State of Chenani: Its boundaries.

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 some areas belonging to present day Districts of Udhampur, Doda and Jammu. The area of the state kept on shrinking with the passage of time but it maintained an independent status throughout.

By: Uday Veer Anthal ( M. Phil. in History, J.U )