Lalit Gupta
lalitguptajammu@gmail.com
Kathua
Kathua represents a classical instance of rivers functioning as topographic markers in the demarcation of geographical and cultural boundaries. Situated on the right bank of the Ravi-identified in Vedic literature as the Iravati-the settlement historically marked the division between the ancient region of Darva Abhisara and the territory on the river’s left bank that later evolved into Punjab. The interfluvial doab between the Ravi and the Ujh thus constituted a distinct spatial and cultural zone.
Located approximately five kilometres from the Ravi and about twenty-seven kilometres from Pathankot, Kathua lies along the Pathankot-Jammu National Highway and presently serves as the district headquarters of the district bearing its name in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir. Owing to the presence of artesian wells and a spring line emerging south of the national highway, Kathua developed as the principal urban centre of the rice-producing tract variously known as Andhrah, Aindhar, or Andarwah. Topographically, the town occupies the Ujh valley and is surrounded by the Dhak forests, which find frequent mention in early literary traditions.
Archaeological discoveries, notably Old Stone Age tools and early historical artefacts recovered from multiple sites in and around Kathua, attest to sustained human occupation of the region from prehistoric times, underscoring its long-term settlement continuity.
Although definitive historical corroboration remains limited, Kathua is widely regarded as having been a principal centre of the Kattha tribe, which inhabited the Upper Ravi Valley during the third-second centuries BCE. The Greek historian Strabo, writing in the context of Alexander’s campaigns, refers to a powerful republican polity known as the Kathaioi, located in the foothills and along the banks of the Ravi, whose inhabitants offered notable resistance to Macedonian forces. Numismatic evidence further substantiates the historical presence of the Katthas; copper coins, designated by numismatists as Kadasa coins and bearing early Brahmi inscriptions datable to the third or second century BCE, have been attributed to this group. Following a phase of political assertion after the decline of Mauryan authority in the third century BCE, the Katthas appear to have been superseded by the Audumbaras, who occupied the lower hill tracts between Pathankot and Jwalamukhi.
Settlement records maintained by the revenue department indicate that modern Kathua emerged through the consolidation of three villages-Taraf Tajwal, Taraf Majali, and Taraf Bajwal-collectively known as Katth or Katthai, from which the present name “Kathua” is likely derived. An alternative tradition attributes the establishment of these villages to the sons of a Rajput migrant, Jodh Singh Andotra. Within this early settlement configuration, Taraf Tajwal developed as the principal commercial nucleus, while the area known as Parli Band comprised Taraf Majali and Taraf Bajwal.
Kathua also occupies a place in regional mytho-historical tradition. Accounts associated with the Ramayana trace its origins to Agnigir, of the Suryavanshi Ikshvaku lineage of Ayodhya, who migrated to the Shivalik foothills via ancient Nagarakot (modern Kangra) and established his rule at Parol, with Bhupa as the capital. Tradition further credits him with founding the settlements of Iravati and Pushpavati. His son, Vayusharabha (also known as Vayubabran), is said to have married Airan Devi, daughter of the local ruler, after whom Airan-vati-identified with present-day Airwan-was named.
During the medieval period, the region between the Ravi and the Basantar was fragmented into a number of small principalities ruled by Jamwal lineage, notably Lakhanpur, Jasrota, and Samba.
The relationship between the Sikh leaders and the Dogra rulers of Jammu dates back to the period of Guru Gobind Singh and Banda Bahadur, both of whom sought refuge in the Jammu hills during Mughal persecution. Over time, the Sikhs misls- notably the Sukerchakia, Kanhaiya, and Bhangi misls-expanded in to Jammu region. Following internal feud after the death of Raja Ranjit Dev, Maharaja Ranjit Singh annexed Jammu after the Battle of Gumat in 1808. Gulab Singh, who distinguished himself in this conflict, was subsequently inducted into the Sikh army, followed by his brothers Dhian Singh and Suchet Singh, all of whom rose to positions of prominence in the Lahore Darbar with Gulab Singh appointed hereditary Raja of Jammu in 1820.
The decline of the Sikh Empire culminated in 1846 with its defeat by the British. Under the Treaty of Amritsar (16 March 1846), Maharaja Gulab Singh, was recognized as independent ruler of territories lying east of the Indus and west of the Ravi. Consequently, Kathua-situated between Lakhanpur and Jasrota-became an integral part of the princely state of Jammu and Kashmir under Dogra rule.
Katra
Katra, popularly known as Katra Vaishno Devi, is a town situated in the Reasi district of the Jammu division. Located approximately 42 kilometres from Jammu, it lies in the foothills of the Trikuta range, which houses the sacred shrine of Shri Mata Vaishno Devi. Historically, Katra developed as a market settlement along the banks of the Banganga River and functioned as a nodal point connecting footpaths and trade routes leading to the valleys of Reasi, Bhamag, Pancheri, and adjoining hill regions.
Etymologically, the name Katra has been interpreted in multiple ways. Jagdish Chander Shastri derives it from the term Katak, signifying a valley enclosed by mountains, while in Punjabi usage the word Katra denotes a marker or designated stopping place. Folk traditions record that a hillock near the Banganga was once surmounted by a fort constructed by the Samsal tribe, known as Dharkot. Earlier, the same hill is said to have been occupied by the Banjal tribe, while the neighbouring Mahakali hill was controlled by the Droda tribe. Inter-tribal conflicts between these groups are believed to have disrupted the traditional route to the Vaishno Devi shrine. According to Prof. Shiv Nirmohi, Bahu’s Raja Kirpal Dev subsequently subdued these warring factions and restored the established pilgrimage route.
Local historical accounts further associate Katra with Maharaja Gulab Singh, who, accompanied by his son Ranbir Singh, visited the town while undertaking the Vaishno Devi pilgrimage. Impressed by its strategic location and setting, he is believed to have envisaged its development as a permanent settlement.
In the modern period, Katra has undergone a significant transformation driven by the expanding religious importance of the Vaishno Devi shrine. From a modest halting station, it has evolved into a major pilgrimage centre and urban node, serving as the principal base camp for the cave shrine of Mata Vaishno Devi, which attracts millions of devotees annually. The growth of hotels, sarais, and a well-developed market has further reinforced Katra’s role as a key religious, cultural, and economic centre in Jammu and Kashmir.
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