I OF. IN·DIA 1961 VOL•. VI ·PART V.I NO. 25 ,JAMMU & KASHMIR
VILLAGE SURVEY MONOGRAPH OF PAROLE (NAGRI) (TEBSIL Ie DISTRICT KATllUA)
FIELD INVESTIGATION BY J. KAY RANDA. & B. K •. PALLI Socia-Economic Surveyors
FIRST AND FINAL DRAFT BY J. KAY RANDA Socia-Economic SUrvey01
EDITOR J. N. ZUTSID Director oj Census OPMations The VlDage Survey mODograph serles of Jammu aad Kashmir State have 'beea iD{cluded Ia VoL VI, Part VI of the Ceas. of Iadia-1961 aDd bouad together district-wise. FO~wiag Is the list or villages surveyed 1- .
Vol. VI Part VI No. District Anantnag . Tehsil Anantnag ·Village AishrnU\qam
Vol. VI Part VI No. 2 District _Ana_ntnag Tehsil Anantnag ·Villa~e Mattan , . Vol. ,VI Part VI . No. 3 District Anantnag Tehsil Anantnag Village Bijbehlh:,-a, Vol. VI Part VI No. 4 District Srinagar Tehsil Srinagar Village NandP01ra Vol. VI Part VI No. 5 District Srinagar Tehsil Srinagar Village Hazrathlill Vol. VI Part VI No. 6 District Srinagar Tehsil Badgam Village Charishai riC Vol. VI Part VI No. 7 District Srinagar Tehsil Ganderbal ·Village Tullamdlla Vol. VI Part VI No. 8 District Bararnulla Tehsil Sopore ·MohalJa Telian Vol. VI Part VI No. 9 District Baramulla Tehsil Sonawari Village Kaniari
Vol. VI Part VI . No. 10 District Bararnulla Tehsil Handwara ·VilIage Zachal~.ra Vol. VI Part VI No. 11 District Baramulla Tehsil Karnah Village Gumal
Vol. VI Part VI No. 12 District Baramulla Tehsil Karnah Village Gundi-G4~ljran Vol. VI Part VI No. 13 DistriCt Ladakh Tehsil Kargil Village Kharboo Vol. VI Part VI . No. 14 District Ladakh Tehsil Ladakh Village Hanu Vol. VI Part VI No. 15 District Ladakh Tehsil Ladakh - Village Hernis Vol. VI Part VI No. 16 District Ladakh Tehsil Ladakh Village Khamik Vol. VI Part VI No. 17 District Doda Tehsil Kishtwar ·Village Matta Vol. VI Part VI No. 18 District Doda Tehsil Kishtwar ·Village Agral
Vol. VI Part VI No. 19 District Udha~pur Tehsil Udhampur • Village Sudhmhad\ev Vol. VI Part VI No. 20 District Udharnpur Tehsil Reasi ·Village Katra . Vol. VI Part VI No. 21 District Jammu Tehsil Samba • Village Badwani Vol. VI Part VI No. 22 District Udhampur Tehsil Ramnagar ·VilIage Khanaid Vol. VI Part VI No. 23 District Kathua Tehsil Bashohli Village Sukral Vol. VI Part VI No. 24 District Kathua Tehsil Kathua Village Chakdrabk~ au Vol. VI Part VI· No. 25 District Kathua Tehsil Kathua ·Village Parole Vol. VI Part VI No. 26 District Poonch Tehsil Haveli Village Rajpora-Martdi Vol. VI Part VI No. 27 District Poonch Tehsil Rajouri Village Shahdral • Vol. VI Part VI No. 28 District Poooch Tehsil Mendhar Village Ramkund
·Reports already printed. NOTIONAL MAP OF PAROLE NAGRI
SHER PUR
T'WPLl
8HARMORA NAKKI AN NAROLIAN
• lEGEND • i YILLA;, IOUHDARf _ .. --- • ROAD · ... . (-- - _ _) HALLA ' • . I ~1 PA A K r 5PRING · . WEL L " • • 0 (11."'1I0N . GROUND ' 0 TEM PlE . . WOSOUE ...... • & tiI POPU!. .. TID lR'A .. · E~ I MATOR I CULTIV'.Ll AREA "' ~ • IHO' III , •• -Ii,. ...
LAHNOTE KANGARYA.L
CO.NTENTS
Page No. FORE\\'ORD i-iii
PREFACE i-ii
CHAPTER I-The Village Introducing the village in terms of its most significant characteristics and why it has been selected; location with reference to important centres of administration, <;ommerce and industry or culture and so on; physical aspects; flora and fauna; area; climate; number of households; resi dential pattern; transport and communications; important public places - including places of worship; crematorium; sources of water and electricity; welfare and administrative institutions; history of the village and legends.
CHAPTER II-The People and their Material Traits: A. Ethnic composition and brief note on each group 7
B. Housetype; dress; foot-wear; orna~ents; household goods; food and drinks; others . 17 C. Beliefs and practices connected with birth, marriage and death with j}artic;ular reference to those aspects which are common among different sections of the population as well as those which are significantly different; Other beliefs . \ 33
CHAPTER .III-Economy;. A. Economic resources-land including forests, agriculfural land and other land, livestock and other resources 36 B. Economic activities and nature of changes : . (i) Livelihood classes; change in the size of the population in different livelihood classes wit,h reference.-to 1951 census figures; analysis of the factors of change 37 (ii) Statistical data regarding primary and subsidiary occupationl Changes, if any. from traditional occupations and from the available earli~r statistical data; analysis of the factors and processes of the changes; attitude of the persons concerned towards the changes 38 . (iii) Occupational Mobility . 40
B-1. Description of different occupations: (i) Agriculture:"'trends of changes "in (a) farming practices (b) nature of ii
proQuce (c) tools and equipments (d) technique (e) organisation of manpower (f) sources of finance (g) nature of expenditure in connection with the various operation~ (h) utilisation of produce (i) marketing of produce (j) time of different activities connected with agriculture . 43 (ii) Animal husbandry, fishing and forestry-Trends of changes in (a) areas wl!..ere the a~tivities are undertaken (b) facilities or concessions enjoyed in respect of the areas of sources· for the activities (c) nature of esti1blishments engaged in the activities (d) organisation· of work groups for the activities (e) tools and equipments (f) techniques (g) sources of finance (h) patrons and clients (i) utilisation of produce (j) marketing of produce (k) time of different activities connected with tbe industry , " 43 \ (iii) Village Industri'e.-Trends of changes in' (a) nature and number of village industrial establishments (b) nature of produce (c) raw materials (d) quantity of produce (e) tools and equipments (f) techniques (g) source of design (b) method of transmission of skill (i) sources of finance (j) nature or patrons and clients (k) utilisation of produce (1) marketing of produce (m) ·time of different activities connected with the industry , 45 . (iv) Commerce-Trends of changes in (a) nature of the establishments engaged in commercial activities in the village (b) nature and quantity of commodities dealt with (c) method of collection and storage of commodities (d) nature of transaction (barter, cash, advance payment etc.) (e) time and season of different activities connected with commerce 46 (v) Other occupations , 48 B-1I Indebte4ness and trends of changes 50 , B-III Income and expenditure and trends of changes in the relative 'importance of the different sources of income as well as in the expenditure pattern with special reference to nature of occupation, income group and ethnic group • 52 B-IV Factors influencing economic life and improvement of in the com munication village under study-land reforms, land improvements, industrialisation and trends of urbanisation, if any; improvement of communication, expansion of marketing facility; sources of finance etc. 53 CHAPTER IV-Social and Cultural Life: A. Statistics relating to age and sex distribution, birth, marriage, disea'e, death .and education and analytical discussion of the statistical data with reference to the relevant factors, e,g., iminigration, emigration, social legislation, provision of various amenities etc. , 59 iii
Pag,No. B. Trends of changes in the family structure, intra-family relationship, and inheritance of property • 60 , C. Leisure and recreation among different sections of the population and trends of changes • ,. 62 D. Religious institutions in the village-temple, church, mosque (history of their growth and development; details of architecture, manage ment and control; sources of finance; area of influence etc.) Community _festivals in the village and tre,pds of changes in the religious beliefs and practices among different sections of the population 63 E. Village Organisation (tension and/or integration) with reference to occupation, income, hamlet, village as a whole, analysis of inter- hamlet relationship and inter-caste relationship 64 F, Reform measures introduced by various agencies including Govern mental agencies-Information and attitude towards the reform measures e. g.; family planning, regulation of dowry, removal of untouchability etc.) manner of implementation of reform measures; impact of reform measures etc. • 66 G. Folk lore 73
CHAPI'ER V -Conclusion with special reference to level of social awareness; inter-relation of different facets of community life of the village and place of the village in the economic and social structure of the, region 75 LOCAL KINSHIP TERMINOLOGY .' 77 SCHEDULES: Village Schedule Part II 82 Village Census and Occupational Schedule • 84 ,Village Dispute Schedule 85 Village Leaders Schedule 86 Social Disabilities Schedule • 87 Cultural Life Schedule 87 Recreation and Artistic Activities Schedule. 88
ABLES-SET (A) : Table I Area, Houses and Population 89 Table II Population by Age-groups 90-91 iv Page No. Table III Size and Composition of Households . 90-91 Table IV Households classified by Religions, Communities, Castes and Sub-castes . 92 Table V Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes 92 Table VI Age and Marital Status 93 Table VII Edu~1ion 94-95. Table VIII Workers and Non-workers by Sex and Broad Age-groups 96-97 Table IX Workers classified by Sex, Broad Age-groups and Occupations 96-99 Table X Workers classified by Sex, Broad Age-groups· and Industry, Business and Cultivation belonging to the Household 96-99 Table XI Non-w~rkers by Sex, Broad· Age-group~ and Nature of Activity .. 100-101 Table XII Households by number of Rooms and by Number of Persons Occupying • 101 Table XIII Households engaged in Cultivation, In4ustry or Business belonging to the Households. 102-103 Table XIV Types of Industry run by Households 104 Table XV Types of Business run by Households 104 Table XVI Traditional Industries by number of Households in each 104 . Table XVII Diet 104 . Table XVIII Medical. Care 105 Table XIX Distribution of Households by Occupation, Income and number of Members 105
Table }Q{ Mo~thly Income per Household by Source and Occupation 106 Table XXI' Monthly IncOIne per Household by Source and Occupation 107-108 Table XXII Indebtedness. 109 Table XXIII Indebtedness by Causes 109 Table XXIV Households and Development Activities 110-111 Table XXV Agricultural produce of Cultivation run by the Households and their Disposal 112 Table XXVI Pro.sperity Index during the last 10 years. 112 Table }QtVIl General . . 112 v PageND. Table XXVIII Average monthly expenditure per household by broader income groups liS
TABLES-SET (B) Table 1 Caste/Tribe or Community and nature of family 114- Table 2(A) Settlement History of Households 114- Table 2(B) Settlement History of Households 115 Table 3 Sect and Caste/tribe 116-117 Table 4 Awareness of Untouchability Offences Act. 118 Table 5(A) Contravention of marriage rules . 118 Table 5(B) Permissibility of inter-caste marriage 118 Table 5(C) Desirability of inter-caste marriage 119 Table 6(A) Awareness of changes in Hindu laws ot succession and adoption 119 Table 6(B) Inheritance of property as in practice. 119 Table 6(C) Share of property for different categories of relations-Sons 120 Table 6(0) Share of property for different categories of relations- Daughters 120 Table 6eE) Share of property for different categories of relations-Wife 121 Table 6(F) Attitude about inheritance of property by daughters equally· with sons 121 Table 7 Change in ownership of land during one generation . 122 Table 8 Reciprocal aid in agricultural practices 122 Table 9 Livestock statistics including fishery 123 Table lO(A) Village Industries-Products 124- Table IO(B) Village Industries-Disposal of products 124- Table 11 (A) Occupational Mobility. 124- Table 11 (B) Occupational Mobility-Nature of change from father's generation to present generation 125 Table 11 (C) Occupational Mobility-Nature of aspiration 126 Table 12 Trade or Business 1-27 vi
Page No. Table 13 Range of Information . 127 Table 14 Land Reforms etc.. 128 Table 15 Oo-operative Society 128 Table 16(A) Information and attitude towards family planning with reference to number of sons and daughters in household • 129 Table 16(B) Attitude towards Family Planning with reference to age of the head of the household 129
Table 16(0) Attitude towards Family Planning with reference to duration of marriage . . 130 Table 16(D) Attit\lde towards Family _ Planning· with reyerence. to monthly Income 130
Table 17 (A) Habit of taking Sugar as corre~ted to Income 131 Table 17(B) Habit of taking Tea as correlated to Income . 131 Table 18 Prohibited Foods and Drinks 132 LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS
