Swami Raj Sharma
Bhadarwah was one of the twenty-two independent petty states of Jammu division before 1846 AD. All these independent States were amalgamated into present day State of Jammu Kashmir and Ladakh in 1846 through the Treaty of Amritsar executed between the then British Raj in India and Maharaja Gulab Singh of Jammu and Kashmir State. The valley of Kashmir was declared as paradise in this world for its extra-ordinary scenic beauty by emperor Jahangir. Jahangir had no opportunity to visit Bhaderwah to appreciate its scenic beauty and potential for tourism, but lovers of Nature and natural beauty both foreigners and locals have always admitted and admired the scenic beauty of Bhadarwah. Vasuki Puran the oldest source of history of Bhaderwah (most probably written in the eighth century AD in classical Sanskrit) is worth quoting in the matter.
In Shlokas 503 and 504 of chapter 90 of Vasuki Puran is recorded :-
“For the inhabitants of Bhadrashram, which is surrounded by mountain ranges from three sides, such an exceedingly beautiful place is neither available in the heaven nor in the world below nor in Brahamlok (abode of Lord Brahma) nor anywhere else in the universe ‘’
As per 1911 Census Report the total area of Bhadarwah Principality consisted of 553 sq miles with a population of 37572 souls (22631 Hindus and 14586 Muslims), now reduced to one half of its original size after making Bhalessa, Bhalla and Chiralla as separate Tehsils out of Bhadarwah. Bhadarwah State was declared as beauty Queen out of all the 22 petty independent states of Jammu Division. In 1783 AD George Forster who was a senior officer of British East India Company at Madras visited Bhadarwah on foot via Chattarghala he has recorded in his travel account :
“When I had the first glance of Bhadarwah from Chattargala it appeared to me like Switzerland’’ Fredrick Drew another European traveller has made a mention in his travel account. Due to its pleasant climate and scenic beauty Gorkhas serving in the British Army in the plains of Punjab used to come to Bhadarwah along with their families in summer on holiday and stay there’’ G T Vigni another famous traveller from Europe has recorded in his travel account, after visiting Bhadarwah in 1839 AD that the ancient name of Bhadarwah was Bhadarvaksa which means a happy region. He has further recorded that, “It is known as the prettiest country next to Kashmir’’. (Vigni travels in Kashmir, Askardu and Ladakh. Sagar Publications New Delhi pages 94, 197-198) In continuation some relevant observations made by selective outstanding officers of the J&K State are worth quoting in the matter. In 1976 the two IAS senior bureaucrats hailing from West Bengal and working on the important posts as Secretary to Govt, Urban Development Department and as Chief Secretary to the J&K Govt (Mr Chakravarti and S Banerji) have recorded in their inspections notes on the subject as under :-
Mr Chakravarti has written, “Bhadarwah town presents a contrasting scenario with a wide open valley which provided large scope of horizontal expansion of the town. It is taking place outside the town area limits along the approach of the town and unless the growth is well planned, the beautiful landscape endowed by the Nature shall be spoiled. The town also shows visible signs of prosperity with aesthetically designed huge mansions with liberal use of timber dominating the cityscape. The town has a large population of highly literate people with a strong sense of pride about the heritage of the town but with equally strong resentment that nothing has been done to improve the infrastructure of the beautiful settlement. The town offers interesting possibiliities of future growth with imaginative land use planning. It is a pity that tourism and other potentialities of the town have not at all been explored’’.
