partition with the fate of Jammu getting subjugated to Kashmir. The powers that be, forgot that the State to which they were laying their claims in the dispute with Pakistan was the creation of Dogras. Those leaders of India who in the early years forced Maharaja Hari Singh out of the State had neither any respect for history nor for the traditions of valour in the Jammu hills. The end result was that Maharaja Hari Singh was ousted. There was wide spread opposition to Nehru’s act and putting all eggs in Sheikh Abdullah’s basket and this led to further marginalization of Jammu. It continues in the same state even after 75 years. In the name of ‘progress’ they were abandoned and nothing enabled them to recover from ‘domino effect’. With the wisdom of hindsight there shall always remain a lingering doubt in the minds of Dogras whether the supreme sacrifice of thousands of their ancestors for the country was really worth it. Never before in history had the mainland of India established its direct political control over Ladakh, Gilgit and Baltistan. And, yet this momentous task has not been duly recognized.
Only recently, awakening among the countrymen has opened a new chapter in Jammu with issues like the Amarnath Yatra and the land allotment case agitation, communal tensions, attack on security forces camps, row over abrogation of Article 370 and delimitation of constituencies. But it appears that a new chapter is being written when a historic event occurred during ‘Azadi ka Amrut Mohatsav’ when Rajnath Singh, Defense Minister of India recounted the contributions of Dogras in nation making. He found it appropriate to attend bicentenary of Maharaja Gulab Singh’s Coronation and undo some of the misgivings about Dogra rule. On 17 th June 2022, I saw Rajnath Singh dedicate Dogra Rule to the nation, on behalf of central govt. For the first time, a national leader of his stature, eulogized Dogras and acknowledged the courage and valour of ordinary Dogras and single-handed leadership of visionary Maharaja Gulab Singh. He went on to acknowledge that India had no strategic idea of the Himalayas until Dogra adventurers, in the early part of the nineteenth century, traversed the lofty Himalayan heights and established their control over its mountains and the valleys. While most of the Western scholars’ focus was on Russian and British rivalry in the Himalayas, the Dogras on the quiet doggedly looked after national interests and focused on safety and security of ‘Silk Route’ over which the world trade traversed both ways. Most importantly the movement of prosperous mercantile over the silk route was largely attributed to the rigid rule of law and military presence of Dogras, he reiterated.
Ironically, the media again refused to acknowledge. The newspapers, instead of reporting on the rich tributes paid to Maharaja Gulab Singh and the Dynasty, focused on his views on abrogation of Article 370, vote bank politics, delimitation of constituencies, communal tension in Bhaderwah, Pandits migration and, most importantly indication of early election as if that was the focus of his speech. He lauded Dogra rulers, as done never before, and recounted their contributions loudly and clearly but that wasn’t reported in those many words. About the Dogra rulers he said, “they had a dream after making Jammu & Kashmir part of India therefore every section of society had to come forward and take a pledge to fulfill their dream which will be a great tribute to them”; however, without specifying the dream. He lauded the role of Dr. Karan Singh in the smooth transition of power from feudalism to democracy besides his other great political, diplomatic, intellectual and spiritual strides which got tremendous applause. He described Dr. Karan Singh as strong pillar of the Dynasty and lauded his having 6th and 7th generation of the Dynasty around indicating at a constructive role for them too in transforming J&K post Article 370.
Connecting to the glory of Jammu people it may be recalled that 17 June 2022 marked the Bicentenary Celebrations of Coronation of Maharaja Gulab Singh as Raja of Jammu by Maharaja Ranjit Singh, the emperor of Punjab. The historic event began with a three days National Seminar on Maharaja Gulab Singh in Jammu University by ‘Indian Council of Historical Research’ in collaboration with J&K Study Centre New Delhi. Dr. Karan Singh delivered the valedictory address in which he recounted the historic role of the founder of biggest Princely State which was acknowledged with repeated applause. His appeal for early restoration of Statehood got loud applause. Various cultural, academic and social celebrations happened simultaneously besides illumination of historical monuments and tourist sites across Jammu region. Documentaries and stage plays on Maharaja’s life were also organised by Natrang Jammu. Culmination of the historic Bicentenary began with Pooja at Jia Pota, the site where the Coronation had taken place and a public meeting in the august presence of 6th and 7th Dynasts which was supported by Raj Tilak Celebration Committee.
Dogra rulers have given India mineral rich Himalayan landmass for future Indian economic prosperity. Hence Delhi owes a lot to the Dynasty for insulating Hindu and Buddhist cultures from the Islamic onslaught. There is little doubt that at the bar of history, Maharaja Gulab Singh would always be lauded for the ceaseless efforts, though ham-strung by colonial hang-up, that he put in, for creating a vast empire that was radically diverse in geography, climate, religion, culture and languages by his masterful art of reconciliation, diplomacy and military force and founding a Dynasty which realized his dream even after the independence.
(The author is member of management committee of Maharaja Gulab Singh Memorial Trust)
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