1. Notional Map of village Parole Nagri . Frontispiece
2. Photographs :-.
(i) Village view Facing page 2 (ii) Residential Patterns Facing page 3 (iii) Male Dress Facing page 13 (iv) Female and children costumes Facing page 13 (v) A local family Facing page 17
3. Sketches:- (i) House-type Facing page 10 (ii) House-type Facing page 11
(iii) Dress • . Facing page 12 , (iv) Utensils and storing vessels Facing page 14 . (v) Ornaments Facing page 16 (vi) Mother and the children Facing page 17
4. Graphs:- (i) Workers and non-workers by sex and broad age-groups and nature of activities Facing page 35 (ii) Workers classified by livelihood classes Facing page 36 (iii) Households by income groups and indebtedness by causes Facing page 48 f (iv) Population by sex and age-groups Facing page 54 (v) Marital status by sex and age-groups Facing page 55 (vi) Education by sex and age-groups Facing page 58
. 5. Title p,ge: Professional drum-beater
FOREWORD
Apart from laying the foundations of changing and how fast the winds of change demography in this subcontinent, a hun,d were blowing and from where. red 'years of the Indian Census has also Randomness of selection was, therefore, produced elaborate and scholarly accou~ts eschewed. There was no intention to build of the variegated phenomena of IndIan up a picture for the whole State in life-sometimes with no statistics attached, quantitative terms on the basis of villages but usually with just enough statistics to selected statisticaIJy at random. The selec give empirical underpinning to their con tion was avowedly purposive: the object clusions. In a country, largely illiterate, being as much to find out what was . where statistical or numerical comprehen happeniDg and how fast to those 'villages sion of even such a simple thing as age which had fewer reasons to choose change was liable to be inaccurate, an under and more to remain lodged in the pas,t standing of the social structure was essential. as to discover how the more 'normal' It was more necessary to attain a broad types of villages were changing. They understanding of what was happening were to be primarily type studies which, around oneself than to wrap oneself up by virtue of their number and distribution, in 'statistical ingenuity' or 'mathematical would also give the reader a 'feel' of manipulation'. This explains why the wh.t was going on and some kind of a I~dian Census came to be interested in map of the country. 'many by-paths' and 'nearly eyery branch of scholarship, from anthropology and 'A brief account of .the tests of selec sociology to geography and religion'. tion will help to explain. A minimum of thirty-five villages WaS to be chosen with In the last few decades the Census great care to represent adequately geogra has increasingly turned its efforts to the phical, occupational and' even ethnic presentation of village statistics. This suits diversity. Of this minimum of thirty-five, the temper of the times as well as our the distribution was to be as follows:- political and economic structure. For even At least eight villages were to be as we have a great deal of centralization so selected that each of them would on the one hand and decentralization on contain one dominant community the other, my colleagues thought it would with one predominating occupation be a welcome continuation of the Census e. g. fishermen, forest workers, tradition to try to invest the dry bones jhum cultivators, potters, weavers, of village statistics with flesh-and-blood salt-makers, quarry workers etc. A accounts of social structure and, social village should have a minimum change. It was accordingly decided to population of 400, the optimum select a few villages in every State for being between 500 and 700. special study, where personal observation would be brought to bear on the inter (b) At least seven villages were to be pretation of statistics to find out how of numerically prominent Scheduled much of a village was static ~d yet Tribes of' the State. Each village ii
could represent a particular tribe. uneveness in the quality and coverage of The minimum population should be the monographs, it served to compensate 400, the optimum being between the purely honorary and extra-mural rigours 500 and· 700. of the task. For, the Survey, alongwith its many ancillaries like the survey of (c) The third group of villages should fairs and festivals, of: small and rural each be of fair size, of an old and industry and others, was an extra, over settled character and contain ·varie-· and above the crushing load of the 1961 gated occupations and be, if possi ble, multi-ethnic' in composition. Census. By fair size was meant a popula It might be. of· interest to recount tion of 500-700 persons or more. briefly the stages by which the Survey The village should mainly depend enlarged its IIcope. At the fi~st Census on agriculture and be sufficiently Conference in September 1959, the Survey away from ~e xnajor sources of set itself ,the task of what might be mode~ communica\ion such as the called a record in situ of meterial traits, district administrative' head-quarters like I settlement patterns of the village; and business centres. It should be house types; diet; dress; ornaments and roughly a day's journey from the footwear; furniture and storing vessels; above places. The villages were common means of transport of goods and to be selected with an eye to passengers; domestication of animals and variation in terms of size, proxi birds; markets, attended; worship' of mity to city and other' means of deities; festivals' and fairs: There were modem communication, nearness to to be recordings, or coUrse, of cultural' hills, jungles and major rivers. and social traits and occupational mobility. Thus there was to be a regional This was followed up in Marchi ·1960 by distribution throughout the State of two specimen schedules, one for each this' category of villages. If, how household, the other for the ~i1lage as a ever, a particular district contained whole, which, apart from spelting out the significant ecological variations mode of inquiry suggested in the Septem within its area, more than .one ber . 1959 Conference, introduced groups village in the district might be of questions aimed at sensing changes in selected to study the special adjust- attitude and behaviour in such fields as . merits to them. marriage, inheritance, movable and immo It is a unique feature of these village vable property, industry, indebtedness, surveys that they rapidly outgrew their education, community life and collective orginal terms of'reference, as my colleagues activity, social disabilities,' forums of appeal warmed up to their work. This proved over disputes, village leadership, and for them an absorbing voyage of discovery organisation of cultural life. It was now and their infectious enthusiasm compelled plainly the intention to provide adequate me to enlarge the inquiry's scope again statistical support to empirical 'feel' to and again. It was just as well cautiously approach qualitative c~nge through to feel one's way about at first and then statistiscaI quantities. It had been difficult venture further. afield, and although it to give. thought to the importance . of accounts to some extent for a certain Cjust enough statistics to give empirical ... i III
underpinning to conclusions',. at a time fully gOil'e through: over:" again and a when my colleagues were straining them programme worked dIlt . closely knitting selves to the utmost for the success of the various aims of the' Survey together. the main Census Operations, but once The Social Studies Sectio'n of the Census the Census. count itself was left behind Commissioner rendered assistance to State in March, 1961, a series of three regional Superintendents by way of scrutiny and Seminars in Trivandrum (May 1961), technical comment on the- frame of Survey DaIjeeling and Srinagar (June 1961) and presentation of results. restored their attention to this field and the importance of tracing social change This gradual unfolding or the aims of through a number of well-divised statistical the Survey prevented my coDeagues from tables was once again recognised. This adopting as many villages as they had itself presupposed a fresh survey of villages originally intended to. But I believe that already done; but it was worth the trouble what may have been lost in quantity has in view of the possibilities that a close been more than made up for in· quality. analysis of statistics offered, and also This is, perhaps, for the first time that because the 'consanguinity' schedule such a Survey has been conducted in any . remained to be canvassed. By November country, and that purely as a labour of 1961, however, more was expected of love. It has succeeded in attaining what these surveys than ever before. There it set out to achieve: to construct a map was dissatisfaction on the one hand with of village India's social structure. One too many general statements and a growing hopes that the volumes of this Survey desire on the other to draw conclusions will . help to retain for the Indian Census from statistics, to regard social and economic its title to 'the most fruitful single source of data as interrelated processes, and finally information about the country'. Apart from to examine the social and economic other features, it will perhaps be conceded processes set in motion through land that the survey has set up a new Census reforms and other laws, legislative and standard in pictorial and graphic docu administrative measures, technological mentation. The schedules finally adopted and cultural change. Finally, a study camp for this monograph have been printed in was organised in the last week of Decem an appendix, attached with the monograph ber 1961 when the whole field was care- on village Aishmuqam.
NEW DELHI ASOK MITRA, July 30, 1964 Registrar General, India.
PREFACE
A i new and challenging task was vii) Sukral added to the work of Census-taking du viii) Chakdrabkhan ring 1961.' It was to 'invest the dry _ix) Parole bones of village statistics with flesh-and x) Rajpora Mandi blood accounts of social. structure and xi) Shahdra social change'. A few villag es were selec xii) Ramkund ted from every ~tate and the Census Out of these, the itudy was completed Organisation was told_ to find out, on the in respect of:- basis of personal observation, 'how much i) Aishmuqam of a village was static and yet changing ii) Mattan and .how fast the. winds of change were iii) Tullamulla blowing and from where". ivy Mohalla Telian In Jammu and Kashmir, it was v) Zachaldara decided to bring the following villages vi) Matta under the ambit of special study:- vii) Agral viii) Sudhmhadev Kashmir PrDvine, (including Ladakh) ix) Katra i) Aishmuqam x) Badwani ii) Mattan xi) Khanaid iii) Bijbehara Monographs indicating the existing ivY Nandpora social structure and changes registered of v) Hazratbal 5 villages in Kashmir and 6 villages in vi) Charisharif' Jammu have been already published. How vii) Tullamulla ever, a fair portion of this work is still viii) Mohalla Telian in arrears. Presently, we are pressed for ix) Kaniari tiine as the first phase of operations of x) Zachaldara the "ne~t Census is to begin soon. Never xi) Gumal theless since the ~undwork has been xii) Gundi-Gujran already .done for most of these villages, xiii) Kharboo I have thought of making use of the xiv) Hanu material thus collected' and continue the xv) Hemis series of Village Survey Monographs as xvi) Kharnik far as possible. Jammu PrDvine, Few are likely to have heard of the i) Matta village Parole situated on the outskirts of ii) Agral the Pathankot plain but a block of the iii) Sudhmhadev village taking up for special study during Iv) Katra the 1961 Census revealed some interesting v) Badwani facets. In the first place, the very com vi) Khanaid position of the population has changed. ii
Most of the old Muslim inhabitants who Radio and newspapers, publicity through left the block in 1947 have com~ to be ~~-~ting is mandatory for orders passed replaced' by refugees, belonging ~d; under certain sections of 'the penal law minantly to Hindu scheduled castes, Gosains without which their very validity, would and Yogis. be .9pen. to qu~stion .. Drum-beaters CQntinue to pe in- grea~ demand; at festivals. aDd Parole itself is connected' by a m.etalled fu~~~ioris . comiected with' J11ral life. The' road with Kathua, Distri<;! Headquarters .. b]~c~ has 5 'professio~al drum-beaters out This has made trade' ;nd' co'iiim~rce easy. of a total working popUlation of 86 in- As a result, a flourishing market has come habiting it. . into existence in' the village which has The field survey. of the block was proved a helpful factor to the economy . conducted by Shi-i J. Kay Nanda, Socio of the area. economic Investigator. His effort is to The' measures taken .by the Govern be appreciated as the investigation done by him OI:nits no detail of importance. ment to do away with u~touchabi1ity and gradual transformation of 'the outlook of . I should also like to note that my the Hindu society in recent years have Deputy Director, Shri Abdul Gani, although helped a great deal in imparting a sense practically submerged in multifarious tasks of confidence and belonging to the people . relating to 1971 Census has not treated living in the block. The fact that out of these studies as a: peace-time job and the 39 households surveyed, 5 are represen consequently allowed them to go by default; ted in Government service has proved a He has read through every page of drafts significant wind of change and although and it was through his efforts that studies c~lti~ati.~n, scavenging and drum~beating on Badwani, Khanaid and Sopore were cohtimie to be the occupati~ns of the put in a presentable. shape. The present ~jori~y of. the inhabitants, .social pressure study also received much persona~ attention is': mounting in favour of mOle lucrative from him. and decent. type. of jobs. Other officials associated wj~h the work are S/Shri Masood Ahmed S. A. (Map), '.. The. profession of drum-beating quite A. M. Kalloo, S.E.I., Syed Kamal-ud~Din common in Jammu. (not so widespread Kamili, Computor, Miss Usha Tiku, in Kashmir valley)' and a special facet Computor and Virender Kumar Tiku of this block, may have come into exis stenographer. Shri Masood prepared tence owing to the. total lack of mass graphs, sketches and maps; S/Shri A. M. media of communication in olden times. Kalloo and Syed Kamal-ud-Din compiled It' was thrOugh drum-beaters that all im statistical tables etc., proof reading was portant announcements of the Durbar used done by Miss Usha Tiku; while Shri V. K. to be publicised among the people who Tiku typed out the manuscrip_~. They too were mostly illiterate. Even today, despite deserve mention for their labour.
