Maj Gen Goverdhan Singh Jamwal and Col J P Singh
Kalhan, the pioneer of modern history, is well known but no Dogra Kalhan is yet known. Keeping this in mind a great initiative was undertaken by the Voice of Dogras from London and the Jammu University by holding a 3 days Seminar from 27 to 29 Jan 2017 on the identity of J&K. The title of the seminar was ‘Regional Identities of Jammu & Kashmir with Special reference to Dogra Identity’. 84 papers were presented during the seminar. In the inaugural session itself it was strongly felt that the Dogras are the claimant of distinct history of conquests and empire building. Ironically, there isn’t enough evidence of it in the history books as the Dogras themselves didn’t venture to write it while those who wrote it haven’t done justice to their achievements. It emerged that in the early 19th Century a unique empire was created in Northwest India comprising of three diverse regions, with nothing common between them, and those who created it were Maharaja Gulab Singh and his great Generals Zorawar Singh, Mohd. Khan and Mehta Baste Ram. Formation of a well knit vast empire without unhinging regional and tribal identities was the soul of the seminar which was discussed in detail during the seminar. Some of the papers presented by the research scholars were very educative and eye opener despite non availability of authentic records in university library.
What emerged was that despite unique identities and communal harmony prior to the independence, there are glaring diversities between them now. The divergent trend began with the end of Dogra Rule. It reached its zenith at the fag end of the 20th Century when Kashmiri Pandits were thrown out of the valley by their fellow Kashmiri Muslims; the same Kashmiris who have been bragging about their Kashmiriyat for centuries. One wonders where was the Kashmiriyat on that fateful night. It wasn’t Pandits alone, many Muslims, Sikhs and Christians also migrated to the Dugarland. Bathandi now, when compared with its photographs of 1990s, vouches for it. While Pandits settled at Nagrota, Muthi, Mishriwala, Purkhoo, Battal Ballian- Udhampur, the Muslims settled at in and around Bathandi. Finding Jammu as safe heaven, more migration took place and Muslim Colonies sprang around Bathindi, Qasim Nagar and Gujjar Nagar. The question arises why Jammu? Having known the sympathetic and helpful nature of their erstwhile rulers and warriors, they chose Jammu, the land of rulers. Even the Panjabis who came to Jammu, didn’t leave it during the peak of militancy. Northwest India had been conquered by Mongols, Changiz Khan, Timur, Mughals and Afghans but no migrant went to the land of those conquerors. That is what is the Dogra identity, now being referred as Dogriyat. This was the highlight of the seminar. The foundation of this Dogriyat was laid by the founder ruler and strictly followed by his descendants for over hundred years. It may be noted that Dogra rulers didn’t impose their religion, culture or language on the conquered areas. So much so that they did not even put Dogra Ruler, administrator or any lord over them. They allowed them to rule and administer themselves. This was what instilled confidence in their subjects and that was the reason precisely that the minorities migrated to Jammu whenever they felt insecure. It was this confidence, built over a century in these subjects that made them to rush to the land of the Dogras, without any hesitation, where they were welcomed. Even the Muslims who were not safe in the valley came and settled in Jammu. This Dogriyat has not been given due credence because Dogras didn’t write history. A proverbial reason generally assigned to the warriors, that those who create history don’t get time to write history and hence the distortions. The scholars who presented their papers sincerely attempted to justify whatever they knew but somehow they couldn’t dig out distortions due to inaccessibility to authentic official records. It goes to the credit of Jammu University for having provided a platform for deliberations.
Coming back to why Dogras history has not been amply written or not represented properly / distorted, a look into Sikh history is called for. Many Books written on Lahore Darbar of Maharaja Ranjit Singh, portray Gulab Singh as Vassal of Sikh Empire and he and his Generals glorified for capturing Ladakh, Gilgit, Baltistan and large chunk of Tibet, but when the question of the downfall of Sikh Empire comes, they denigrate Maharaja Gulab Singh and his family and that is what is noteworthy distortion. As a result, due credit has not been given by the contemporary historians to those who created a unique State in the early 19th century by virtue of their valour. Contribution of the Dogras in this regard was reiterated in the seminar which included the conquest of Ladakh and beyond. Dogras of the plains formed a formidable military force and performed a great military feat in the conquest of Ladakh, un-heard of in the History of India. Gen Zorawar Singh was the first General of India to have ventured across the Himalayas four times. Gulab Singh and Zorawar Singh did not stop in Ladakh, they turned Northwards in extending the frontiers of Jammu Raj upto where once three empires Afghanistan, China and Russia met.
