Sir,
Reference “Maharaja Gulab Singh’s hidden heritage” (Daily Excelsior July 5, 2015). If S D Kotwal had visited Jiapota (Akhnoor) he would have not troubled his pen to highlight this hidden historic episode. Raja or Maharaja of Jammu, Gulab Singh was honoured by the Sikh Rulers of Punjab. What for he will fight against them to regain his kingdom? And if Mr Kotwal is referring Raja Ajit Singh, the grand son of Raja Ranjit Dev, who actually lost his throne to Sikh invaders, then he should know that what to talk of flight, he like a deadwood never came to light in the Dogra history after that defeat.
Unluckily, since independence, we the Dogras have been intentionally forced to forget our past history or the heritage. And with the passage of time, we the so called Dogras are either quite ignorant of our history or feel proud of its distorted versions. And the time has come when one day we will read in the same columns that there was a Royal Dhaba in Mubarak Mandi Complex for generating income to run the State of Jammu & Kashmir. And to restore and preserve its pristine glory the present Government have declared it a State Protected Monument, but finding its own department of Archives and Museums or the Archeological Survey of India incapable of preserving it, they have got registered their own NGO to work with other NGOs in or outside the State to restore the pristine glory of that prestigious Royal Dhaba by converting it into a five star Royal Heritage Dhaba to showcase the visitors the real cultural heritage of great Dogras. That is why they demolished the marble platform (coronation platform) which in their own wisdom was a dark patch into the Dogra heritage, where the customers were forced to have their meals while sitting on this platform. Now, they will be provided with fine whirling chairs within this heritage Royal Dhaba, besides other amenities all around the complex, to save, protect and preserve the pride and diginity of our prestigious Dogra cultural heritage. Very sad State of affairs, but still we enchant the verses of Padma Sachdev “as Dogras aan, aakhe ne aan, manne kanne”……….
Yours etc…
Narsingh Dev Jamwal
Bhalwal, Jammu
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