SrinagM, August 26, 1970. .j. N. Z1.JTSIII CHAPTER I THE VILLAGE
INTRODUCTION and Sherpur in the north and north-east. The hilly tract extending from the The villages Khakhyal and Nakkian snowy mountains bounding the Kashmir Narolian lie in its east al'l.d south-east respectively. In the south, it is bounded . valley on the north to the plains of the by Sayed Pur, Kangaryal, Gound and Punjab on the south-east is what is known as Dugar or Jammu province. In Mator villages. The villages Bharmora. Narua, Pamral Daralan, Ervan are on its. the outskirts of this province in the fertile w'estern side. plains near Pathankot lies Parole Nagri, commonly called Nagri by the locals of Parole Nagri is· situated on the bank the Kathua district. Nagri is a conglo of a streamlet called Wajuhu. Six small meration of six villages-Pitho Pain, Taraf tributaries of different khads flow on all Pain, Taraf Bala, Pitho Bala, Mirpur the sides of the village. River Rav~ and Jagoo and Mirpur Ram. The main market Ujh flow 3* miles and 2 miles" away of Nagri is, however, the focal point of from the village respectively. all these villages. The· area occupied by these villages is considered to be a Parole is connected with Kathua by village-area and to turn the area into a a metalled all-weather road. National town is under the consideration of authori High Way is 8 miles away from the ties. Presently, Tehsildar, Kathua, acts village via Kathua whereas via village as . the Chairman of the Village-area Kalyanpur it is only six miles. The road, committee. During the riots of 1947, however, does not come in the village Nagri witnessed mass exodus of the proper. A small bridge on Wajuhu iinks inhabitants and as the situation calmed the village with Kathua-Khakhyal road. down the refugees from other parts of The block can be approached direct from the State and from Pakistan got settled the metalled road. As the passenger gets here. It was in consideration of this down at the bus stand he has just to development that the village was selected cross the small bridge measuring about for the socio-economic survey. To make 5-6· ft. in width, to reach the village the study manageable the survey was market. confh;led to a block around the market, which, as already stated, is the focus of While Kathua market is also within all the six constituent villages. This block easy reach and is often visited by the is composed of househol~ belonging to almost all these village!,. villagers, the local market of Parole is fairly good and caters to. almost all the Parole is 6 miles to the north-west necessities of daily use. The following or Kathua and 61 miles from Jammu. It is situated between 75°-10' and 75°-55' statement indicates the nature of business longitude and 32°-20' and 32°-50' latit1:Ide. or industry in which the various shops It is bounded by villages Muthi Rakhlavan of the village are engaged:- 2 1M Yil. S.No. NfIIur, of business No. ofsJwps Besides the common species of fauna such as stray dogs, rats, cats, crows, 1. Halwai (confectioners) sparrows, owls, cows, sheep, goats, etc., and tea shops 17 the following. wild fauna are found in 2. Blacksmiths 11 the vicinity of the village:- S. Gold-cum-silver smiths 5 i) Pigs 4. Grocer'" 50 ii) Jackal 5. Vegetable-sellers 4 iii) P",a (a kind of deer) 6. Cloth-merchants S iv) Fox "- 7. Hakims' 3 v) Forest-cow vi) Forest ox (Neele sir) 8. Doctors 2 vii) StU 9. Cycle-shops 2 viii) Rabits ',10. Oil-crushers 6 ix} Ducks 11. Potters 16 x) Bulbul 12. Weavers 12 xi) Peacock (Moore) 13. Cobblers S xii) Tllla,. xiii) ElISluri 14. Carpenters and masons' 24 xiv) Batay'" 15. Tailors 8 xv) Forest Gug; 16. Barbers 4 xvi) Wild pigeons , Total number of shops 172 AREA According to the Census Records, the non AND PAUNA cluster of six villages known as Parole Nagri extends over an area of 3,070 acres. Following are the broad details of The 1961 Census puts the population of tlora and fauna found in the village:- these villages as 4,243. This gives a' !'lora tiensity of 1.38 persons per acre for Parole i) <.,p"pol as a whole. ·The density of the block ii) Both under survey could not. however, be iii) Jamtm worked out because the area of the block iv) Mango is not known. v) Tali (Sheesbam)' vi) Kik", CLIMATE vii) Mulberry It is a village of hot climate situated viii) .Arjam (used for timber) at an altitude of 320 metres above the ix) .Ambua (used for fuel) sea-level. In the absence of any obser x) Symbk (used for furniture) vatory in the close vicinity of the village, xi) Dates no maximum and minimum temperatures xii) Sarita, have, however, been recorded. -As will be xiii) Bail' (a ,kind of fruit) evident _ from the following statement, xiv) Pkalai, indicating' monthly rain-falls during the xv) Banj year 1960, July and August are the Vdlage View \ Residential Pattern Residential Pattern -.-.- months of rainfall and for the rest· of 10 persons and over 7.7% of house the year the climate remains, almost dry holds and 12.9% except minor falls during winter months of population. viz., December and January:- Barring 9 Christuin households com Year Month No. of Rainfall in prising 29% of th~ population. the inhabi tants of the block are Hindus. Of them. rainy days Millimetres as many as 7.4. 7o/~ are Meghs. The rest 1960 January 4 95.5 belong to Gosain and Yogi castes. .. February Nil 0.0 RESmENTIAL PATl'ERN March 8 48.2 " The residential pattern is similar as Aprll Ni'l 0.0 " found in other rural areas of Jammu: and May 1 13.7 Punjab. The pacea house, follow the " 11.4 s.:ame pattern as generally found in small " June 2 July 10 337.0 towns of the Punjab and the kacha ones .. provide the same picture as obtains in August 12 492.2 " other rural areas around. Houses lie September I 23.9 .. mostly in clusters and rows and vary in October Nil 0.0 " their design and size. Some of the November Nil 0.0 houses, however, lie at a distance of 20 " December 1 38.1 to 50 feet between each other.· There is " no satisfactory arrangement; for drainage 39 days 1,060.0 and for the disposal of waste. Almost every house has a compound. fenced or HOUSEHOLDS unfenced. attached to it. " The block· consists of, 39_ households. TRANSPORT & OQMMUNIOATIONS As brought out by Table No. III, Set A, There is a daily bus service between appended to the Report, about 41 % Kathua and Parole. Tongas. however. households representing 35.8%' of the are the most important means of trans total population consist of 4-6 _member port and can be had even at odd hours. families. The corresponding position of Carriage of heavy loads and commercial other households is indicated below:- goods into and out of the village is Single member household ... 2.6% of house- usually conducted in trucks and bullock holds and 0.4% carts. Following are the important stations of population, by distances falling on way from Kathua to Parole:- 2-3 member ~useholds ... 12.8% of households and S.No. Name of the Distance 6.3% of popu station ,: from lation, Kathua 7-9 member households ... 35.9% of·house 1. Kathua 0 mile holds, 4+.6% of 2, Chak Diwan Kirpa Ram 1 mile populaion. 3. Chak Desa Singh 1 mile 4
- 4. Chan gran If miles graveyard attached to the shrine of Cha 5. Chak Sujan Pur 21 miles· ttar Shah in Taraf }>ain. 6. Khokhyal Kirpal miles 41 Christian Cemetry: lies on the bank Parole .. 6 ~iles 1. of the stream in Pitho Pain. The traditional means of transport like SOURCES OF WATER AND ELEC· horses, .asses aDd muies are also used for TlUCITY the tran~portations of goods. And in the absence of these pack animals, vHlagers There are no water taps either in the themselves carry the. load from one part block under surveyor in the rest of the of the village to the other. village. About seven private tube wells and eighty open wells provide water for The block is serv~ by a branch drinking .purposes. They are, however, iIi post office. No arrangements are, how sUfficient to meet the requirements of ever. available for booking of telegrams. drinking water adequately. The spring at The nearest telegraph office with telepho ~ttar Shah has also hygienic water. nic facDities is at Kathua. The water of the wells, though some what siclene is on the whole good for IMPORTANT PUBLIC PLACES digestion. Lower castes like Aryas, Bangis, Except for a small temple of Lord Kamhars, Chaman, Meghs, Mabashas have Shiva there is no important public place exclusive wells in their respective areas to in the block. draw upon and as in the past have no The shrines of Bala Sundri. Lord Shiva excess to the wells used by caste Hindus. and Chattar Shah are, however, the im The enforcement of Untouchabi1ity Offences portant public places of the village as a Act of 1955 may take still some time whole. The local market is also a centre to transform the attitudes ~d practices of gossip and fun. in the measure as required. CREMATORIUM Wajuhu water is filthy and grey in colour and is, therefore, used only for· There are four burning grounds in purposes of washing, irrigation and fish the :village as a whole where Hindus culture. bum their dead. Out of these {auf, two are for Hindus other than Harijans and Parole has not come under electrifica- Gosains. ODe of these is located near . tion as yet and continues to draw upon the Bus Stop called Mard while. the other the age old earthen lamps and lanterns. is in Mirpur Ram on the bank ofWajuhu. The electric poles have, however, .been fixed and it is expected that the village might Cremation ground of Gosains is in soon be in a position to enjoy the faci the temple of Bala Sundri. . The remain lity of electricity. ing one is of Harijans called Triwala and is situated on tile bank of Wajuhu WELFARE AND ADMINISTRATIVE in Pitho Pain. INSTITUTIONS Muslims_:'_no longer existent in the District and tehsil level administration, village-used to bury their dead in: the controlled by the Deputy Commissioner 5
and, Tehsildar of Kathua respectively, Ii miles from the village are said to have looks after the general administration of been constructed during the reign of King Parole Nagri. The village Panchayat was Vikarma Dittya (400 A.D.). According to dissolved some 12 years ago. At present location legend this area is believed to Parole is treated as a village area. The have been the capital of Raja Gobind Tehsildar of Kathua and a local doctor Chand whose place was situated just in respectively act as Chairman and Secre the neighbourhood of Arapati shrine. tary of the village area committee. This According to another popular legend is the only body responsible for the gene the temple of Bala Sundri was consttuc-' ,ral welfare of the inhabitants and for ted before Mughal empire and Shahjahan introducing other reform measures. (1627-1658 A.D.) visited the shrine several Patwari is the official representative of times. It is said that the land attached the Revenue Department. He maintains to the temple was dedicated by Shah the village maps, statistics and records jahan whose signatures are still there on relating, to land and revenue. Numberdar the Palla of Bala Sundri. "is the village head who assists the Patwari. There are equally interesting legends Other institutions func~ioning in the as regards the nomenclature of Parole block are Branch Post Office, Govern Nagri and how and when it came to be ment Dispensary and a high schoot known by the present name. One legend The block is also served by the following says that in the ,very beginning, when institutions operating in the other sectors Parole was the capital of a King, flowers of Parole:- were is abundance here and as such it I. Government Girls Lower Middle was known as Pushpa Vati Nagri which School with the passage of time has cOlTUpted into Parole Nagri. _, 2. Government Dispensary 3. Veterinary Unit Another legend is that the area. before 4. Co-operative Society the actual habitation, was rich with a 5. Police Post. wild vegetable known as Parmal or Ban parole. It was, therefore, known afterwards IDSTORY OF THE VILLAGE AND as Parmal or Banparole which gradually LEGENDS cOlTUpted into Parole. At present this vegetable is cultivated in other parts of There is no authentic record to bring out the Jammu province also. something about the origin and the settle ment of Parole ~agri. Some popular legends There is yet another legend which of interest are, however, reproduced below:- says that a family among the early settlers came from a village Parole near The shrines of Bala Sundri and Ara Kangra and as the household was the pati, ancie:p.t as they are lend credance most prominent among the settlers the to the' belief that the settlement of Parole place came to be known after them as be dating back even befOre 400, A.D. Parole. Three temples of Lord Shiva in ',parole and two others at a distance of 2i and The very early settlers are said' to 6
have come from Rajasthan and are be times, used to collect grains etc., from lieved: to ·be Rajputs. Next came Brah . their tillers i.e., Doom,s at this place. mins to serve as priests for the earlier settled Rajputs. To take up the menial The Sikhs and R~jmazdoors living in duties like agriculture etc., lower castei the village at present have all immigrated settled on the outskirts of the villages and were called Dooql. Near the Poliee into the village from Muzzafrabad district Station a stone structure still exists which of the State--now on the other side of is caned Ghars. Landlords, of ancient Cease-fire Line. CHAPTER II THE· PEOPLE AND THEIR MATERIAL TRAITS
A. ETHNIC COMPOSITION Christians, Sikhs and Hindus, a hardy Parole folk are ethnically Dogras. Due, people divided into severa1 castes and however, to its location in the close subcastes. In the block under survey, vicinity of Punjab, Punjabi social and however, bulk of the population belongs cultural life has equally made its impact to three of the Hindu castes namely.. felt. People of the area are well built Meghs, Gosain and Yogi, the rest being and hardworking. They are generally tall Christians. The si.tbjoined statement gives with wheatish complexion. Simple living the community and caste-wise number of and family pride are the two inherent households and their population as also traits of the people. their respective percentages in relation to People as a whole . is the home of the block as a whole:-
SI. No. Community/Caste Name of sub-caste No. of Popu Percentage Percentage house lation of hOuseholds of village holds in the village population, A-Sckduled Casle Hir.du.s 22 127 56.37 52.92 I. Megh or Kabir Panthi 22 127 56.37 52.92 Demothia 3 17 7.69 7.08 Gadyan 2 14 5.13 5.83 Mahotray 2 II 5.13 4.58 Khorotna 1 9 2.57 3.75 Magoch 2 7 5.13 2.92 Chatyari 1 7 2.56 2.92 Ghawan I 7 2.56 2.92 Mangotray . 1 7 2.56 2.92 Chanotray 1 7 2.56 2.92 Kabir Panthia 1 6 2.56 2.50 Margotray 1 6 2.56 2.50 Majgotray 1 6 . 2.56 2.50 Malgotray 1 6 2.56 2.50 Kraliay 1 6 2.56 2.50 Karthal 1 5 2.56 2.08 Kadya,ri 1 3 2.56 1.25 Rohmotray 1 3 2.56 1.25 8
Thr Peopk 61 T1W Material Traits
81. No. Community/Caste Name of sub-ca.ste No. of Popu- ~ercentage Percentage house- lation of households of village holds in the village population
B. Other Hindus 8 43 20.54 17.92 1. Gosain 5 24- 12.84- 10.00 Puri 2 12 ·5.13 5.00 Gobulia 6 2.51 2.50 Baragy I 5 2.51 2.08 Nanga 1 I 2.57 0.42 2. Yogi· 3 19 7.70 7.92 Tarkhan 2 ' 13 5.13 5.42 Lalotray 1 6 2.57 2.50
C. Christians 9 70 23.09 29.16 I. Bhangia 9 70 ·23.09 29.16 Momay 3 27 7.69 11.25 Sandhu 2 )3 5.13 5.42 Pathan 2 12 5.13 5.00 Ladar 11 2.57 4.58 Sowntay 7 2.57 2.91 Meg'" would pollute him and make it obligatory, The table indicates that 52.92% of for him to take a bath. These attitudes the inhabitants are scheduled caste. all have, however. been loosing their intensity Meghs. since the advent of independence. The caste Hindus no' longer consider it a sin As was the posltlon of Scheduled to mix freely with Scheduled Castes alld Castes all over the country, the Scheduled do not take serious notice of their entering Castes In Parole also suffered from nume the temple or using the same source of rous disabilities 'of hist9rical origin. Th~ir water which they themselves utilize for entry into temples was banned and it day to day consumption. was not. possible for them to share with The origin of M(.ghs is somewhat other inhabitants such civic amenities as obscure as varying vIews have been ex using water from springs, wells, taps etc. pressed by different writers about their Many shops particularly those which were antecedents, about how they came to be engaged in the sale ,of eatables were known as Meghs and what prompted the inaccessible to them. A high caste Hindu society to label them as Scheduled Caste. would not permit himself even to be According to one version Meghs were touched by a member of the' Scheduled classltied as Kshattryas right upto tbe Castes under the inhibition that this "lamayana period when a Brahman. 9
