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Mani Mahesh yatra from August 22

JAMMU, Aug 7: First batch of Mani Mahesh yatra will start from Lakshmi Narayan Mandir, Bhadarwah on August 22. Second batch of yatra will start its journey on September 4 from the same temple.

Final batch of yatra along with "Chhari Mubarak" will undertake the sacred yatra on September 12 from Shiv Mandir, Ghuraka, The "Chhari Mubarak’ will be kept at Lakshmi Narayan Mandir, Bhadarwah for darshan of general public from 8 am to 10 am. It will leave Bhadarwah the same day at 11 am and reach Jammu. Night stay of ‘Chhari Mubarak’ has been arranged at Shiv Mandir, Sarwal.

On September 13, ‘Chhari Mubarak’ will proceed towards Chamba. On September 14, the "Chhari Mubarak" will resume its journey toward Bharmore while having darshan of holy Lakshmi Narayan Ji and Mata Chamunda Ji enroute. On September 15, the devotees will have holy ‘shanan’ at Mata Brahmani ji lake and darshan of 84 Mandirs by participation in ‘bhandaras’. Return yatra will start on September 19.

 Courtesy: www.dailyexcelsior.com

Machail yatra from August 18

JAMMU, July 29: Machail Yatra in the hills of Bhadarwah tehsil in Doda district will commence on August 18 from Chinote, Bhaderwah

‘Thali Poojan’ ceremony for the yatra will be performed on August 16 from 5 pm to 8 pm in the premises of Shri Maha Lakshami Mandir, Pacca Danga. A religious procession along with the pious ‘thali’ and ‘jyot’; will be taken out from the temple on August 17 and will pass through Jain Bazar, Link Road, Purani Mandi, City Chowk, Ragunath Bazar and Indira Chowk after which the yatris will board Bhadarwah bound buses and join the main yatra commencing on August 18 from Chinote.

A decision to this effect was taken in a meeting of Sarv Shakti Sewak Sanstha held here today under the chairmanship of J N Chopra, a release issued by Sanstha’s publicity secretary, Sanjeev Sharma said.

 Courtesy: www.dailyexcelsior.com

Residents savour musical evening after 17 years

Bhaderwah, June 17: Bhaderwah town used to wear a deserted look after 6 pm everyday, but on Saturday night hundreds of people gathered to watch a live performance of Himachali singer Suresh Chouhan of Neelama fame.

For the first time in the past 17 years such a large number of people gathered to watch a cultural programme in this militancy-plagued and communally sensitive town of Jammu and Kashmir. As there are many similarities between the culture of Himachal Pradesh and Bhaderwah, Suresh Chouhan, who is from this town, has many fans in this side of the Pahari belt also.

The singer not only regaled the audience, but also tried to cement Hindu-Muslim ties in this town through cultural means.

Disregarding the warning of security agencies, Suresh decided to perform in the open. As he came on the stage and sang ‘Pedian terian Neelama’,a Himachali song, the atmosphere was enlivened and the audience started swaying. Initially, there were around 500 persons gathered at the main bazaar of Bhaderwah, but as the show progressed, the number of people swelled into hundreds.

Within half-an-hour people, including a large number of women and children, thronged the venue to watch the performance of the son of the soil, who is more popular in Himachal than in his own native place.

The programme, which started at 5 pm, continued till midnight. SP, Bhaderwah, M. L. Mehra appeared helpless in controlling huge crowd. “It is not possible to make security arrangements for such a huge crowd'', he told The Tribune.
 

 Courtesy: www.tribuneindia.com

Expedition in Kishtwar Himalayas

Kishtwar, the upland valley in the north - east corner of Jammu region, is situated among the picturesque folds of the Pir Panjal and the Greater Himalayan Range. The area is drained by the Chenab (Chandrabhaga) river system which, flowing in from neighboring Himachal Pradesh, enters the area through Paddar, home of the famous Sapphire mines. This area collectively called as the Kishtwar Himalayas, comprises of several high altitude peaks , passes and glaciers. Across the Kishtwar Himalayas is the region of Zanskar (Ladakh). The people of Paddar and Zanskar have a long history of trade and cultural exchange and have been using 2 or 3 high altitude passes to cross over, the Greater Himalayan range. Of these passes the historic, 5330mts (17770ft) high Omasi-La pass is the the most exotic.

