(From the files of noted journalist Late. BP Sharma who penned these
memoirs 31 years ago)
At a comparatively recent history of Jammu town, life of a citizen was regulated by three gunfire from the Bahu Fort at 4 am, 12 noon and 10 pm. There were no clocks or watches and the citizens adjusted themselves to almost an identical time table.
The town was partially walled one, with three main gates for entry and exit, two of which the Gumat Gate and the Jogi Gate stand to this day and retain their majestic glory. The third gate known as Sherawala Gate at Dhounthali was demolished not long ago. This artistically designed gate had plaster figures of lions on either side. The principal gate of entry into the town, according to Frederic Drew, was the Gumat Gate. “At this spot travelling on wheels comes to an end, from here onward carriage is performed by camels, pack-horses, elephants or coolies. The bullock carts that upto this point have been the great means of goods traffic are left here and their contents are brought into the city mostly on men’s backs. At the gate are stationed a guard, writers whose business it is to report arrivals and customs house messengers”.
The gunfire at 4am heralded the morning. The gates were thrown open and the sleepy town came to life. There were no water taps in the town and drinking water had also to be fetched from the river Tawi flowing about 150 feet below the town.
All able-bodied men and women used to go to the Tawi for their morning ablution. Women carried on their heads glittering brass ‘gaggars’ full of water on their return journey. The few affluent families, however, employed jheewars (professional water carriers) for this purpose.
THE DHAKKIS
For ascending and descending the hillock on which the town is situated there were paved ways (locally knows as Dhallis). In the middle of each Dhakki was built a temple. The construction of Dhakkis by ‘Karsewa’ method adopted by certain Biradaries is proved by the fact that these exist, even to this day remnants of Dhakkis “Dalpatian-di-dhakki”, “Sirajan-di-dhakki”, “Acharyan-di-dhakki” and “Naian-di-dhakki”, to name a few. George Forster, European traveler, who came to Jammu in 1783, saw on the banks of the Tawi many watermills for grinding corns, but he does not describe his ascent to the town. But another traveler, GT Vigne, who came here in 1835, “ascended to the palace by a long paved way that led up the hill”. Baron Charles Hugel, who followed Vigne the same year, described the Dhakkis in the following words: “From Bahu (Fort) a spacious flight of steps leads down the river and another takes the passengers upto Jammu” descending and ascending the Dhakkis and early morning walk largely contributed to the good health of the citizens.
DAILY LIFE
On their return from the Tawi the citizens used to have light breakfast with milk of lassi. Tea was unknown. The shopkeepers would open their shops and the bazaars hummed with activity “till noon the whole town is alive with business in the streets and with government work in the square) inside the Mandi Mubarak)” says Drew who adds: “Then the court breaks up and the Maharaja goes into the palace for lunch”.
The gunfire at 12 noon announces the lunchtime and “business is slack in the bazaars, till men, waking up from their siesta, bestir themselves again”.
TIME TO REST
The gunfire at 10 pm announced the time to close down all business and to return home. All the gates of entry into the town were closed and nobody was allowed to move out after that hour. The town was plunged into dark except for some stray kerosene oil lamps hanging from the polls. Electric power was not known and every household used flick lamps or lanterns.
POTABLE WATER
An attempt was made to supply potable water to the citizens in 1877 AD. Fortunately this event is recorded in a fortnightly journal published from Jammu those days. “Dharam Darpan, as the newspaper was called, was a publication of the education department of the state and was the fourth newspaper published during the reign of Maharaja Ranbir Singh (1857-1865). A news item in the journal dated “Jeth Vadi Ekadashi S. 1934” gives an interesting account of the jubilation among the citizens of Jammu. It says “when they saw, for the first time, drinking water being pumped up from the Tawi flowing 150 feet below the level of the city. A pucca pond was constructed just outside the palace to store water. Hundreds of people came with pitchers to fetch fresh potable water gushing out of a pipeline. The engineer Gopal Das, who completed this difficult job was recipient of a ‘Khillat’ from the Maharaja who also sanctioned advance increments in his pay. It is expected that water would be carried through pipes to various parts of the city”.
Regular supply of potable water to the citizens in the time of Maharaja Pratap Singh, who spent Rs 3 lakh on the construction of waterworks on the right bank of the Tawi. “Landsdown Water Works”, as it was called after the name of the then Viceroy of India, was inaugurated in 1889 AD.
In 1905, Pratap Singh established a department of electricity with Major Loibinere as its chief engineer. In 1910 citizens of Jammu saw the town electrified.
(The author was a journalist and researcher in Dogri. He was the first Director of Radio Kashmir in 1948 when he established it in the Ranbir High School. He later became Director of Information & Public Relations).
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