Paras Ram by name, launched a ca:r;npaign risted and tumed him out of his house. of persecution against them. It is said The expelled boy settled in the north of that in order to save themselves of this the province where like his ancestors he persecution, some Kshttrayas abondoned engaged himself in teaching children. In their traditional occupation and took up course of time, he also got interested to hand loom weaving calling themselves in the celebration of Jag, Havan, etc. as Meghs. On one occasion when he was performing Jag Aswameda, so as to restore a dead Some people, however, believe that cow to life, his charms proved ineffective Meghs were originally Brahmins and /were and the people rediculed him. He accord as such respected by all Hindus. One ingly sent a message to his father who of the Brahmani~ it is said. owned a cow also chanted certain mantras and succeeded which contracted some disease and died. in resurrecting the dead-body of life. The The Brahman· requested many people to father did not. however, permit the son help remove the carcase but Brahmins as to eat by his side but promised that he they all were each one turned down the would relax. this ban after sometime. request until he came aceross one who The son became angry and severed }:lis became bold enough to come forward relations with his father and became the and volunteer to remove the dead-body founder of a new caste whose members away from the habitation. On this he came to be known as Minghs or Meghs. was ex-communicated by his fellow caste brotheren and was dubbed as. Megh or Sir Denzil has further remarked that a low caste Hindu. Instances of this by religion the Meghs are the followers kind multiplied with the result that a of Kabir. They also worship a Guru separate class of people to be known as whose Caddi is in Keran, a village 3 Meghs emerged. And in the course of miles from Jammu city. The Guru adju time they became to be treated as un dicates in all matters social, ceremonial touchables. or religious and his decision is final. Meghs are easily distinguishable from Sir Denzil Ibbetson has also confirmed other scheduled castes by their physical the view that Meghs were original1y structure. They are ora darker complexion Brahmins. According to 'A Glossary of like the Dooms and do· not share any Tribes and Castes of the Punjab and common features with the Dogras. Mr. North-west Provinc"e' written by him in W. Waketfield has also in his book 'The 1192. one of the ancestors of Meghs, who Happy Valley' (p. 102-105) given a some was a Brahman by birth, lived in Banaras what similar description of Megh caste (Uttar Pradesh). The Brahman had two in the following paragraph :-' . 9Ons. of whom the elder was a man of letters and a great scholar. The younger "The Meghs and Dooms have physical 90n was. however, completely illiterate. characters that distinguish them from The Brahmin, therefore, asked his elder the other castes. They are commonly 90n to teach his YOlUlger brother but the darker in colour; while the others of former disobeyed and' declined to carry these parts have a moderately light out the orders. The Brahmin got infu- . brown complexion, tl).ese people are 10
TM PeojJle & TIW Materilll Traits
apt to be I;l!, dark as the nati"es, of B,.:_H9USE TYPES India below Delhi. There are usually, About 40% of the houses in Nagri I think, sman in limb, and rather are pacca, double storeyed constructions. short in stature, in face they are less The rest of the 60% are single-storeyed bearded than the other castes and kacha dwellings. On the whole the di their countenance is of a much lower mensions of a house are 20'x25' with an type than that of the Dogms gene average capacity of two rooms. Half the rally, though one sees exceptions, due kacha houses are single 'roomed huts with no doubt to an admixture of blood." generally slanting roofs. Pacca dwellings Go.Bin have been constructed with cement, lime stucco, burned bricks and stones and have Gosain come next and form 10% of reasonably good accommodation. Kaclia the total population. T"'ey claim to belong houses, on the other hand, are mud to the priestly class 'lower than the constructions, some are of unburnt bricks Brahmins and also engage themsleves in plastered from within and outside with a priesthood etc. by occupation. They are thiCk layer of brown clay and hay. subdivided into the following subcastes People with low income generally have Gobulia, Nanga, Puri and Baragy. an insignificant base or plinth below the YogU building while the rich raise pucca plinths Yogi ii the name generally assigned about 2 feet above the ground in .stone to a person who attains self-abnegat~on or bricks. and is specialised in performing Yoga i.e., In 80% of the buildings" the roofs special feats of physical exercises which are flat called chhats, while :the rest of are believed to raise their spiritual power. the 20% houses are huts with double But here in the block under survey none 'sloped roofs covered from, above with of the Yogis were found to be true to thatch, grass, bamboo, mats and branches their surname and follow either agriculture of trees. G. C. I. sheets are not used for or drum-beating as their occupations. roofing the buildings. Open cklzals are used for sleeping purposes during summer ChrUtIaas nights. In all the pacca houses and in Christians ,occupy a little over 2~% of some of the kacha ones stairs have been the population of the whole block. They constructed in the compound for going on are locally called Churas or Bhangis., i.e., roofs. In other cases moveable bamboo the sweepers or scavengers. They are the or wooden staircases have been provided. poor and illiterate group of people. So Pacca houses 'have roofs covered with far as the Christians are concerned, they timber, tiles and cement. Whereas in are local converts due to the efforts of rest of the houses logs of wood regular missions working in various parts of the or irregular are placed over the opposite State. Most of them originally belonged walls ranging I to Ii ft. apart and inter to scheduled castes who had no excess vening distance being covered with branches to religious places, sources' of water' and of trees, bamboo matting, tbatch and' ahop. etc. As 'Christians . now they ~e small wooden planks. Such roofs are endowed with religious freedom. further, covered with thick layer of brown
\ j i
I i I, II / \ ; 'I i j f , ,Ii, j i I I J '1 , I i /1 ' I , J t 11 P.w.--.-. clay and hay 9· to l' deep finally be There are nowever no households not Jiving smeared from above with an emulsion of in regular' rooms. Households whose cowdung and clay which saves the clay dwellings do not consist of more than plaster from breakage on being dry. one room appear to be much over-crowded as the average number of persons per Pacca buildings are well constructed room in . each such household is more with proper ventilation and resemble the than five. The average number of persons houSes constructed in the towns of Punjab. per room in dwellings consisting of two Most of these dwellings have been cons rooms each is 3.5. Households residing tructed of small tiles .or Maharaji bricks hi three-roomed houses are somewhat less depicting old architecture dating to the congested as the average in, this case i~ reign of Ma,_haraja Partap Singh. These 2.5 persons per room. It is, however, buildings have also been provided with quite evident that the residential accommo separate kitchens, dormitories, cow sheds, dation in each such case is not in baths etc. conformity with the basic principles of Kacha dwellings consisting of medium hygiene and normal living. size rooms having an average height of It is also quite clear that dormitories 8 ft. are poorly ventilated with hardly a are provided for unmarried boys·· and, window for each room. Except huts, all girls only in spacious buildings and not the rest of the dwellings have separate in other houses in which living accommo kitchens and cattle sheds. In huts either dation is inadeq~te and separacy is one comer of it is used for cooking ruled out. purPoses or the food is cooked in the open compounds attached with. A hole Majority of the houses have been pro in the roof serves the purpose of a vided with compounds, fenced or unfenced, chimney. Most of these have no baths which are used for stocking cow-dung. and latrines. People residing in these rice-pounding etc. During summer,· these kacha houses take regular baths at their are also utilized for sleeping and cooking respective wells and answer to the call purposes. of nature in· the fields or on the bank The .order of construction varies from of the stream. building to building and in case .of Kacha buildings, it is quite hyphazard. A reference to table XII, Set A, A.s against this most of the pacca build-' appended to the Report, shows that the ings have come up in an orderly design block is inhabited by 39 households which with due regard to requirements of accomo claim an aggregate population of 240 dation, drainage, ventilation, construction persons. The total number of rooms pattern etc. With the growing tendency available in the dwellings for residential of the inhabitants to faU in line. with purposes stand at 60 or one room for the urban way,' of living, the practice every four persons. This is not a satis of building houses without latrines and factory position and does indicate a lot bath-rooms is, gradually disappearing. of congestion. Small bath-rooms are built inside the The table further indicates that one house and are equipped with small reser of ·the households is living· in a t~mple~ voirs of masonry work in which water is 12
TIle People & T!l6i1 Material Traits
stored~ Latrines are built in a corner of Other building nmterials like stones, nails, the compound i~ front of the building. bolts, etc. are available locally.
Hindus generally like their new houses The village has 24 skilled masons ~nd to face east or south. Christians are not carpenters. Nagri has a reputation in the however inhibited by any such scruples. neighbouring villages. also fOl'. the crafts manship of its carpenters and masons. New constructions are not undertaken Following are the wages paid to skilled witho~t consulting the family priest who and un-skilled labour:- prescribes the time and hour for laying i) Mistri or Mason-Rs.5.00 to Rs. 6.00 the foundation stone. The ceremony is per day, called Nee Rakira and is· regarded. as auspicious. Friends and relatives assemble ii) Turkha" or Carpenter-Rs. 4.00to Rs. on the occasion to felicitate the house 6.00 per day, builder. The celebration starts with the iii) Raj-ma;::dooT or labour-Rs. 2.00 to Rs. 'recitation by the priest of Ganesh Pujan . 2.50 per day. or the worship of Lord Ganesh. After DRESS this is over. small silver plates on which baska nag. (raja of snake), kachhu (tortoise) Dresses used by the inhabitants of and machhi (fish) are engraved, are Parole are in no way different from those consigned alongwith a piece of sopari to the worn by the villagers residing in Gurdaspur, spot where the foundation stone is to Jullundur and Amritsar districts of Punjab. be laid. The head of the household or As in many other areas. of the State here . a respectable person of the locality then too the traditional pattern of dress is "lays the foundation stone. No other cere gradually being replaced with the modem monies are performed thereafter until the designs of apparel. The middle aged and completion of' construction. elderly people of Parole, however, still have a liking for their old pattern ot When the house is ready for . being costume and are generally seen shabbily occupied, another ceremony known as dressed in kUTta and lahnga, a typical Paroesh Greh is celebrated. The priest is traditional Punjabi dress. Some of the again summoned to perform Nav-greh Pujan males also wear pyjama and /cameez. With attributed to the nine stars which are them head·gear is also a must which supposed to influence human life. On consists of either a turban called stifa or this occasion also friends, relatives and a. simple cloth cap. neighbours assemble and are served with Elderly female dress consists of loose gUT or raw sugar. Clos~ relatives are, shalwar and qameez. Newly married women, however, entertained to a vegetarian however, girdle themselves in gaily dinner. coloured sarees and blouses. They also . To cater to the local demand for use dupatta as their head-gear which is . bricks a kiln has come up in village a loose cotton cloth measuring 11- x 2, yards Mirpur Jagoo. The rate of bricks is and is invariably dyed in some colour to Rs. 55/- per thousand. Cement and timber, add to its gaiety. are procured from Kathua and Pathankot. The younger generation have no liking Male Dress
Female & Children Costumes
13
Parole for the clumsy traditional dresses of their curing cloth required for day-to-day use~ elders. They rather covet latest designed :For marriages and other important occa garments which are worn by the younger sions, however, purchases are made from folk in town areas~ .Most of them can Kathua market where superior cloth is be seen clad in good tailored shirts, available # bushirts, readymade check designed 1>ea The v;l1age market has also eight shirts) under-garm.ents> shorts and pants. shops of tailors whose services are c-m Children attending school also wear smart played by the inhabitants of the block uniform. Another conspicuous change is for getting their clothes stitched. that they have dispensed with the head gear and are satisfied with combed hair. Barter system which was in vogue in the past when payments for sales and The young school going girls are also purchases were made in kind, is no longer not in favour of shabby dresses of their prevalent. All transactions are conducted elders and instead cherish tight qameez now in cash only. and shalwar of printed mill-made cloth. They are very much interested to see Unlike in the past,. when the econo- tha t there should be a rna tching of micaUy backward people used to wash colours in their articles of dress and their dirty clothes with ash or some head-gear consisting of small attractive herbs" every household now washes its coloured dupattas. clothings with soap which is available for sale in the local market. On festive With the setting in of winter, warm occasions young-er-folk even get their .clothes clothings made ·of wool such as coats, ironed. pullovers, blankets, shawls etc. are also used in addition to the above mentioned FOOT-WEAR dresses. Rural jaoti prepared locally ia the Pardaha system is not in vogue and common footwear.. Chappals and gurgabis women of all castes and communl!les are also worn by the males. The upper public. freely move about in Newly part of the feet remains naked as "ery wedded females, however, feel shy before few of the villagers put on socks. Modern strangers and elderly male n1.embers of the type of leather and rubber shoes are family. Whenever they appear before any also used and mostly by the young folk such person, they veil their faces by and are purchased from Kathua market. pulling down one side of their dupattas or sarees. Females put on desi jooti, slippers and cheep sandals. Female jooti is generally The village market has among others embroidered from above with silver or three cloth dealers who are exclusively tila threads. engaged in the sale of drapery. A few of the local grocers also stock in their Except modern type of shoes, all the shops different verieties of cloth besides rest of the foot ... wears are manufactured other goods. The inhabitants,. therefore, by the local shoe-makers who number do not feel any inconvenience in pro... five. 14:
The People & Their Material Traits
ORNAMENTS villagel market. For better designed orna.. Ornaments, both of silver and gold, ments, howe~er, Kathua market is preferred. are commonly used by the women folk for decorating different parts of the body. HOUSEHOLD GOODS Apart from these, multi-coloured glass Metallic utensils of brass and aluminium bangles and other imitation ornaments are are in-variably used by the villagers. worn. Cheap cosmetics like powder, Earthen pots are only employed for storing cream, perfumed hair oils, nail-polishes, water and grains. In rare cases earthen antimony etc. are also frequently used pots are also used for cooking purposes. by the newly wedded females.
\ 1 n addition, china ware is also found in The local names, weights and other a few famHies while some others own particulars of the ornaments worn by the bronze cups for taking tea. local females are given below:- The subjoined statement gives the Name of Local name Weight names of brass and earthen-wares which ornaments are common in majority of the households :- i) Nose-ring Nath & Nag It to 2t tolas Brass Utensi.ls ii) Bangles Gajray 1 tola each iii) Bangles Gokhroo 2 .. 3 tolas each Local names iv) Ornament Shakuntula 3.. 4 tolas each 1, Patelas cauldrons for cooking for feet chain of rice,. vegetables etc. si)v,er 2. Dhakans lids for covering Patelas v) Ring Anguthi i to 1 tola 3. Kidch': big spoon for pouring vi) Ornament Tikka 1-2 tolas cooked vegetables, etc. worn on forehead 4. Thalis big plates in which meals are served vii) Necklace lockat 2-3 tolas 5. Chimcha a spoon Sonle of the male inhabitants are also Iseen wearing gold rings in their ears, a 6. Koulies or cups in which cooked legacy which they have inherited from Catories soups, vegetables, cereals, their Dogra ancestors and which was in etc. are taken vogue among the Hind u inhabitants of many other parts of the State for a long 7. Glass tUlnbler time past but has since been discarded. 8. Tranbi or a vessel for kneading A fev~ of them, however, wear finger Paraat flour rings of gold or stainless steel. 9. Garbi ·or Lata a vessel fo,r pouring water Ornaments are got manufactured from the local silver-cum-~old smiths who have 10• VI1ltois or a pDt for storing water five regular shops functioning in the . Gagar -_ -_. _' ___":.'