On the 15th of June, 2007 an 11 member, core and logistical, expedition team, headed by this writer, CEO of "Extreme Himalayan Adventures" a Jammu based, Eco-adventure agency, headed to Gulabgarh (Paddar) to attempt the historic 110Kms long trans Himalayan high altitude route, making it the first agency in 16 years, to successfully organize and conduct the high altitude hiking expedition from the Kishtwar side to the Zanskar side.

The historic importance of the route goes back to 1835 during the times of General Zorawar Singh Kahluria (1786-1841), the famous Dogra General of Maharaja Gulab Singh, and the then governor of Kishtwar (Kishtavada).

To the east of Kishtwar are the snow-clad mountains of the upper Himalayas - the rivers of Zanskar, Suru, and Drass rise from these snow clad mountains, and flow across the plateau of Ladakh into the Indus River. Several petty principalities in this region were tributary to the Gyalpo (King) of Ladakh - in 1834 one of these, the Raja of Timbus, sought General Zorawar's help against the Gyalpo. Meanwhile the Rajput general had been burning to distinguish himself by expanding the kingdom of Raja Gulab Singh. This gave rise to the future, Ladakh campaigns.

With final checks made at Gulabgarh and the potters and ponies ready, the expedition team followed the gushing Bout Nala to Kundail, a small village, 12Kms upstream. The night camp was established at the yatri shelter at Kundail. On the second day the team after crossing Chasoti (approach for peaks like Arjuna, Chapra, Crooked Finger, Flat Top, Gulap Kangri & Hagshu ) and the Hamoori village & glacier, reached Machail (29Kms from Gulabgarh), for a short refreshing tea halt. We continued on to the Buddhist village of Lasooni , 2 Kms onwards from Machail for the night halt. After a bed bug full night we left early morning for Sumcham, the last inhabited village on the rugged route. Sumcham ,a small cluster of 11 houses, is the drinking and dinning resort for Gaddis of Paddar, with not much to do during the day, the Gaddis (Shepards)are busy drinking Chang (local drink) & Desi (local liquor) . Meat & Shisshi (local vegetable) being a regular part of the diet. The local liquor and hospitability, is exchanged, for the meat from the Gaddis. A pure, barter system. Sumcham is also the gateway to the Sapphire mines of Paddar, an area bout 1000ft above the village and 3-4 hrs away. Early in 1882 a few specimens of the gems were sent down from Shimla to the Indian Museum, Kolkata and examined by the British geologists. In the year 1887 the Kashmir Durbar, finding that the revenue from the mines, which had been worked by them with considerable profit since the first discovery, was steadily diminishing, applied to the Government of India for a geologist to examine the mines. The then Deputy Superintendent of Geographical Survey of India, Mr Tom D LaTouche was deputed to visit and report upon their condition. He visited the small upland valley in 1888, where sapphires are found is about 1,000 yards long by 400 yards area, broad at its lower end; the floor rises at an average angle of about 20° to the north-west, narrowing to a point, and is thickly covered with loose debris fallen from the surrounding cliffs. It is from a narrow strip of this debris, averaging about 100 feet in width, along the northern side of the valley, that the sapphires were obtained. These days the mines are well protected and guarded and are not open for public or travelers.