Almost a period of 40 years has since elapsed but no action has been taken by the State. Rather the existing position has further worsened. It is a rare and happy coincidence that another illustrious and outstanding Calcutta born civil servant S Banerji the then Chief Secretary of the State paid a short visit of four hours in 1976 to Bhadarwah after attending the cabinet meeting held at Doda. He was deeply impressed by the scenic beauty of Bhadarwah. He has made a special mention of the snow clad mountain range of Kailash Kund and Ashapatti of Bhadarwah from tourism point of view. This mountain range has been compared with mountain Climingo range of Kenya which attracts a large number of tourists across the world. There is a common saying in the town that “If one has to see the highlands of Switzerland and black forests of Germany- he should go and see Bhadarwah’’. Bhadarwah valley contains some outstanding scenic sites like Jai, Sewaj, Padhari and Sabbardhar meadows for summer and winter tourism. Jai is suitable to have a world class golf ground against beautiful natural landscape. It is visited by school and colleges going students in summer along with the tourists from the adjoining destructs of Kishtwar, Ramban, Jammu and Udhampur. There is a dire need to develop and establish a good civil park at Jai on the pattern of Children Park of Pahalgam. Mufti Sayeed Sahib the then Chief Minister of J&K State who held the portfolio of Tourism as well announced after the Cabinet decision taken at Doda in 2015 to establish the golf ground and children park at Jai. In addition he also announced to transfer some forest land at Padhari pass on Bhadarwah Chamba road to the Tourism Department to raise some suitable infrastructure for lodge and board facilities for visitors. No allocation of funds has been made for this purpose till date. Unfortunately Mufti Mohd Sayeed is no more, but the decisions taken by him merit to be implemented by his dynamic daughter Mehbooba Mufti the present Chief Minister. She has declared a number of times that she would follow the policies and decisions taken by her late father. It is also pertinent to mention here that the thirteen Finance Commission constituted by the State Govt in which the present writer of this article was one of its members has specifically recommended the establishment of a Gandola project from Bhadarwah proper to Sewaj highland on the pattern of Gulmarg.
This Commission has also recommended the establishment of a full fledged University at the existing Bhadarwah Campus. Students from Bhadarwah-Bani-Basholi and Chamba District of Himachal Pradesh and Dudu-Basantgarh areas of Udhampur district will gladely join the university at Bhadarwah. Bhadarwah town has developed a wide variety of accommodation including hotels, guest houses and Bhadarwah Development Authority runs a number of pine cottages and bugalows around the town. The said Development Authority has since established a beautiful mini-Nishat Bagh like garden at Gatha with board and lodge arrangements. Special mention also merits to be made about Tiloogarh resort located at a commanding height of the town from where one can have a full view of Bhdarwah valley. It has been constructed by following the Mughal style of architectural style. There is a good scope for establishing a wild life sanctuary amidst the black forest areas of Bhadarwah. There is a good scope to invite producers from Bombay film industry to shoot films in the natural landscape of Bhaderwah at scenic sites on the pattern of Noori picture on cheaper expenditures. Special thrust also merits to be made to develop the following tourist circuits to increase the inflow of outside tourist :-
1) Katra-Patnitop-Bhadarwah Jai
2) Bani Sarthal Bhadarwah
3) Chamba – Padhri Pass and Bhaderwah valley.
There is a dire need to widen and upgrade the Bhadarwah Bani and Basoli road to attract more tourists from Punjab and Himachal Pradesh. The people of Jammu Division are beholder to Late Mufti Sayeed when he announced the Govt decision at Pahlgam on 29th Nov. 2015 in the meeting of State Tourism Advisory Committee that henceforth Govt will promote Jammu region as an independent tourist destination by allocating equitable funds. The then Secretary to Govt, of India Tourism Deptt Parvez Dewan was a party to this decision. This was followed by his subsequent announcement in the District Development Board meeting at Doda that a first rate golf ground shall be established at Jai along with a children park. The last two Dogra Dynasty rulers Maharaja Partap Singh and Hari Singh took some action to boost tourism at Gulmarg and Pahalgam only. After 1947 the development of tourism was mainly concentrated in the Valley. Now after the aforementioned announcement of Mufti Sayeed, his dynamic daughter should implement his decision in letter and spirit as early as possible. The aforesaid narration of undisputable facts do establish the claim of Bhadarwah Tehsil/erstwhile Bhadarwah Principality to have more allocation of funds to develop tourism. Above all the allocation of appropriate funds to establish a golf ground and Children Park at Jai to implement the decisions already taken by Mufti Sayeed should be given top priority.
I close this article here by reiterating the observation of GT Vegni that Bhadarwah being the “prettiest place next to valley’’ so Bhadarwah merits more allocation of funds under tourism sector after Valley as compared to other places having scope for development of tourism.
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