When Sihks finally lost in Anglo-Sikh War in February 1846, Lahore Durbar didn’t have enough money to pay for the war indemnity imposed by the British. They ceded Kashmir to the British in lieu. Since British were not strong enough to hold Kashmir, they offered Kashmir to Gulab Singh against Rs 75 Lakh as per the Treaty of Amritsar signed separately between British and Gulab Singh on 16 March 1846. Sikhs had already ceded Kashmir to the British by the Treaty of Lahore dated 9 Mar 1846. British were not in a position to control it and that is why the shrewd nation preferred money and not the thorny State which they were in no position to defend and administer. That led to the formation of a composite State for the first time in 1846.
J&K was not an easy State. To control, manage and rule it was a great challenge which holds good even today. The geography, climate, language, culture of various regions were different. Nothing was common between the three regions, yet the Dogras ruled it remarkably for hundred years. (Once the entire Dogra force of 1200 was decimated at the hands of Baltis at ‘Bhoop Singh Ki Padi’ near Bunji in Gilgit. Only one Gorkha woman survived by jumping into Indus to tell the tragic tale). Dogras paid a heavy price for creating this State. We find a few ballads, poems, folksongs and tell-tale stories here and there, popular one on Gen Baj Singh who laid down his life at Chitral, close to the Sino-Soviet Border, during Maharaja Partap Singh rule.
Another outcome of the seminar was, the need to identify the distortions and rectify them. Need was felt to review the historiography to know how and why the rich Dogra identity was brushed aside in the political discourse of the state.
The story narrated above is pluralism which was a hallmark of Dogra rule on the strength of which Dogras created a unique State. Unfortunately these aspects were neither written by historians nor are being appreciated by the ungrateful despite knowing Dugarland to be their ultimate safe and secure land when in distress.
Coming back to the vertex of Dogriayat, when Pakistan attacked Kashmir on 22nd October 1947 with 6000 invaders, Brig Rajinder Singh, the Chief of Staff of Jammu and Kashmir, an independent Country on that day, stalled them for 4 days between Ghari and Rampur-Buniyar till 27th October morning with just 100 soldiers which enabled Maharaja Hari Singh to accede the State to India, the Crown of India, proudly parroted by it every now and then. Had Brig Rajinder Singh not been able to save the State from the marauders for four days, Maharaja Hari Singh would not have been able to acced it to India. If that had not happened, there would have been no Ladakhiyat, no Buddhism in India and perhaps no Kashmiriyat also. Chinese would have been at Lakhanpur as they are now sitting tight in POJK. Unfortunately, there was a bias against the Dogras, the State Forces and the Maharaja in particular. Unfortunately, the scholars who presented their papers could not give due discourse to the Dogra identity because they had no access to the State, National and the British Archives. It is time the State Archives, universities and the museums get the records, wherever available, in digital mode.
Moreover, Sheikh Abdullah and Pt. Nehru had planned to dislodge Maharaja Hari Singh from the State. How could they glorify him and yet throw him out. That could be another reason for the distortion of Dogra identity. Hence the need for the histriographers to rewrite the rich history of nearly 200 years of the Dogra rule starting from 17 June 1822 when Gulab Singh was anointed as the Raja of Jammu at Akhnoor.
Consequent to personal biases towards Dogras, the State Forces suffered great humiliation despite defending the State till the final accession and thereafter till the ceasefire on 1st Jan 1949. Despite that, the Regiment was ordered to be disbanded. 5th, 6th and the 8th, the Saviour of Poonch, were disbanded after accession. Luckily a miracle was to occur. 4th Jammu and Kashmir Infantry, ‘Fateh Shibji’, once part of Gen Zorawar Singh’s force, when attacked at Hussainiwala in Ferozpur in 1956, by a Pak Brigade, the Battalion decimated the entire Brigade. This opened the eyes of the Nation about the calibre of the State Force. As a result of this miraculous victory over the enemy, the entire state force was integrated into the Indian Army, without any screening, as a reward for their valour and sacrifices over the centuries.
These facts need to be described clearly. It is yet not too late to make amends. It is hoped the historians, particularly the scholars of Jammu and Central Universities will take note of it. It is gratifying that Prof. R D Sharma, VC Jammu University, who presided over the Seminar has decided to implement the recommendations of the Seminar which include:- (a) Necessity to re-identify history & culture with reference to Dogras identity. (b) Teaching and research faculty of the University to engage with prominent Dogras and their culture. (c) To fully integrate Dogra identity into the academic curriculum at various levels of education.
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