Of all the massifs in the Kishtwar Himalayas, Brahma, comprising of four peaks, is the most striking and challenging.Its four peaks from west to east: Brahma I, 6,416 m (21,050 ft, locally called Pappi), Flat Top, 6,103 m (20,023 ft), Brahma II, 6,485 m (21,276 ft, locally called Dharmi) and Arjuna, 6,230 m (20,439 ft).Brahma I being the site of the first successful major climb in the Kishtwar Himalayas. Famed British mountaineer Chris Bonington, along with Nick Estcourt, and aided by the Indian Institute of Skiing and Mountaineering, made the first ascent of Brammah I in 1973 via the Southeast Ridge. The second ascent of Brammah I was also made by a British group, comprising Paul Belcher, Duncan Nicholson, Jon Scott, and Anthony Wheaton, in 1978. Unfortunately Nicholson and Scott perished on the descent.

At the Rhua Hi camp, the team had an early start, the time when the snow is hard, and easy to walk on. Crevasses (cracks) can prove lfatal, if one falls in it, so the team has to rope up for safety. The 4 kms long glacier gave way to the magnificent Omasi La pass, At 5330 mts (17770 ft) it's a sight, a narrow cut in the mighty Greater Himalayan range, with a rock formation that looks like a huge Shiva, on one side of the pass. From the pass one can see the Kishtwar side and the Zanskar side of the range. The descent to the Zanskar side is steep and technical in nature. The Mooling glacier on the Zanskar side is 5 Kms long and tiring, so the team camped at the end of the glacier at, Pula Stone Hut, though not an ideal camp site. The Zanskar valley is a total contrast from the Paddar side. There is little vegetation, rocks and muddy water is in abundance and after every 5 or 6 kms is a high altitude small Phuhalli (pasture). The largest jungle of Zanskar stands at 2 feet tall, the local shrubs. After covering 19 Kms the next day we reached the monastery of Zonkhul, perched on a hill side its very popular among the foreign tourists. The camp that evening was full of delight and satisfaction over the attempt. We reached the town of Ating, early morning and hitched a ride to Padum, the largest town of Zanskar. The team was received at Padum, by the Block Development officer of Padum (Zanskar), Mr Susheel Kumar who provided the much required shelter and relief. An onward road journey of 750Kms from Padum to Jammu, marked the end of the expedition.

The expedition, is thus an effort by 'Extreme Himalayan Adventures' to open the doors of the Kishtwar Himalayas, home to several mighty peaks and glaciers, for adventure tourism related activities and future commercial mountain expeditions..
 

Tawi Rivers

Rivers, streams, natural springs and baolis are the source of life, livelihood and legends in the Jammu region. The major ancient civilizations of the world took birth, survived and flourished on the banks of rivers like, Indus, Tigris (Iraq), Nile (Egypt) etc. The river provides the elixir of life i.e water for drinking, bathing, washing, irrigation, dying, manufacturing and what not. The river water provided, one of the ancient means of transport, of man and material in the past, by boats. The primitive water mills are still used in the twenty first century, in the hill regions to harness water for the grinding the wheat, barely, corn etc. The water has been the main source of hydroelectric power and keeps the wheels of manufacturing industry moving for necessites and luxurious of life.

In the oldest written ancient Indian text, in the world, the Rig-Veda, the rivers have been mentioned as the deities and been worshiped, with the passage of time, the rivers came into the form of Goddesses in the ancient Indian iconography (the study of Sculptures). That is why the river enjoyed the sanctity and scared character in Indian cultural traditions. The rivers have been depicted in sculptures in the form of Goddess in the temple as a deity. The river Goddess of the Ganga and the Yamuna has been depicted in the both sides of the entrance of Hindu temple in human form. The personification of the river Goddess can be seen at Devi Bhagawati temple at Manwal (on Udhampur-Dhar Road) or a station on Jammu-Udhampur Railway route. The tradition which began around 3rd-4th century AD during the Golden period of Ancient Indian History in Northern India.