-~---~- :...- .. . __ . -
-~~------=-~ -.~ .... ~~-~.: ~=----:__ - .~ ~. -
" 4 -.. ."~-= -- .:
C r+ (1) ::> Vl
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15 Parole
Earthen P0t8 and other furniture articles are rare except in case of richer families. Beds locally Local Name called manjis are used by nearly every 1. Gada pitcher for storing water household for sleeping purposes. Local 2. Kuni or Handi used for boiling milk or carpenters manufacture all these articles cooking cereals, etc. and there is no dirth of these in the village. 3. Matt used for storing water Brass and aluminium utensils are neither or rice, maize, wheat manufactured within the village nor in required for day to day any of the adjoining villages. These are use however available for sale in the main Other articles of domestic use consist of:- market of the village. There are all told 1. Talla an iron pan for baking 16 potters in whole of Parole who cater chappatis not only to the local requirements·. but even to that of the adjoining areas. 1. Kadaie an iron pan like a cauldron used for frying FOOD AND DRINKS and also for cooking vegetables The staple food of the inhabitants is wheat. Rice, maize and bajra are also 3. Cluzkla and used for flatening the consumed in large quantities. Generally BelM kneaded flour into three meals are taken a day by aU the chappatis inhabitants irrespective of any caste or 4. Kundi Danda Mortor and pestle made creed. or Sil Beta of stone and used for grinding spices etc. The first meal is break-fast taken in the morning lacally known as Nahan. It 5. CIuzki Stone mill has not been possible to ascertain how Storbig Vessels this name was introduced here as it is commonly used in countries speaking Per i) Kool A big box constructed sian and Arabic dialects where the word of mud, wooden planks Nahan signifies the first meal after day and bricks. It is about break. NaIzari usually consists of stale 6 ft. high and has a capa chappatis, preserved from the dinner of the city of 50 to 250 maunds: previous evening taken along with tea or of grains. lassi (butter-milk). At times fresh chappa ii) Pantlole It is just like a drum tis are also prepared and consumed with open from ahov, and pickle of mango or gulgul and green chillies. is constructed of bamboo sticks and mud. . It can The other two meals consist of the store about 40 to 50 lunch and the dinner. Daily menu at maunds of grains. both these meals does not include any formal preparations and usually consists of Wooden boxes or tin boxes are used chappatis of wheat or maize flour and for preserving" clothes etc. Chairs, tables, sometimes rice also which are consumed 16
Th8 P,opl, & Their Material Traits
with soup of pulses or green vegetables.- added to it. These are then fried in ghee after which spi All the inhabitants of the block are ces and curd ill also a little non-vegetarians. But mutton, fish and eggs water are added. The whole are considered to be a lwruriant food. preparation is allowed to sUn whicb do~s not constitute a normal item mer on a low fire for at least of their menu due to economic backward two hours. The dish. ia taken ness. The dietic defliciency thus caused with riCe and is an indispen is somewhat compensated by the frequent sable item of the feasts served use of green vegetables like onions, toma on the occasion of marriages. toes. cabbage, cauliflower. brinjala. turnips, pota toes, pwnpkin, green, leavl's like palo.k, A"blJi It is a special sour dish pre sarso01l. metAi, kadam. etc. etc. Besides a pared by adding amchur (dried variety of pulses like grams, gramdal. unripe mango slices) to a mongi. rongi, mash, rajmaah etc., are vegetable dish. consumed. DartlGloo Cleaned potatoes are first fried Milk and it& by-products are aJso availa in ghee and then boiled in a in ble abundance in Parole Nagri. Accor· aoup preparllotion oC spices, ding to the survey OUt of 39 households ghee and curd. residing in the block 27 own 54 milching cattle while some of them also own goats. Ori)'Q ••• Powdered raw ( mustard) is The inhabitants have. therefure. developed added to curd and is allowed the habit of consuming milk, curd, butter to remain in it for a few hOUri. milk and butter in large quantities. The mixture is then churned till the stinging smell is strong . Staple food does not change with change enough to be perceived by in seasons. Tea which is taken twice anyone present. Some fried daily during the winter days, however, _potatoes or onions with spices I replaced in hot summer days by cold is and salt are added to it to drinks, like sA".bats (sugared water), sAo.k,njbi make the preparation very. (sugared water with lime juice). lass; tasty, strong and stimulating. (buttered-milk) and kachi-lassi (milk. Rugar and water). In the past. tea called desi Cheese and some vegetable preparation :- &hai was prepared from. the As1lam tea Ro.i6ta This is a preparation oC chur leaves only but now there is a tendency ned curd, chips of onions or in favour of lipton tea. boiled potatoes and a little of On the occasion of marriages and other chillies and salt. festive celebrations special Dogri dishes are BabToo The kneaded flour is kept prepared and served. Among these mention throughout the night in some may be made of the following which are warm place to ferment and much relish.ed:- . then transformed into small Rajmash or roongi or mash thick eh4ppalis which are fried are soaked in water overnight in ghee before being consu with a little of BOda-bicarb med. ~, .. . ." .~
' ...... : :~.' ... ;. ,.. :.: . .: . .",.. .."...... ,. ~ . :". r:.,
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" .. ..=.:... .:.. .. :_ ." ..• ~. ·:'It:"'.··•• fZ.t ...... ', Mother and the c"hildren - , . ~ ,
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A Local Fami ly
17
Parol,
Rice, milk, almond kernels, the liquor in one or two days time. As songi and dry coconut slices the distillation ot country liquor is illegal, are boiled together till the relevant details could not become available. mixture attains a thick consis tency. Finally some sugar is Majority of the immigrants froOl added to the preparation. Muzzafrabad are in the habit of rubbing snuff to their teeth. Tobacco is, however. A deviation from the normal - mehu is a common addiction among most of the made occassionally when pun. puddings, inhabitants and is used both in the form ~It and sweet pulaos are also cousumed. of cigarettes as well as in hukka (hubble By and large, these are mostly served on bubble). festive occasions. (] -BELIEFS AND PRACTICES As cooking arrangements have to be made on a sizable scale in marriages and The inhabitants of the block share other functions, households generally employ almost in equal degrees all beliefs and professional cooks who are locally available. practices about births, marriages and His wages do not exceed Rs. 10/- per day deaths etc. but he is also provided with board and lodging. Birth. There is no butcher in the village mar The birth of the first child to a newly ket but periodically a goat or sheep is married female is proceded among Hindus slaughtered and its meat is sold to the by the performance of a number of rituals inhabitants at the rate of Rs. 3/- per kilo at different intervals during her pregnancy. gram., Beef is neither available nor con Most important of these is that observed sumed by any of the households. Fish is in the 8th month called Rittan. On the available in the nearby stream and some occasion the parents of the . parturient times can be had from some of the families send Kalla, a preparation consisting of who do fishing as a subsidiary occupation powdered ginger, milk, ghee, almond and reside in other blocks of Parole. kernels, songi, pisla, dry coconut slices etc., along-with some cash as also a new pair Grajns and vegetables are quite sufficient of dresses for the parturient. The bride's for the local demand and are available parent-in-laws distribute the Kalla among for sale in the main market. All sales their family members and neighbours. are conducted against cash or on credit and barter system is conspicuous by its Christians do not perform any such absence. rituals but share with other Hindu inhabi tants of the block many beliefs which About 50% of the adult male population according to them influence the parturient is in the habit of taking locally distilled and the prolij>Cctive child. The pregnant country-liquor. The liquor is extracted woman is not permitted to run' about from gur and the outer. layer of the stem or to carry heavy loads lest it should" of kikar tree. Recently, however, ammonium cause abortion. She is assigned light sulphate is also added in a little quantity domestic duties which do not impose any for an accelerated action and preparing. physical strain on her. Care is also taken 18
TM People (;!/ Their MtJtmal Trails to provide her with easily digestible and_ As the date of delivery advances, the nutritious food so that she may develop household concentrates' its attention in sufficient -resistence _and may be able to_ protecting the parturient and the prospec stand the rigour of labour. She is debarred tive child from the influence of evil eye. from visiting crematoriums, forests and She is confined to a, secluded and ill other desolate places which are believed ventilated room and is visited only by to - be haunted by evil spirits. She cannot the elderly ladies of the household. Strangers also participate in a mourning function particularly those wbo have just returned nor look at a dead-bo~y. During the solar from a long journey are denied access to or lunar eclipses she is confined - within the apartmeBt of the parturient due to the house and is not permitted to sew the apprehension that they may have been or knit any cloth. ThE!l!e precautions are, haunted by evil spirits who might influence as stated by the inhabitants, taken to the .- woman and her prospective _child. protect the child from deformation. -,Deliveries are -general1y attended to by The inhabitants also believe that by the', elderly ladies of the household or neigh practising certain rituals and employing bourhood. If the maternity case is un religious devices, the prayer of the parturient manageable or serious, a local mid-wife to be blessed with a child of a particular known as Dai is called to attend to the sex is invariably granted. In addition cer patient. In such cases even the technical tain events which take place in the normal advice of a trained Dai, attached to the course of life are construed to signify the Government Dispensary at parole, is sought. birth of a male or female child. For The mid-wife is paid Rs. 7.00 to Rs.ll.00 instance if the conception takes place when as wages besides two seers of gur or the moon is waxing, it is believed that raw sugar. the parturient· would give birth to a Immediately after its birth, _the baby male child. If, however, the woman con is given a hot bath and the word Om ceives during the second fortnight of the lunar month, when the moon tends to ("Ii') is written on its tongue in honey, if wane, it 'is predicted that the parturient it belongs to a Hindu family. is heading towards becoming the niother Immediately after the bath one or of a girl. The following symptoms obser two drops of a 'preparatian of gur and ved in a parturient are also regarded as some herbs locally known as Gudti is an index of the birth of a male child administered to the child and this is re and the absence of these is believed to peated at intervals until the baby is able signify _the prospect of a female being to suck milk from the teats of its mother. added to the family:- It is believed that Gudti improves the (i) A feeling of lightness and cheer digestive faculty of the baby and also fulness, serves as a laxative.
