Nations pride in their heritage. It is the process of continued history. Heritage is divisible into tangible and intangible. What is felt is tangible and what is not felt or what appeals only to aesthetic sense is intangible. Both aspects contribute simultaneously to the making of broad contours of culture or sanskriti. Fundamentally both are manifestations of human creativity. Nations that have had longer intervals of peaceful history have developed richer heritage. In the same way nations with soft and friendly geography, environment and supportive location have been more fortunate in enriching their sanskriti with the passage of time. Jammu region has been the ancient habitat of the people known as Dogras. But it is neither homogenous group nor homogenous region in terms of topography, geography, natural setting and ecology etc. Yet, history of mankind is such that human knowledge and experience have transcendental reach and traces or reflections of both tangible and intangible sanskriti have to be known through assiduous study in the traditions of adjoining regions and tracts. Through this instrument mankind has established many startling theories of human civilization. Whatever has been discovered is priceless fund but at the same time much remains to be unearthed.
In the light of this principle, both tangible and intangible manifestations of Dogra sanskriti are not fully exposed or revealed. A lot more remains to be done by scholars, archaeologists, social scientists, Indologists and others of their ilk to give comprehensive shape to Dogra culture. It is important to warn the adherents of our sanskriti not to be prejudiced by any factor while conducting research and study. No ritual, rite, custom, totem, and practice is to be trivialized and underestimated just because the changed times do not find any utility in them. This is not the right approach. The right approach is to conduct a historical and scientific study into these elements of intangible sanskriti keeping in mind that mankind has travelled a tortuous path while arriving at modern age.
Apparently, after World War II, human society embarked on a new era in which science and technology assumed primacy over traditional learning. The western world drew immense benefits from advanced scientific and technological enquiry and induction of its results into regulating human life. As times moved on, it dawned upon mankind that the world of science and technology had immense scope and incredible potential for transforming human life in all its aspects. Under these persuasions, tradition or sanskriti came under pressure. Be it tangible manifestation or intangible, a shift was visible. Thus came into being modern architecture, art, life style, perception and urge. New realms of knowledge and enquiry appeared and made their impact. Tradition gradually came to be relegated to the back burner. Since ours is an ancient country with ancient civilization, we absorbed the new trends side by side retaining the old ones. That is the beauty of Indian civilization that it has the capacity to absorb and assimilate.
We have seen that in some parts of the world the old and new could not go together and the result was social, political and economic crisis. What is the Arab Spring which we have seen in recent past? When analysed in historical background, it is visible manifestation of clash of cultures and traditions. Inherent capability of our civilization of assimilating extraneous elements has enriched it immensely. But we shall also mark that we have gone through the transformation process and the stage has come where we find the dominant manifestations of modern culture making deep inroad into our life style. Some of us do lament the loss of heritage both tangible and intangible. The question is are we to retrace steps and go back to the medieval life style or are we to keep pace with modern times? We believe that Indian sanskriti will not recommend that we just keep looking at the hind part of our story. Indian youth has well adapted to modern life style. There is no going back now. Therefore when we talk of heritage, we must bear in mind that a good part of our heritage will remain consigned to written word or to visuals preserved in the museums and archives. Whatever is being practised of old heritage is practised as per necessity. Once that necessity ceases to exist, the manifestation of heritage will also disappear. This is a phenomenon which cannot be stopped.
Modern age has thrown up new values and new parameters of social behaviour. As we move on, new sets of values will become pervasive and predominant. There should not be resistance to this phenomenon. Nevertheless, some values are indestructible and have to be preserved. We are confident that our civilization has the potential to retain what must not be destroyed and disowned. At the same time we do believe that revival of some traditions would be highly useful to the society. The State shall have to show considerable flexibility and resilience in reviving those values and traditions as human values.
In the case of Jammu, the sad thing is that some of the local traditions have dwindled in value. When political interests supervene, traditions and values are moulded, distorted and defaced to suite the political elite. We would like to come out of that syndrome and allow freedom of owning our heritage in its healthy, attractive and utility-oriented manifestation. Jammu region’s history of intangible cultural heritage needs to be compiled. A museum that would reflect the rich heritage in its entirety needs to be developed with the help of philanthropic agencies and civil society. Jammu lacks it and our future generations will remain distanced from the fund of heritage if we do not take proper steps right now to preserve them. Why has Jammu lost its shine as a seat of Sanskrit learning and rich Hindu mythological study? Why has Jammu forgotten that its soil has produced the finest of warriors, builders, artists, actors, writers, musicians and social workers? How will our future generations become knowledgeable about their heritage? This is a serious question that we are raising and needs an answer.
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