Two of the five rivers (Indus, Satluj, Ravi, Beas and Chenab) in undivided of Punjab pass through parts of the province of Jammu are the Ravi and the Chenab. The Tawi Rivers are the tributaries of Chenab- the Jammu Tawi and the Malkani Tawi. The railway has more appropriately chosen the name Jammu Tawi as the name of Jammu city railway station. The city of Jammu began on the right bank of the river. Tawi can be defined as the stream which flows through out the year, with level of fluctuations of water during various seasons. The Kud is the temporary stream of water which carries water during the rains and dries up during the summer season. According to local tradition there are three main Pade Devata’s or fish Gods shrines in the Jammu Tawi- one each at Manwal, Nagrota and Jajjar Kotli.

The Jammu Tawi has been called as Surya Putri or the daughter of the Sun God. In one of the ancient texts; the river has been referred as ‘‘holy’’. According to the one legendary story, it was blown from the Kali Kund by removing the rocks, boulders that held back its water down stream. The Jammu Tawi originates mainly at Kalplas Kund of Seoj Dhar in the Bhadarwah region of Doda district, from here it descends to Sudh Mahadeva. Then northwest towards Chennani for about 42 kms, in this part the river foams along the large boulders confined by rocks and produces a musical sound. The thrashing of gushing water produces milky foams and gets dissolved after traveling few meters. The river has produced deposits of alluvium and round blocks of ‘‘gneiss’’ (Volcanic rock) embedded in the earth. Deodar, silver fir and spurce fir can be noticed along the valley. From Chennai, it turns southwest for a distance of about 21 Kms.

The valley so founded is headed by high hills. It then appears in an open area through which it flows in a southerly direction for some 16 kms and heads towards Jinganu, where it meets a hilly range, through which it penetrates, to take a north-westerly sharply run course to reach Jandrah. The river then passes through another range of hills to enter Nagrota and then Jammu. The river finally quits the hills and terminates in a line of cliff facing the river after travelling 113 kms in deep gorges and boulders. During the coarse of millions of years the Tawi River had formed three terraces one above the other. The highest terrace on which the Mubarak Mandi stands being towards north. The main old town has been located on the south.

The water pollution in the Jammu Tawi River has disturbed the balance of ecosystem and it is causing health hazards to humans and extinction of the animal’s species. For example, in good olden days, we used to hear the sound of frogs just after the rains, the vanishing vultures, dying of honeybees etc are some of the general observations due to the disturbance of the ecology. Thousands of tonnes of urea has been used in the agriculture fields. More than 70 percent of the urea gets into the streams and rivers through water cycle. The quantity of water in the river has been depleting due to tapping of water for irrigation purposes. The decrease in the quantity water coming in lean season and addition of the sewage and factory discharge have been adding fuel to the fire in pollution of the Tawi river. The carrying capacity of the Jammu Tawi River has almost saturated. The increasing population has been threatening the very existence of the Tawi River as well. There is hardly any sewage treatment plant exists in the whole course of 129 Kms of the River Tawi. The 6.5 million people arriving at Mata Vaishno Devi, Katra every year are also equally responsible for the additional pollution of the river through Banganga, a tributary of Tawi.

In the western part of the state all along the Poonch and Rajouri districts, there are many streams, which have been continuously flow water, are called Munnawar Tawi, Sukha Tawi and Darhal Tawi are other tributaries of Chenab. Munnawar or Rajouri Tawi (PoK area ) originates from the Pir Panjal Range beyond, is Kashmir, Poonch and Kotli (Pakistan occupied Kashmir) are in the west. The Chenab river to east and Bimbar (POK) to is west. The town of Poonch has been built in the middle of Siwalik Range in the open valley. It is located on the right bank of the Munnawar Tawi. It finds its way through the various ridges into the plains, which is, traversed until joins its water to the Chenab River.