(ii) A des~ for good food and fruits, In case the mother of the baby cannot due to weak health or other reasons provide _( Ul"') Brightness in the eyes, _ adeqUate milk to feed the baby. either (iv) Lifting of the right leg first while some other female of the household volun -walking. teers- to cater the baby or in the 19 Parole
alternative a young female of the neighbour Among the important ceremonies held hood, who has delivered a child in the after the birth of a child, the first relates recent past, is employed and the baby to the assignment of a name to the baby. assigned to her care. The family priest makes calculations accor ding to astrological readings and the influence While the mother is still confined to of the stars at the time of birth and on the bed and the age of the baby is less this basis pronounces the alphabetical letter than a month, live coals or burnt cow with which the name of the baby should dung cakes are constantly kept burning start. He also compiles simultaneously the at the entrance of the room. The women horoscope or what is popularly known as of the household sprinkle pgal. h,mal and Janam Kundli of the child. While the first StIli-sarsorm etc.~ into the fire in the belief alphabetical letter of the name is provided that the incense· would ward off the in by the priest, it is the privilege of the fluence of evil spirits from the room. head of the household to select a suitable The feeding of the baby for the first n~me from among those beginning with time is also preceded by certain rituals• the said letter. . Hindus do not permit the baby to suck After the selection of a suitable name the milk of its mother unless her teats by the head of the household, the name are washed thrice by a virgin with green is pronounced into the ears of the child grass dipped in punfratini, a compound of through the following ceremony. Uncle of cow-milk, butter, cow's urine, .juice of the child stands under the sun with an ,,,lsi leaves and water of Ganges. open umbrella in one hand and a sword in the other. Mother with the child in The next important statie is the per her arms is asked to stand beneath this formance of purification cermony which is umbrella and the child is made to see believed to remove impurities attendant to words the sun for the first time through on delivery. This ceremony is held by the black cloth of the oPen umbrella. all the inhabitants irrespective of caste or In the meantime the priest writes the creed, though the period intervening bet name of the child, with a needle, on the ween the delivery and the ceremony vary. leaf of a 'Bud' tree and rolls it in such A Brahmin woman is believed to be puri a manner as to form a small loud-speaker. fied if she takes a bath' 11 days after Through this 'Bud' leave, serving as a the -birth of the child. The corresponding speaker, the name of the child is pronounced periods prescribed for parturients of Kashat into its ears by the priest. This over, triya, Vaish and Shudhra Varnas stand at a feast is served to close relatives and 13, 16 and 21 days respectively. friends. The priest is paid Rs. 2.00 for Christians believe that a parturient is his services besides a formal meal. purified only if she takes a bath after 21 It is pertinent to remark here that days. The completion of the period pro a baby about whom the priest is of ceeding the purification and the bath taken the view that it is bom under the subsequently qualify the child-bearing influence of evil-stars should not be seen woman to resume her normal domestic by its father except on a fixed date duties etc. prescribed by the priest. Even on this 20-
'1ftl_Peopl' IJ1 Their Material Traits
occasion he is required to observe certain -for the household. Such househ olds,;"fllete1,;;~ rituals and to perform puja. Core, borrow or procure from their relatives or friends new clothes,' for the baby, post The next important function ~n this poning their replacement by garments owned' series, which is charact~rised by jubiliation by the household till' the Sulra ceremony oC the family Cor havit;lg been blessed 'with is performed. a new memba- is known as Sutfa and is generally celebrated within 21 to 40 days , Among Christians also the newly born after the· birth, but may sometimes be baby is assigned', its name according to: observed even a year after. On this the advice tendered by the Munshi Masiah . occasion, the parents of the mother. provide of the village who suggests a few names new dresses to her and her newly acquired leaving it to the discretion of the house ,baby, besides presentin~' fruits and sweets hold to ~ke an appropriate selection. and occasionally some cash also. The mother and the child take baths and put on best Prl,Dlary Hair-cuttlDg or Mundan dresses. The mother also wears all her The next function which is relatively jewellery and appears very glamorous. She more important than Sulra etc., is the is. seated on a jalchowki with her baby primary hair-cutting or Mundan ceremony in her lap and is surrounded by the ladies which is generally held on an elaborate of the household and neighbourhood who scale by all Hindu families. The function sing in. chorus special songs describing the ill, howev~, usually celebrated dllTing the occasion.. The presents are then displayed course of some marriage in the horisehol«;l. , and -the eatables distributed among the provided'it does not take place more invitees, and-- othen. The ladies then greet the than 11 years. after the birth of· the child. mother_ of the,_ baby and offer her some Alternatively the function is· held·· in the cash varying Crom Re. 1/- to Rs. 7/-. This temple of Bala Sundri at the time fixed is also called shaggan. in consultation with the· family priest. On The Brahmins employed for recitation this occasion the parents of the ,mother of mantras etc., as also the family priest again present her with new dresses, sweets ' are next served with dinner. This is and a few ornaments. The following pro followec;l by 'entertaining other guests to cedure is followed for the celebration of whom invitations are extended in advance. Mundan ceremony. Before the function concludes the mother A large circular bread weighing at of the baby touches the feet of all elderly least half a kilo of wheat flour mixed with:, ladies both as a mark of respect for them ghee and sugar and locally known as as also with the intent of invoking their roat as distinguished from roti is carried blessings. in a brass plate and placed -before the Some of the households believe that seat of the deity. The village barber the baby should not be permitted to wear· then shaves clean the head of .the baby: new clothes purchased by its parents or with a razor. This is followed by giving other members of the household before_ the a bath to the child and dressirig hini,with celebration- of Surla ceremony as a violation new garments.. While· the shaving opera-' of this relitdction would lead -to some disaster tion is in progress, the women-folk keep: 21 Paroli
on s~ging songs devised specially for the expenditure, rOg7l!opo.vit ceremony is rarely, occasion. if ever, organised as a separate function. In most cases it is celebrated in conjuction The 'barber is' paid Rs. 2/- to Rs. 3/ with the marriage of a senior male member and is also allowed to appropriate the of the household, a deviation from the roat, the plate and the dress which the past tradition of the ceremony being held child was wearing before the bath. . The when the child was 12 years old. There invitees pay cash varying from Rs. 2/- to are indeed instances in which the rog7l!o Rs. 7/- to the parents of the child and po.vit ceremony and the marriage of the are entertained with a Dogri dinner besides same male take place simultaneously so being supplied with sweets. as to dispense with wasteful expenditure. A similar function as the one referred to above in case of Mundan ceremony is The rogneopavit ceremony is presided also held by Hindus when the female over by the family priest who performs a child is made to wear ear and nose-rings yag and kavan afterwhich he puts the holy ,for the first time. The ceremony generally thread round the neck of the boy. He takes place in one of the odd years when is paid a remuneration of Rs. 2/- to Rs. 5/ the girl is of 3 to 7 years. and is besides served with dinner along with other male guests invited on the Sacred Thread Ceremony or rog7l!opavit occasion. The ,ceremony of wearing the sacred Marriages thread 'popularly known as rog7l!opavit has a historical background of its own. It is Marriage is regarded a sacred duty believed that the thread or janeo is the enjoined by the scriptures which must be emblem worn by the highest castes or solomnised. Love marriages are unknown. Varnas of Hindus. The Janeo is prepared Parents are exclusively responsible fo~ by one of the learned, Brahmins and con marrying their adult children and their sists of three threads of spun cotton choice is regarded final. If, however, the symbolising Brahma, Vishno and Mahesh male adult to be married is the senior (Shiva), the Divine Trinityoriginating from most member of the household he selects Shakti. A janeo measures 96 choppas (a his spouse according to his own choice. chapfJ4 being equal to the aggregate width This does not apply to a girl, as in her of four fingers of the hand). It is worn case the approval must under all circums under the garments, spreading from the tances be given by a senior male relative. left shoulder to the right arm-pit. Care The institution of early marriages, is taken to ensure that the janeo does not which is prohibited under the Infant s1,lffe~ any. damag'es as besides loosing Marriage Prevention Act of 1928, has still its· religious value it is also· regarded in some sway on the inhabitants of the block. auspicious. This is why the janeo is replaced The data given in table VI, Set A, periodically so that the wearer may not appended to the Report, shows that age unconsciously carry a damaged janeo on group 10-14 has 3 married persons (one ~s person.' male and two females). Against this, of With a view 'to affecting econo~y in the total population of 19 persons (12 malei 22
The Piopl. Sf Their Matnial Trails
and 7 females) of the age of 15-19 only households have dilicIosed that no such 9 (2 males and 7 females) are married. alliance has taken place within their living Generally the age-limits {or marriage are memory. ' above 14 years. There are no prQfessional inter-mediaries The met, however, remains that true for negotiating proposals relating to marriages. to their religious doctrines, the inhabitants The inhabitants have evolved a practice of .do not favour inter-caste marriages and assigning this function to a common friend marry only in like castes but unlike sub or relative who ·conducts preliminary talks castes and Gatras. Polygamy is, however, and does. not charge any fees. conspicuous by its absence. The first pre-requisite for consideration Widow remarriag~ are not favoured· of a marriage is whether the horoscOpes by orthodox caste Hindtl.s. Christians. and of the boy and the girl predict a har lower caste Hindus. however, do not regard 'monious union. The two horoscopes are such marriages as On infringment of the handed over to a learned Brahmin who religious doctrines. after making astrological calculations deter- ; By and large, most of the inhabitants mines the influence of the stan and gives are keen to maintain a good moral character his verdict as to whether the propC)sal and are averse to adultery and extra should be pursued or dropped.· This marital relations. Persons suspected of in.;. practice is followed among Hindus only. dulging in any such practices are ex-com If the parties to the marriage agree municated and viewed with disdain and to the proposal, the aUiance~ is confirmed hatred. by the performance of a ceremony called The time and date of marriage is fixed Saga;' or betrothal. On this occasion the according to the convenience of the parties family priest is commissioned by the bride'. concerned subject to the overall condition patents to carry dry fruits like almonds~ that it is celebrated only in certain months coconuts, songi, dry dates and some sweets and on some specific dates wbich are believed for being presented to the bridegroom's to be auspicious. No Hindu marriage can parents. The gifts are folded in a red take place . during the months of Poh and handkerchief alongwith one silver rupee Chaitra, as the celebration of such a function and some saffron to be used for tilak on in these months is believed to eventually the forebead of the bridegroom. The result in distress. Hindus do not also priest is received warmly not only by the celeb~te any marriage during Sanghasta parents of the bridegroom but also by (when the sun is supposed to pass through relatives and friends. While the ceremony some inauspicious sign of Zodiac) which is in progress, the ladies sing in chorus may sometimes continue for as long ·as offering their felicitations to the bride, 21 yean. bridegroom and their parents. All males and females present on· the occasion are Enquiries made from the block have served with dinner. revealed that. not a single marriage bas been celebrated in contravention of·· the The celebration of· betrothBl ceremony beliefs mentioned above. The heads of thougb. designed to bring the parties to 23 P(ITOl, the, marriage closer to each other, however, nine stars which are believed to govern imposes certain. restrictions· on their asso human destinies, to formal vegetarian ciation with each other. It operates as meal. Care is taken that one of the a bar against any member or close relative assembly of Brahmins be a monoculus, of the bride dining or being otherwise jf possible. As it is generally believed entertained at the house of the bridegroom. that for the purity of Shukar star i.e. Venus, a monoculus should be preferred The duration between the celebration over others. of the betrothal ~d of the marriage varies depending- upon the economic With the advancing of the date of the condition of· the parties and other circums marriage, preparations are made for the tances. A marriage may sometimes take performance of the principal preliminary place within a month after the conclusion rite locally known as Gandian. This is of betrothal ceremony and may in other initiated by the parents of the bridegroom, cases be postponed for as long as 2 to who after ascertaining from the family 3 years. In any case the convenience priest, the suitable hour and date of the of the parents of the bride is a para ceremony, invite friends and relatives to mount consideration for the determination their house and despatch in their presence of the date of marriage. dry fruits like coconuts, almonds, songi and sweets alongwith moli (a red and When the parties agree that it is time white raw cotton thread) for being to IQlemnize the marriage, the father of presented to the bride. The moli contains the bride seeks the advice of the family as many knots as the number of days priest regarding the auspicious date and left till the date on which Lagan or time at which the marriage and other marriage is to be celebrated. All the aUied functions should take place. The fruits and articles are then packed in priest is also commissioned to convey to a red cloth and handed over to the the parents of the bridegroom the appro family priest. He is received with respect priate date and time, as calculated by him. and. is entertained to dinner. Relatives, neighbours and friends are informed directly, those living in the vmage Before the arrival of the priest, ladies being contacted personally and others mostly consisting of relatives and friends baing informed through invitation cards. assemble at the house of the bride. The contents of the cloth, delivered by the Both the parties to the alliance perform priest, are then placed in her lap and the ~itla Devi pujan on the bank of Wajuhu called is tied around her wrist. stream on the Tuesday, preceding the moli gana The fruits are later distributed among marriage day. Next day i.e., Wednesday those present alongwith sugar-bal's or gur JtIJ1tluJripujan or the worship of ancestors provided by the bride's parents. The as well as parents is done by the family chief guests and friends are also enter priest. It is followed by Nav-Garh pujan tained with tea or meal or both depending and a kavan both celebrated by the priest upon the economic condition of the family. a day earlier than the marriage. The ritual is concluded by entertaining nine As in other parts of the State, the Brah{nins, representing· one each of the marriage lasts for three days. The cere- 24 rJr. People 81 Theit- Material T,.aits monies connected with it have, however, past .transactions with the host. Tambol been assigned different names according is in actual effect an honorary loan which as these are celebrated at the house of is made available, voluntarily and is the oride or bridegroom. The first day repayable without interest when a similar of the marriage of a male is known. as or some other function is held in the Saant but in the case of the female it is family of the donor. For this reason a_ known as· M,/undi Raat. On this day, the scribe is present . by the side of the bridegroom is . given a bath with curd bridegroom to record the name of each and butna, a mixture of gram flour, tur donor together - with the amount paid. meric, powdered sandal wood and smigri Similar payments made to the bride by mixed with perfumes. So ~ fur as the her relatives and friends are known as bride is concerned, her hands and feet skaggan and a complete account of the are besmeared in henn. at night in the ~me is 'maintained by her parents. . It midst of singing of women in chorus. is ,important to note here that the debits and credits of each such account are The second day of the marriage is inherited by the children and succesaors known as the day of S,h,.a-bandi of the . of every person who receive and make bridegroom. The function organised on such payments. In the evening the bride this day at the house of the bride is groom accompanied by his friends and known as Saam. In either case tho ma relatives proceeds in a procession to the ternal uncle of the bride and the bride house of the bride where a sumptuous. groom play an important role on this feast a waits them. The object of orga day. The bride receives from him a new nizing the feast is to give a -formal ex dress and two ornaments chura and neth, pression of the great regard and affection the former made of ivory and the latter which the parents of the bride have for of gold. The maternal uncle of the bride the ~bridegroom. Actually, however, the groom also presents a new dress and a bridegroom is served food by her mother selwa to his nephew. The"s,lwa consists before the barat leaves as he eats, jf of closely knitted silver threads inter anything, very little at the house of his woven with roses and motiJa flowers. prospective wife. The inhabitants have disclosed that the .serving of food to the Dressed in the apparel presente~ by bridegroom by his mother on this occasion his maternal uncle, the bridegroom who has a two-fold meaning. It implies that is henceforth referred to as lara takes hii the bridegroom is reminded of the affection seat, which is specially reserved for him which his mother has been showering on in the centre of a well-rlecorated hall. him in the past so that he may not The relatives and friends then make an neglect her in future. Another reason exhibition of their affections for him by advanced is that it is apprehended that kissing his seh,.a and paying some cash the bridegroom may not due to his shy known as tambol. The payment is not ness eat anything at the' house of his made at a uniform rate by all those in-laws and may in consequence have to present and varies from Rs. 1.25 to Rs. starve for the whole night. 21.00 depending partly on the economjc condition !>f the donor and partly on his In the village under survey as also in 25 PtI.f'Ol,
