Farooq Shah
I grew up with the belief that people from outside Kashmir were cunning and inclined toward criminal behavior, which had left me with a deep fear of traveling solo. The stories I had heard shaped a skewed view of the world, portraying it as a dangerous place filled with criminals ready to strike, often imagined as hiding knives in their clothing.
There was a beacon, though. Our primary school Urdu textbook carried a story about Raja Jambu Lochan. According to legend, during one of his hunting expeditions, the king arrived at the banks of the Tawi River, where he witnessed a remarkable sight-a lion and a goat drinking from the same spot without hostility. Once they quenched their thirst, both animals went their separate ways peacefully.
Astonished by this rare harmony, the Raja abandoned his hunt and returned to his camp. His ministers interpreted the scene as a sign of the land’s purity, where even natural adversaries coexisted without conflict. Moved by this realization, he decided to establish a city on this very land, naming it ‘Jambupura’ on the right bank of the Tawi, overlooking his brother Bahu’s fort. Over time, Jambupura evolved into Jambu-Nagar, eventually becoming Jammu.
Stories and fables are woven into childhood to help children make sense of the world. This particular tale, though simple at first, took years to fully shape my understanding of people from different regions within and beyond the country.
On my last trip to Jammu, the city of temples, I noticed a peculiar slogan on the back of public transport vehicles that caught my eye: “Khand Meethe Log Dogre.” I found it pretty intriguing, sparking a keen interest in uncovering the story behind it.
Fear is not easily shaken off, especially when it stems from childhood impressions deeply etched into memory. Despite my growing awareness, a lingering apprehension about the outside world remained. Determined to overcome it, I turned to travel-a pursuit that soon became a profound passion.
Though my resources were limited, I managed to explore various parts of India and even ventured abroad. I visited England three times and explored several countries in the Middle East, experiences that profoundly expanded my worldview. Throughout my journeys, I never encountered anyone with ill intentions; instead, I was met with kindness and generosity from strangers, regardless of their religion or background.
The slogan “Khand Meethe Log Dogre” has a special significance, especially since I had heard horrifying stories, including an alleged massacre of Muslims in the Jammu region during the partition of India. The events of partition undoubtedly remain a dark chapter in human history, though they are never one-sided.
I don’t know many people from Jammu, and my interactions with them had been limited. However, during my stint as a media communication officer at the State Council of Educational Research and Training (SCERT), I had the chance to meet many people from Jammu, which gave me a deeper understanding of their culture and roots. I found them friendly, helpful, and, surprisingly, with a special fondness for Kashmiris. If you ask anyone on the streets of Jammu, they will tell you that Kashmiris are an intelligent people, well-versed in many aspects of life, often in a more refined way. This experience allowed me to explore their culture further, and I was fortunate to make friends in Jammu whose integrity I would vouch for with my life.
I took the “Khand Meethe Log” query to my friend, Monika Dogra, an academic officer at SCERT. She explained that the phrase comes from the folk song, “O Mithi Dogre Di Boli Te Khand Mithe Log Dogre,” meaning “Sweet is the Dogri tongue, sweet are the Dogras.” When I searched for the song on YouTube, I found numerous versions, but the one by the legendary Mahinder Kapoor stood out. I also discovered a Facebook page with 34K followers, all under the same slogan.
Monika told me the song was written by Padma Sachdev, a renowned Dogri poet and writer, whose contributions have played a key role in promoting Dogri literature and culture. Ms Sachdev is a Padma Shri also.
“The Dogra identity remains strong, and the people of Jammu take immense pride in their heritage and their contributions to the cultural and political fabric of India,” Monika said.
The Dogras, she said, are believed to be descendants of the ancient Kshatriya clans of northern India, with their roots traced back to the Vedic period.
According to Prof. Sucheta Pathania, Head of the Department of English and Dean of the Faculty of Arts at the University of Jammu, there was a period when the people of Jammu gravitated towards Western culture, prompting a collective desire to reconnect with their roots. The establishment of the Dogri Department at the university, though more efforts are needed, is a step in this direction.
Prof. Pathania noted that certain narratives about Jammu contrast sharply with its rich heritage, necessitating a response to counteract them.
She highlighted the Dogra community’s generosity, exemplified by their open-armed support for Kashmiri Pandits during their displacement from the valley, demonstrating the community’s inclusivity.
“This spirit transcends religious boundaries; despite the cessation of the annual practice of shifting durbars, the influx of people from Kashmir remains unaffected,” she said.
Pathania expressed hope that both Jammu and Kashmir cultures will flourish together harmoniously, as they have in the past.
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