The people living in the hills, near to the source of nallahs and the thousand of streams have been adding many pollutants in course of their day-to-day activity. The Tawi River was famous for Trout Fish with the passage of time the quality of water has been so much degraded that it is not suitable for bathing, not to talk about the portable water. In earlier days the river was the sole source of potable water supply to the town. In the raining seasons, the water kept for sometime to settle. The tiny particles used to settled down before the water was used for drinking. Now-a-days there are the very few people, who could think of taking a dip in once holy and scared Jammu Tawi. All the sewage and storm water drainage of Jammu city has been poured into the river directly without treating the sewage etc. one can imagine the immense quantity of sewage generated both in the city and at the time the amount of the waste coming from the holy Shrine to the Banganga and definitely in the Jammu Tawi. The rich shrine board should come forward to reduce the quantity of sewage being discharged in the tributary of the Jammu Tawi There is urgent need to take step to save the Tawi from further pollution and as one day it can turn into a dirty drain like the Yamuna of Delhi which does not support any useful aquatic life.

The water pollution adversely changes the quality and disturbs the balance of ecosystem. In order to keep the Tawi clean, it is the best time to start work like the Yamuna action plan with the help of National River Conservation Project by taking up pollution abatement work.
 

Sarthal hills to host 3 lakh tourists
3 States join hands to promote tourism in Jammu
 

JAMMU, May 24: To promote tourism in a big way and convert Sarthal hills, located between Bani and Bhaderwah which were once dominated by militants mostly foreign mercenaries, into a tourist hub, three States including Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab and Himachal Pradesh have joined hands to hold biggest ever tourist extravaganza in the hills for five days in first week of next month.

This is for the first time that a tourist festival spread over one lakh kanals of land and likely to be attended by more than three lakh people of three States will be held in Jammu from June 4-8.

In addition to three State Governments, a Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) has also joined hands in tourist promotion plan in Jammu, official sources said.

Besides the State Government, Chamba and Kangra districts of Himachal Pradesh and Gurdaspur district of Punjab have associated themselves with the grand tourist festival.

Tented accommodation to accommodate three lakh persons including tourists, students, artists, tour operators and temporary stall owners has been erected in Sarthal hills, which have motorable road from Pathankote in Punjab, Banikhet in Dalhousie (Himachal Pradesh) and Bani-Basohli in Kathua. Distance to the hills from all three places ranged between 50 to 80 kms. Special arrangements of transport to carry tourists to the hills are being made by the three State Governments and local administration.

Minister of State for Finance and Revenue and MLA Bani, Prem Sagar Aziz, who has been co-ordinating efforts to hold first ever tourist festival in Sarthal hills as also the first ever on such a large scale in Jammu, was camping in the hills for last one week. According to him, weather in the hills was more pleasant than Gulmarg or Patnitop and he was expecting number of tourists to even surpass the target of 3 lakh.

Mr Aziz said Union Minister for Panchayati Raj Mani Shankar Aiyer, Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad and several Ministers, legislators and prominent persons of J&K, Himachal Pradesh and Punjab were expected to join the tourist festival. Mr Azad was expected to even stay in the hills for the night on June 7, a day before the festival concludes.

Artists from different parts of the country besides cultural troupes from three States and students from all 22 districts of Jammu will join the festival. Tour and travel operators across the country have been mobilised by the organisers to join the festival, sources said.

Surrounded by natural greenery of deodars, Sarthal hills were home to a number of militant outfits especially Hizbul Mujahideen and Lashkar-e-Toiba including the foreign mercenaries as they connected Bhaderwah tehsil from Bani and Basohli and helped them to reach their destinations in militancy infested Doda district. A series of encounters took place in Sarthal hills during last 10 years.

However, it was during past two years that after a series of operations launched by security forces and police to flush out militants from Sarthal that the hills have now nearly become free of militants. Still, taking no chance, the para-military personnel and police from Kathua and Doda districts will ensure security at the venue.

Sources said the tourist festival was also aimed at promoting the tourist circuit Bani-Lakhanpur-Bhaderwah-Kishtwar-Sinthan Top-Srinagar which has been proposed in Prime Minister’s Re-construction plan and was also part of Finance Minister’s budget speech. The tourist circuit will immensely shorten the distance to Kashmir from Lakhanpur, sources said, adding the Tourism Department has set the process of road construction in motion.

   Courtesy: www.dailyexcelsior.com