ma:qy other rural areas, the bridegroom is cession, consisting of males only, continues not permitted, to proceed to the house of its onward journey. hjs spouse unless antimony is applied to On its arrival at the house of the his eyes by his close female relations. It bride, the harat is received at the main is believed that this would add to the entrance by rellpectable persons of the charm of the bridegroom and he would locality, relatives and friends of the bride's look prettier and presentable. parents. After exchanging salutations etc., Besides the shaggan which the bride the Milni ceremony takes place. For this receives from her relatives and friends, pwpose a red cloth is spread on the ground she is also presented with kaliras which and the two parties including the father are prepared by stinging together coconut of the bride and the bridegroom assemble kernels and dry dates in a moli thread. at the two opposite ends of the cloth. Sometimes a kalira may also consist of a The father of the bride embraces his fine silver chain with a thin miniature counterpart who reciprocates in like manner. inverted umbrella hanging at its bottom. Both garland each other with flowers but The kaliras are then tied around the arms the father of the bride also pays his of the bride with fine thread. counterpart some cash varying from Rs. 5.00 to Rs. 21.00. Similar payments The marriage procession leaves tJJ.e house are made by other close relatives of the of the bridegroom in time so that it may bride to their respective counterparts, reach the house of the bride rOWld about who also embrace each other to express 8 p. m. The time of departure is thus their jubilation for the new relationship . determined by the distance that has to between them. be covered from the house of the bride groom to that of the bride. Mter the conclusion of Milni, the The procession is headed by drummers, baratis, excluding the bridegroom, are pipers and torch bearers. If the distance entertained to a special Dogri dinner to be travelled is not long, the bride called dhaam. The party then disperses, groom rides a well decorated pony with provided the distance to be travelled is a sword in his right hand while the other not long, leaving behind the close relatives guests walk on foot. In case the parents of the bridegroom only. If they cannot of the bride live at a fairly distant place, return home due to the distance to be the party including the bridegroom is travelled being long, they spend the night transported by one or more vehicles or at the house of the bride. on ponies depending upon whether the In the meanwhile the bridegroom is two places are connected by a well-built escorted to the seraglio where females road or only by bridle-path. mostly close relations of the bride try to The processionists consist of male make him feel at home and to shake off relatives, friends and neighbours as also his shyness by cracking jokes and by the family priest and the barber. The citing humorous anecdotes. His sister-in female relatives follow ·the procession for laws also insist that he should recite some distance singing marriage songs called chhands or· some Dogri verses specially ghoritlfl$. They then depart and the pro- designed for· the occasion. They also 26
demand from him kalichrians or silver over to the bridegroom alongwith the rings which he carries in his pocket for dowry called Kan;ya-daan. distribution among them. He is then It may be remarked here that the served with· food specially prepared for dowry imposes a heavy financial strain on after which he . on till the him s~ys the parents of the, bride as they can starting of Lagan is announced. neither afford, to restrict its size and Lagan is the most important function value consistant· with their resources for connected with marriage as it legalises fear of public criticism nor make an the matrimonial alliance between the bride exhibition of. their regard for the bride and the bridegroom. It is solemnized at by providing luxuriant and expensive a fixed time prescribed, .by the family articles. The value of the dowry is not, priest in advance. The 'parents and the however, settled in advance as it is pre maternal uncle of the bride. observe fast su~ed that the bride's parents would till the conclusion of the ceremony. spen,d beyond their means so as to earn Unlike other . rituals, certain special the good will of the local inhabitants and arrangements have to be made for per relatives. In any case it has been noticed forming Lagan. Four 'wooden poles are that the cost of a dowry may vary from installed on the ground and their tops Rs. 1,000.00 to Rs. 3,000.00, depending are also inter-connected by wooden poles upon the economic resources of the bride's so as to form a square-frame. A canopy parents. A dowry usually consists of the' is spread on the top and a wooden pea following :- cock is fixed in the centre of its upper (i) An odd number of dresses for surface. The frame which is called vedi the bride varying from 7 to 17, is further decorated by piling it with (ii) Two dresses for' the bridegroom, green leaves and flowers. The bride and the bridegroom take their seats close to (iii) Two bed-steads ak?ngwitb one each other under the vedi. The respective bedding, priests of the two parties chant mantras (iv) 1 or 2 sets of gold ornaments, and hymns on one side of the mandop. , each cons~sting of a ring, a lockat The family' priest of the bride' then and a pair of ea:r-rings and places her hand in that of the bridegroom silver ornaments usually panjeb and .ties their garments with a loose cloth. and ebalian, Mter this they are required to rotate (v) Household utensils, round the sacred fire as many times as the priest directs but not generally exceeding (vi) Shoes of both the bride and the seven. The ceremony of going round is bridegroom, called Lavan-Phm. While this is in pro (vii) One dress each for the bride gress both the bride and the bridegroom groom's father, .mother, brothers, are required to take oaths that they sisters and close relatives. , would be chaste and faithful to each oth~r 'to the last. The ceremony ends -With . A well-ta-do family may alsO provide the perforJll8,nce of rag by the bride's, a sewing machine or a radio but such ather after which the bride is handed cases are rare. 27 Parol,
Each of the two family priests receives varying from Rs. 2.00 to Rs. 11.00. This remuneration;- both in cash and kind. is called Munh-dekhie or remuneration for The cash payments may vary from Rs. having a glimpse of the face. 11.00 to Rs. 21.00. In addition each of The bride stays in the house of her them is provided with a pair of new husband for two days after which she dresses and sweets. and the bridegroom visit - her parental The third day of the marriage which house where also they stay for an equal is celebrated by the -bride's parents only duration. Before returning, the bridegroom -is called Veda _or Panjeki. The marriage or the bride or both of them, depending party returns home alongwith the bride upon the economic resources of the family. groom riding a pony and the bride trans are presented with new dresses, fruits, ported in a palanquin also called doli. sweets and some cash. The scene of departure of the bride is a $Jhristians being local converts still touching one implying as it is the per- adhere to almost all the rituals concerning -manent separation of the bride from her marriages etc., which their ancestors parents. The bride who keeps on crying follo~ed. The main difference lies only and weeping all the time, is consoled by in the binding part of the marriage i.e., her parents and relatives by being repeatedly Lagan. In the absence of any Church in embraced and kissed. She is also paid the village this part of the marriage is some cash by each member varying from celebrated after performing Bandgi in the Rs. 2.00 to Rs. 11.00 and is accompanied accompaniment of playing on a Dholak by her maid only. under- the personal supervision of Munshi As the procession starts its return . Masiah, who acts as the Chowdri of the journey, coins are thrown over the married community. couple which are collected by the children of the village watching the scene. The Deaths ceremony is called WaTtUl. The block under survey being inhabited by _Hindus and Christians only, the dead The arrival of the procession at the bodies are either cremated orO-buried accor house of the bridegroom is signalled by ding to the religion followed by the deceased. the wedding songs of the ladies of the - The -Hindus, however, make an exception household who welcome the bride and in the case of infants who are buried instead the bridegroom near the main entrance. of being cremated. It is aprehended that The couple is then escorted to the temple if the corpse of an infant is consigned to of !LuI Devta or to the apartment in the fire even its bones which are tender and house where His image is preserved to delicate would be consumed and no remains seek divine blessings to their union. The would be available for immersion in the holy bride is then led to I the room where the Water of Ganges. - women-folk, consisting of relatives and neighbours, assemble in advance tQ have When a person is on the verge of a look at her. E~ch one of them appears passing away. he/she is placed alongwith before the bride. - turn by turn, lifts her his/her bedding on grass locally called veil, kisses her, and -pays some - cash kusha which is spread over a well cleaned 28
The People & Their Material Traits
and neat piece of naked ground. ,Care ghee or 'oil which could have been sufficient is also taken to ensure that ,while the for the remaining days, is poured into the dying person lies prostrate on the ground burning lamp lying m the Shiva temple. his head the north. It is, believed fa~es After death, the mouth and eye-lids, that a person ' dying,' on a bed-stead or if open, are closed, .and mourning starts. khatia or facing any' direCtion other than Females consisting of relatives, friends, the north while prostrated on the ground neighbours etc., assemble at ShOli notice " cannot attain salvation. Cases in which and engage themselves in weeping in long the death is not anticipated like ,a person drawn tones ,locally known as StyQPa. Those dying suddenly of heart failure etc., among them more closely related to the while resting or sleeping on his bed-stead, deceased. beat their breasts and pull their are liable to suffer damnation unless etern~l hair and recall while weeping the virtues Na"ayan Beli is performed at Hardwar or of the deceased. Martand temple in Kashmir soon after the death takes place. 'Jt is also obligatory that cremation should take place during day time only According to Hindu scriptures a person and the body of a person who dies late about to die should distribute among the in the evening .. should be cremated on poor alms consisting mostly of vegetables, the following day. Before the corpse is fruits, corns, clothes. utensils etc.. and transported to the crematorium, it is other valuables. If he is in a coma and given a bath and rubbed with curd. Ii: has lost consciousness, the alms are given is then wrapped in a, long \,!hite shroud away on his behalf by his successor and and placed on a bier which'is in turn are appropriated by Gujrati, the Brahmin also covered with a 10llg sheet of white who conducts the death rituals at the cloth. The bier of a person dying in crematorium. advanced age, who is survived by married When it is believed that death is ~ sons', and daughters, is piled with coloured ,imminent, the word Ram is repeatedly shawls and flowers. All these are appropria whispered into the ears of the dying person. ted by Gujrati before _the dead-body is Sj~ultaneous]y verses from holy Gi~ are placed on the pyre. also recited and Ganga-jal (holy water of The dead body is transported on' a Ganges) 'and Panj-ratni are poured into bier shouldered by four persons who are his mouth. replaced enroute by other processionists, Before death is pronounced, an earthen so that one of the members of each of lamp fed with ghee is lighted and installed the households in habiting the village is near about the place where his head rests. afforded an opportunity of assisting in the calTiage of the corpse for some distance. This lamp is provided with ghee every now and then so that it may continue A conch is also blown at intervals to signify the marching of a mourning pr0- burning at the same place for ten days cession. after which it' is thrown 'in the flowing waters of Wajuhu stream. In case' . the ' The processionists follow the' bier chan lamp- extinguishes within this period.: fo~ ting ~he, name of God and repeatedly one or the other reason, the quantity of reciting Ram nam sat hai or name of God 29
is the only truth. The procession is led hands and pour it on the ground to by the eldest son of the deceased or in imply that they have severed their worldly his absence by the next senior ,male member relations with the deceased. The mourners carrying an earthen pitcher in his band then disperse but most of them call at which is to be broken beneath the oak the house of the deceased to express their tree lying near the cremation ground. In condolences to the survivers. Others who either ease it is necessary that the chief may not have been able to join the funeral mourner must be dressed in white and procession due to their absence from the may wear a dhoti, a cotton under-wear village or other reasons, call at the house and a white head· gear. on any of the following thfee days, to offer their sympathies for the bereaved As indicated' already in Chapter I, family. there are four crematoriums of Hindus in Parole as a whole. Of these, two are As a mark of respect for the deceased meant for caste Hindus while of the re- no cooking is done in his house either _ maining two one each is used by Scheduled on the day of the death or when his Castes and Gosains. body is cremated. Further the old earth~n ware is destroyed and replaced after the On arrival at the respective crematorium, conclusion of Kirya ceremony. by new uten the outer coverings of the bier like shawls sils. On the first day .the survivors of etc., are removed and the corpse placed the deceased are served with simple meals on a pyre consisting of about 10 maunds by their close relatives who prepare these of fire..wood. The Gujrati then prepares at their own houses. Except for some balls of barley-flour called pinds and after of the households which are very ortho chanting mantras throws ~em into the dox, all others resume cooking as usual pyre. The eldest son of the deceased in their houses the next day after the or the next senior male member of the cremation. The orthodox families are con family then goes round the pyre in a tent with preparing only one meal a day cowiter clock-wise direction starting from during the first ten days and also refrain the head and lits the pyre called Lambo from consuming stimulents like turmeric. Legana. While the process of cremation onions, garlic, meat, egg etc. during this is in progress, the mourners also throw period. small splinters of sandle wood into the' .. The fourth day is called Chotha and burning pyre in token of their affection is the occasion for the celebration of the and regard' for the deceased. Finally the first of a series of ceremonjes held after chief mourner strikes the skull of the the death. On this day the near relatives dead body three. time with the help of call at the crematorium alongwith the a long bamboo pole. This is called Gujrati who as before prepares pinds of Kapal Kirya. rice and barley flour and deposits them The mourners stay on at the bank at the site where the body was consigned till the corpse is completely engulfed by to fire. After' this, the remnant bones the flames. They. then take bath and called phools are collected from the ashes many among them also wash their "clothes. of the pyre and washed with milk. Washed Finally they take a little water in' th,eir phools are preserved in a new cotton cloth so The. Pi." at Their Material Traits
bag which is kept in a tin. The 'tin is Chou-Barn is in like manner celebrated taken immediately to Hardwar where 4 years after the death. The family priest phools are immersed in the influx of Ganges. performs the yag aqd is in return' offered If the mourners are, due to some contigency, a cow or a calf called Gou-daan as also unable to undertake, the jounley forthwith some utensils and' clothes. Besides the the tin is kept hal}-ging on an oak tree priest, the son-in-Iaws of the family are from where it is collected on the day· also presented with new utensils and when the journey is actually performed. clothes on this occasion. Another dis tinguishing featUre of the function is that The next ceremony is called Dasvan an odd number of Brahmins as also which is held on the 10th day after the relatives and neighbours are entertained death. The house in, which the deceased to a vegetarian dinner. lived during his life iime is cleaned if pacea one otherwise plastered with cow , With a view. to keeping the memory dung. The members of the household wash of the deceased fresh. two Sharadhar be clothes _and change their dress after taking sides; the functions mentioned above. are bath. held every year. The first of these is' organised on the date on which the The third and relatively a more im deceased passed a way and the second portant function is Ki'JI4 which is held during Sharadha fortnight of the month of by Brahmins on the II th and by other October. On each of these occasions an castes on 13th day after the death. The odd number of priests is entertained with' Grdrati performs a kava" and recites reli a meal and also paid in cas~ gious hymns and mantt'as. In lieu of his services he is offered Ckhaja Jaan which In the case of Christians also, when is believed to bring peace and blessings a person is believed to be, about to die, to the departed soul. The dlJan usually the dying person is asked to recite the consists of a pair of clothes, shoes, house name of God as often as he can before ' hold utensils and an ordinary bed and he· breaths his ]ast. ' bedding. In the case of a person who As soon as death is pronounced, may have lived a long married life, the messages are flashed to relatives. friends Kirya cerem~ny is also' attended by an and others who assemble at short notice odd number of Brahmins not exc~din~ at the house of the deceased. The wom'en thirteen who are served with meals and engage themselves in' crying in the same paid some money in cash called dakslma. manner as is the' practice among Hindu Other functions celebrated to commemo households. rate the death include' Ad-Bharki, Bharki, Before carrying the corpse to the' cemetry, Chou-Barn and Sharadhas. The word Bharki it is given a bath with soap etc. This implies a year and Ad-Bharki and Bharki over, the dead body is wrapped in white signify mourning functions held six and sheets of latha usual1y 2 to 4 in number twelve months after the death of a person. called cojJins. The body is then trans The rituals observed on these occasions ferred to a khatia which is transported are the same as those held in connecti(?n on" shoulders by four close relatives who with Kirya~ are assisted by others after short intervals. 91
Parol.
