IS RIVER TAWI DRYING UP ?

           

THIS POST FOR FRIENDS  AND WELL WISHERS  IN JAMMU

“Jammu Diyaan Kandiyaan Barkhaa Lagee Dii,

Te Dhaare Pavein De Aaley ,
O Shokiyaa Chambe Deyaa.”

(This song is  connected with Winter season and  has been often heard by me from people Living in Duggar Area..The male in this song prefers to go to Chamba while the female is convincing him that the winter season of Jammu is equally charming and he should not go .)

Duggar is an area that lies between Chenab( Chanderbhaaga ) and Raavi( Iraavati ). As a matter of fact this sweet language known as Dogri is also spoken in Kangra , Chamba , Hamirpur , Dharmshala and other areas of Himachal. Chanchalo and Kunjua are common characters in Folklore of Himachal and Jammu.The song “ Pal Pal Beyee Jaana Ho Jindhe ” is sung in almost entire Dogri speaking areas . Late Malika Pukhraj sang this folk song in a soulful Pahari tune . I also remember a dogri Folk song :-

“ Deaan Maaye Meraa odunoo, Mein Marwaa Gudunn Jaana , Lobhi Marve Dhaa ”

( O Mother please give me my Dupatta and digging instrument . I shall dig the land )

Here in this Duggar Land , noted Folk singer Ghulam Mohd sings the Popular Bhaint ( devotional songs ) in praise of mata Vaishno Devi Ji

“Jotaan Jagdiyaan , Mata De Darbar Jotaan Jagdiyaan"

This is the land of General Zorawar singh who marched to Tibet and annexed Ladakh to this state . It is also the birth place of musicians like late Ustad Allah Rakha renowned tabla player ( Ustad Zakir Hussain's father ) and Pandit Shiv Kumar Sharma . Kundan Lal Sehgal and actor Om Prakash are a product of Jammu city only . The legend has it that King Jambu Lochan built a city on Tawi banks in 9th centuary BC . As per History , the city of jammu came under Dogra rule of Raja Dhruv Dev in 1730 A D . Kalhana also makes  a brief mention of march of king Laitaditya’s army in this area  in his Rajtaringini ;

“With the mass of rays of his military glory , which were of the nature of perfumed powder , he decorated Jambudvipa which was like a lordly elephant.”

( Taranga 4 canto 127 ).

River Tawi also known as Suraj Putri ( Daughter of Sun God ) passes through the heartland of Duggar . Originating from Kali Kundi Glacier in Bhaderwah area of Doda district , it travels a distance of 141 Kms upto jammu border and finally joins Chenab . It is not to be confused with Manawar Tawi . Manawar Tawi is a rivulet originating from Thana Mandi area in Rajouri District and Flows through Chingus , Nowshera and enters punjab ( Pakistan ) at Manawar  to finally join Chenab .So Tawi and Manawar Tawi ultimately join Chenab .The Culture of Jammu is infact the culture of this river only.The river divides the jammu city in two Parts .The old town sits on a hill top overlooking river Tawi and across the river the new town extends to several killometers in all directions.This river is a major source of drinking water for the old city . Three Major bridges have been built over the river near jammu city. One Joins Gumat with Bikram Chowk while the other Connects Gujjar Nagar with Bahu area . The third bridge is on the city bye pass near Nagrota .

Acting like a great tolerant mother ,this river which has been providing shelter and relief to many groups and civilizations to flourish on its banks is in utter neglect presently. Alas ! the river is vanishing fast . All drains of the city pour their filth in this river only. With Source Glacier also vanishing fast , the bed of the river is now almost visible during winters and summers as well .We heard from Shri Raman Bhalla and Shri Rigzin Jora ( both ministers in J&K Government )that an artificial lake is proposed in the river near Gujjar Nagar . we also heard that work on Cable car project connecting Baghe Bahu with Mubarak Mandi is going to start very shortly .Should that happen, Jammu shall also be on the tourist map.I end this brief post on River tawi with some lines from Baba Bulle shah.

Chal Way Bullehya Chal Oathay Chaliyay,

Jithay Saaray Annay.
Na Koi Saadee Zaat PichHanay
Tay Na Koi Saanu Mannay.

Come Bulle Shah let us go there,
Where everyone is blind.
Where no one recognizes our caste (or race, or family name)
And where no one believes in us…

( Photo And Text by  Autar Mota )
Tuesday November 27^th , 2012 Time  11.20 PM … Good Night
                                                                     
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