Dogra Heroes and Heritage

  Rajinder Chand Anthal      Gali is a picturesque pass on the hilltop of an old trade and travel route of erstwhile Chenani state between Patnitop and Gouri Kund. It enjoys commanding position over other lower range hilltops of Dhar Shivgarh. The far off locations upto Laddha Dhar, Jugg Dhar top and Latti etc. are visible from this place. Gali is also known for its fertile maize and potato fields adjoining dense deodar forests on hill side. Gali is a small habitation with few people residing there. A vast piece of land adjoining the old pond exists there from centuries. This grassland has been kept uncultivated due to some historical facts. The source of water is natural with some inflow of rain water from the catchment areas. This land is treated as common land of the inhabitants mainly used for cattle grazing and play field activities. There exists an ancient temple of Lord Shiva which has recently been renovated.      The Shiv temple of Gali Karlah...

G.T Vigne tells us about the boundaries of the state. He writes, “The territories of the Chinini Rajah extend from Dodhera on the north west, and south ward to the village of Bari” (Vigne, 2008). Regarding the boundaries of Chenani, Hutchison and Vogel give us the information that Chenani state was bounded on the north by Chinab river, on the east by Bhaderwah, on the south by Gaddian dhar and Bandralta, and on the west by the Biroh nala and Bhoti. It includes two main portions, separated by Dodhera or Ladha ka dhar- one in the upper Tawi valley and the other in the Chinab valley (Hutchison and Vogel, 1999). S.D.S Charak fixes the boundaries of Chenani as Jammu on the west, Bhoti on the north, Bhaderwah on the north east, Basohli on the east and Mankot on the south Charak, History and Culture of Himalayan States, Vol. VI, 1988). So, it is evident that Bhoti, Bhaderwah, Basohli, Jammu, Bandralta, Mankot, Kishtwar states shared the boundaries with the state of Chenani and it comprised so...

          THE HISTORIC FAIR OF  SUDHMAHADEV: A CULTURAL CONGREGATION Rajinder Chand Anthal                                                                Sudhmahadev is a picturesque valley in the foothills of Dhar Shivgarh in Tehsil Chenani of Jammu province. From ancient times, Sudhmahadev is known as Maha Tirtha of Duggar, connected with the glories of Lord Shiva. This region is also known as Dev Bhoomi of Duggar, as holy Devika rivulet appears here to wash the sins of mankind. In Sudhmahadev-Mantalai religious pilgrimage circuit, many prominent Shiv Parvati temples are situated with Shri Shool Panishwar Shivji Maharaj temple Sudhmaha...

DOGRA HEROES #2 GENERAL BAJ SINGH  Baj Singh was born in 1847 in the family of Santokh Singh, who was the jagridar of Barhori ( near Vijaypur in Samba District). He started his job as a Naik and rose tothe rank of General due to his excellence in battlefieds. During his military career, Baj Singh was sent for several important missions to Gilgit and Ladakh, the last of which was to assist the British agent in Gilgit.  General Baj Singh, an able administrator and a great soldier was martyred on March 3, 1895 at Chitral. He was so famous for his valour that several Ballads were sung in praise of this great Dogra Soldier.  "General Baj Singh, a fine old soldier and gentleman, who was always keen to be in the thickest of a fight, and whose keenness had now led him to the front when by rights he should have been more in rear, was shot down on one side of Captain Townshend, while Major Bhikam Singh, another brave old Dogra officer, was mortally wounded on the other...

 DOGRA HEROES #1 PRAKASH SINGH CHIB The only VICTORIA CROSS recipient of Jammu and Kashmir.  Prakash Singh Chib was born to Udham Singh and his wife, Giano, on April 1,1913 in Kana Chak village, Kathua. He enlisted as a boy soldier into the 13th Frontier Rifles, formerly the Punjab Infantry. With the outbreak of Second World War, his regiment was assigned to the 100th Indian Infantry Brigade and part of the 20th Indian Division. This Division joined the Burma Campaign in 1943. (Brian Best)  On 16/17 February 1945 at Kanlan Ywathit, Burma (now Myanmar), Jemadar Prakash Singh Chib was commanding a platoon which took the main weight of fierce enemy attacks. He was wounded in both ankles and relieved of his command, but when his second-in-command was also wounded, he crawled back and took command of his unit again, directing operations and encouraging his men. He was wounded in both legs a second time but he continued to direct the defense, dragging himself from p...