Bhupinder Singh
Today there is almost a blank space in the largerIndian imagination and perception on the affairs of J&K, prior to the independence of India. The nobility, glory and expanse of the Dogra reign (largest Princely State and one of the only four to be given the highest ’21-gun salute’) that preceded the accession to India by Maharaja Hari Singh, is either unknown or twisted-in-facts, outside of the ignored ‘Duggar’ lands, where the festering wounds of a forgotten reality rankles in its sub-conscience. This land of irrepressible Dograswith its epicenter at Jammu, extends from the Pir Panjal Ranges down to the plains of Punjab on both sides of the LOC, and includes the state of Himachal Pradesh – has suffered a virtual ‘black-out’ in national understanding and celebration of its unparalleled past. Unbeknownst to most, Maharaja Hari Singh was a rare patriot amongst the various ‘State’ rulers who stood up to the British when he valiantly stated at the first Round Table Conference in London in 1930, “While Indian Princes valued British connection, they had full sympathy for the aspirations of their motherland for an equal and honorable place in the comity of nations.” Equally his efforts of modernization and progress like building the infrastructure of Kashmir, prohibition of child marriage, compulsory primary education and the opening of temples for all castes were way ahead of their times – above all, the secularity of his governance outlook is unmatched, even today. Perhaps the fact that the complete destiny of the state, immediately passed on to two politically-ambitious and known detractors of the erstwhile Dogra regime, namely Sheikh Abdullah and Jawaharlal Nehru – the historical facts pertaining to the Dogras remain ignored knowingly, or at best, unknowingly.
The widely-held national perception that the ‘autocratic’ Maharaja Hari Singh had ‘dilly-dallied’ with accession to India, is an untruth-of-spirit that betrays the situational circumstances and the unique concerns of secularity and inclusivity that pertained to the strategic geographical location of the Dogra kingdom. Post-independence, the societal chasm within the state has only widened and the emotionally fractured state has had Delhi-appointed interlocutors who have solely engaged with the Kashmir valley, and that has further perpetuated the travesty of the Dogra narrative. Poignantly the Maharaja died a broken man in Mumbai, unsung, misunderstood and worse, misrepresented in the national saga. Later,Nehru and his ostensible ‘blood brother’ Sheikh Abdullah frequently collaborated, differed and often sparred to drive the J&K agenda towards it current status. This historical juncture, was the start of the continuing diminishment of the Dogras, and by that extension, the Jammu region – a sad new status for the valiant Dogras, who now are now on the sidelines of national concern or appreciation.
Importantly, the Dogra is a regional identity and ought not to be relegated to a binary-religious identity, as it is wrongly perceived and slotted in the rest of the country. This overtly simplistic attribution of a ‘Hindu-Muslim’ (Jammu-Srinagar) perception does incalculable disservice to the ‘Dogra’ past and reality, that is inherently pluralistic and all-encompassing. The martial traditions of the region are best exemplified by the diversity of the highest gallantry award winners (Param Vir Chakras) from the ‘Duggar’ lands – Major Som Nath Sharma a Brahmin, Captain GS Salaria a Rajput, Subedar Bana Singh a Sikh or a Captain Vikram Batra a Khatri. While rightfully the chivalry and valour of Rajasthan and Punjab are celebrated across the country – the region that actually gives the maximum number of gallantry awards to the Indian state, is unquestionably and actually the ‘Duggar’ lands.No other national region can boast of soldering traditions that populates amongst the finest regiments of the Indian Army, including the Jammu & Kashmir Rifles, Dogra Regiment and a large section of Jammu & Kashmir Light Infantry and Punjab Regiments. Even beyond the realm of soldering, the ‘Duggar’ land punches way above its weight in the fields of sports, judiciary, administration etc. – it has given three Chief Justices of India or artisans like Mallika Pukhraj, KL Saigal, Alla Rakha, Zakir Hussain etc. Yet the reflex-perception of Jammu or the ‘Dogra’ identity is usually and sadly of that a single religious identity or as a ‘gateway’ to Kashmir Valley, when it is so much more by itself. The unprecedented and unparalleled conquests of the legendary Zorawar Singh or the raw daredevilry of Brigadier Rajendra Singh Jamwal (who along with Brigadier Mohammad Usman – incidentally from Dogra Regiment, are the real reason why J&K state is with India and not Pakistan), remain unknown and unsung. Over the last seven decades, the individual brilliance and achievement of these individuals could never coalesce, embellish and establish the composite ‘Dogra’ identity that it naturally lends itself to.Jammu as the ’emotional capital’ of the Dogras is reflective of the neglect and ignominy of Dogras in modern India.
A forgotten city that has grown shapeless, unplanned and without the trappings of any modern amenities of urban development is the proverbial “other” city in the J&K dynamics. Forever relegated to ‘after the valley’ status – the nondescript existence of Jammu cannot boast of any substantial industry, commerce, or infrastructural wonder.
While the politicians of both the Centre and State have failed the region – the Dogras themselves must introspect and question if they too have done enough to set the historical record straight, and allowed themselves to get divided on religious, castiest or any other divisive lines? The politicians will always gnaw at topical, societal or religious faultlines for their own partisan purposes, but the society has to see-through their nefarious designs that feeds a very narrow perception of the ‘Dogra’ identity e.g. the Kathua rape case that got wrapped into unwarranted angularities of religion, race, nationalism and even Rohingyas (which is a genuine issue, though wholly unrelated issue with that of the native Bakarwals and Gujjars – who incidentally have been the loyal ‘eyes and ears’ of the Indian Army in 1947-48, 1965, 1971, Kargil war and ever-since).
Deservedly, the Marathas have lionized Shivaji and the Rajasthanis, Maharana Pratap (with many statues and societies dedicated within the ‘Duggar’ lands itself!) – however, despite the unmatched heroics of the native folk-hero, General Zorawar, no such presentation, personification and celebration is done locally and outside of ‘Duggar’ lands, for the brilliance of the ‘Napoleon of India.’ Seemingly a sense of disinterest, disunity and disjointed effort at positing the composite Dogra identity is at work, with sporadic and piece-meal efforts at presenting that history.
The initiative to project the truthful history and composite identity of the ‘Dogras’ would be the most befitting dedication to the lofty idea of ‘India’ – replete with elements of civility, dignity, secularity and unmatched chivalry. The patriotic past and present of the Dogras would stand out in face of narrow castiest assertions across the length and breadth of the country, as the Dogras would yet again stand out as the vanguard of the nation, as they have done selflessly and dignifiedly for eons. However, the Dogras have to go beyond the blame-game of the past (however true, it may be), pick the gauntlet for themselves and not fall for partisan politics when it comes to the matter of establishing the composite ‘Dogra’ identity in its full glory, grandeur and cultural profundity, across the country. Acceptance of the current reality and the fact that they have lost the last seven decades in correcting the perception and narrative, would be the first starting point.
(The author is former Lt Governor of Andaman and Nicobar Islands & Puducherry)
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