A,t the cemetry, before lowering the by haunted persons, for exercizing the dead-body into the grave, prayers are evil influence. ' offered for the eternal peace of the departed soul. This done, the dead body Superstitious beliefs are also not un is placed into the grave whose mouth is common. For instance, it is said that then covered with planks of wood and on ald mango tree about half a mile the space above is refilled with the earth away from Parole on the road to Kathua excavated during the course of digging. is haunted. No person dares to go to A stone is then placed on the top of that side all alone after 11 p.m. till 4 a.m. the grave so that it may be easily identi It is said that the ghost of the tr~e has fiable. Immediately after the burial, actually been seen by some of the villagers prayers are once .again offered for the who allege that the apparition has the salvation of the departed soul. power to change form right from a cat or dog to a jin and that they have The grave digger who is usually themselves witnessed such transformations. assisted by another member of his family It will also be interesting to note that the -is paid Rs. 3.00 to Rs. 5.00 in all as ghost called loudly some of these persons his wages. by their respective names and even stoned On 10th day of the death called Dasma, them with big sized pebbles but none the grave is made pacca by constructing was hurt, every time the stone fell on one it with bricks and cement. Prayers are or the other side. Cremation grounds, also offered severally as well as jointly grave-yards, cemetry and old oak trees on the site of the grave. are also supposed to 'be haunted late in the night and therefore people refrai.n Fortieth day is known as Chaliswan. from visiting these places when the night On this day a complete bedding and a has set in. The inhabitants share the pair of clothes are given as charity in belief that the spirits immediately retire the name of the deceased to a faqir or to their abode at dawn when cock crows a Gosain who is also served with a meal. or when a fire is lit or incense is put On festive days like New Year's Day, on live coals. It is also believed by all Christmas etc., prayers are offered over that a recitation of mantras etc. on such the grave. occasions prevents the evil spirits from causing any harm. Other BeUer. Faith in· the supernatural and sorcery Prolonged diseases, sleeplessness, fits, have led the conservative.. public into the nightmares, fear from the void and hydro fear of the Unknown. It is doubtful whether phobia are believed to be the shadows there is any person in the block under and witchcraft of evil spirits like ghosts, study known for practising spiritualism or jins, witches etc. Like most other in black magic but in Parole as a whole habitants of the State, the people of the as well as in the neighbouring Chak block rigidly believe in evil eye locally drabk~n village there 8fe a number of called najar. Persons with brown, grey Phernas and YogiS who are adept in or green eyes as also a person with black magic etc., and as such are visited extra-ordinary red shining eyes called 32 · . The PlOP" at" Their Material Traits
BhtJt7tmi are" supposed to be crooked and the evening after a continuous rainfall possessing evil eyes and care is taken to during the day is intilrpreted as a warning withhold from them information regarding that the next day would also be a rainy one. one's achievements due to the apprehension "' Barking of dogs,' howling of jackals that they ~ay envy and bring harm· to and mewing of cats in weeping tones them. Usually a blaCk mark of antimony during the nights ace believed to portend is" !lpplied on the cheek or forehead of the approaching death of some one in babies to protect them from the evil the village. SimiI8rly the hooting of owls, influence of such perilons. braying of donkeys and crowing of cocks As stated above, persons believed to at night cause consternation as these are be haunted or under the shadow of evil believed to be the fore-J1.Inners of some spirits are escorted to\ a Yogi who is calamity about to engulf the whole village: believed to be competent to ward off Many of the inhabitants impose their the spirits and relieve the ailing people. o~n interpretation on actions in which The Yogi also supplies amulets which they may be unconciously engaged. Simi after placing in silver or copper cover are worn either round the neck or fore larly they derive meanings from the visions and dreams which they may witness arin. Amulets are also believed to be capable of curing patients and removing now and then. The following illustrations will make this clear:- hurdles which one may he experiencing in any of one's assignments. i) The itching of a foot or on.e of the shoes reclining on the other The inhabitants have also inherited are interpreted to signify an im from their fore-fathers the habit of close pending journey, observance of Natural Phenomena which are believed to be the indices of certain ii) Itching of the right\ hand, in case events about to take place. For instance of a male signifies that the person . the occurance of any of the following concerned would soon :be the events is interpreted as indicative of recipient of money. On the other warning of coming of rains :- hand if the left hand itches a i) Wi~d blowing from east or lighten converSe interpretation" namely that ing in the sky over Trikuta hills, the person concerned would have to incur heavy expenditure, is ii) Preponderance of moths, offered, iii) Sparrows playing with dry dust, iii) Journeys are not undertaken during "iv) Ants carrying their eggs from one Sharadhas nor on Tuesdays and hole to another, Wednesdays if the destination is v) Presence of" too many snakes and a place in some mountainous area, insects, iv) It is believed that the mission of vi) Troting of frogs, a person would be successful if immedia~ly after leaving his home vii) Chirping of Kala-titar or Pap~ta. " he is me~ by monkey (c) a dog (d) a cow (e) tions witnessed in a dream has a converse a sweePer (f) a snake crawling interpretation. A marriage ceremony if from right to left, seen in a dream for instance is interpreted as a warning that there would be a v) It is also held t~t a person is mourning function in the family. Simi destined to fail in the work which larly a person who has a vision about he is about to take up if while his death is supposed to hav.e been -leaving his home (a) someone blessed with extension in his age. Among sneezes from behind (b) a crow other lucky and auspicious dreams mention starts cawing (c) he sees a d~d may be made of the following:- snake or bundle of fire-wood or grass (d) _a cat crosses the road. i) Seeing of Nag-Devta or a virgin, ii) Fruits or flowers offered by a saint, Births whether those of human beings or animals taking place during some of iii) Biting by a snake resulting in the months of the year are believed to bleeding, -be inauspicious. Thus a calf bom to a iv) Seeing silver coins, a king or a buffalo in the month of Magh (January) sweeper. is not a -welcome acquisition. Similarly birth given by a woman - and even a The following are indices of inauspi- mare, cow or cat during the months of cious happenings -likely to take place :- Jeth, Sawan, Bhadon and Kartik (June, i) Sowing of seeds, August, September and October are ii) Splitting of wood, :viewed with disfavour and believed -to bring disaster to the family. iii) Singing, Hindus and Christians believe alike iv) Seeing of buffalo, that dreams witnessed immediately before v) Falling from a mountain,- dawn are not mere nightmares but in vi) Falling of a burning lamp from variably come out true and have an hand, impact on the day to day life of the person who witnesses the same. It is vii) Blood, also believed that the celebration of func- viii) Seeing of black flowers. CHAPTER III ECONOMY A-ECONOMIC RESOURCES As the block is located in the busiest part of the village area very near the While agriculture is the main occupation market, the agricultural lands owned by on which as -many as 15 or more than various households are dispersed in other 38.5% households engaged in cultivation and . villages of Parole Nagri where greater agricultural labour depend, other relatively facilities tor cultivation are available. The important sectors of economy· consist of aggrega te area of the agricultural land Government service. 'spinning and weaving· belonging to all the 19 cultivating house and scavenging which together account holds stands at 426 kanals or 53.25 acres. for about ·36% households. Priesthood 'This shows that the average size of a and drumluating have each 7.7% house l'alld holding is 22.4 kanals or 2.8 acres., holds figaged. The remaining households The corresponding averages of tehsil are engaged in road labour, private service Kathua and the State as a whole are and Hikmat. The absence of any forest 7.01 or 3.96 acres respectively. The area in the close vicinity of the village subjoined statement gives the caste-wise has deprived the inhabitants of any addi classification of the 19 households with tional avenues of employment. A detailed the aggregate area cultivated by each description of the various economic caste :- resources available to the inhabitants of the block is reproduced in the following Sl. Caste No. of households Total paragraphs :- No. engaged in culti- land vation as cultiva~ ,.---.J....---, . ted in As already· stated 15 or 38.5% house Primary Subsi- kanals holds are mainly dependent on agriculture. occllpa- diary In addition another 10 or 25.6% supple tion occupa- ment their normal income by' working tion in addition in agriCulture as a subsiaiary 1. Megh 11 3 361 occupation. On the whole, of the total 25 or 64.1 % households engaged in agri 2. Gasain 5 65 culture as primary or subsidiary occupation, cultiVation of land is the occupation of The land js serviced into both Rabi 19 households only, of which II follow and Kharif cultivation, the principal crops it as primary and the remaining 8 as being paddy, wheat, sugar-cane only. subsidiary occupation. The remaining 6 Table Xx, Set A,' appended to the households pursue agriculture' as farm Report. gives the yield of different crops . . labourers, 4 of them have it as main during the year preceding the survey. occupation while the other two ptirsue it The quantity of produce of' various crops as a 5upplementary occupation. is ·indicated below:- 35 Parole , Crop Yield in maunds of 2 kilos. Whereas average milk milked Paddy 395.0 from a buffalo is 8 kilos with a maximuin Wheat 83;5 of 12 and a minimum of 5 kilos. The milk supplied by a goat is much less Sugar-cane 76.0 being only one kilo to one and a half Vegetables 14.25 kilos. The raw wool obtained from the Chillies 0.5 sheep is consumed locally after being Fodder 65.0 woven into blankets and pattu. The sur Tobacco 0.1 plus milk is either supplied to such of the households who have no milching The produce of different crops is cattle or sold in the market. just sufficient for the domestic needs of the cultivating households and no surplus All the 53 draught bullocks are owned is available for sale. by 21 or about 54% of the households giving an average of about 2.5 bullocks Forats IIIld Orchards per household. As mentioned already~ there are no There are all told 17 horses and mules forest areas either in the village-area owned by eight of the Christian house itself or in its close vicinity. A few of holds. They employ these in the trans the inhabitants have, however, grown portation of rubbish, manure, etc. The 234 mango and other fruit trees which are six fowls found in the block are owned likely to have a salutary effect on their by three households. econoJllY· The sub-joined statement provides the Livestock range of sale prices of various species of livestock prevailing during the course of the Parole is rich in cattle wealth, which survey:- contributes to the economy of this village area. ('A)w is regarded a lucky domestic Type of Livestock Sale Price animal and therefore cows are domesti i) Cow (a) with a milk Rs. 75.00 to cated in large number. Mules and asses yield of 2 kilos or Rs.IOO.OO are owned by the Mahashas and Christians so per day of the place for the transportation of (b) with a milk Rs. 250.00 to bricks, fodder etc. Fodder called Barslln yield of 6 to 8 Rs.300.00 . and Tun is in abundance. kilos per day on In the block under mention 27 or an average more than 69% of the households possess ii) Buffalo (a) having an Rs. 200.00 to 54 milch cattle giving an average of two average milk yield Rs.300.00 cattle per household. Sheep and goats are, of 5 kilos or so per however, owned by only 15% of the day households who -possess on an average, (b) having an ave Rs. 500.00 to more than 2 sheep per household. ,Average rage milk yield Rs.700.00 yield of milk from a cow is 5 kilograms of 10 to 12 kilos with a maximum of 8 and a ininimum per day 36 EconotTfl Rs. 50.00 to there are only 6 workers (all male) against Rs.200.00 100 non-workers, the total strength aCnon iv) Horse Rs. 300.00 to workers in the block being 154.- In other R •• 500.oo words 64.9% of the non-working popu v) Mule Rs. 90.00 to lation consist of persons below the age Rs. 150.00 of 15. vi) Goat or sheep Rs. 50.00 to Rs.100.00 The working population is obviously vii) Hen or Fowl, Rs.. 4.00 to concentrated in the higher age-groups. Rs. 10.00 According to Table VIII, referred above, A Government Veterinary Unit headed 50.0% of the population in age-group by a ;trained Stock Assistant and an 15-34 consists of workers. The corres untrained Attendent, exists in Taraf Pain ponding proportions in age-groups 35-59 for the welfare of the cattle. According and 60 and over, stand at 32.5% and to the information supplied by this Unit, 10.5% of the respective population. the common cattle diseases prevalent in It is gratifying to note that the block the area are Hemorrhagic. Septicaemia, is not inhabite,.d by any beggars. Even Black QJ.iarter, foot and mouth and vagrants and retired persons are conspi indigestion etc. Average number of daily cuous by their absence. Enquiries made cases attended during the year 1961-62 on the spot have revealed that there is no were 58. Side by side, however, orth040x one in the village seeking employment, methods of treatment are also in vogue though many inhabitants are unhappy like administering country-oil or masala with the small size of their land holdings of ac1w.r or gur and ajveen to cure such as also with their occupations .. of the ailing cattle as may be suffering from indigestion and constipation. Simi The sub-joined statement gives livelihood larly, cough and throat diseases are classes of the block together with the treated by rubbing country-oil and pow percentage of workers claimed by· each dered salt on the teeth of the cattle. and the proportion of workers to the total population ;- Fish is aVailable in the Wajuhu stream but none in the block under survey S. Livelihood class Percentage Percentage engages himself in fishing. No. of total of the B-ECONOMIC ACTIVITIES AND workers population NATURE OP CHANGE 1. Scavenging 25.56 9.16 (I) LiveJiJaood au.es 2. Cultivation 23.26 8.33 A reference to Table II, Set A, appended 3. Road labour 13.96 5.00 to. the Report, will' show that distributed 4. Government service 6.96 2.50 by broad age-groups the population of 5. Spinning &: Weaving 6.98 2.50 each group stands as under:- 6. Drum beating 5.61 2.06 0-14 44.2% 7. Agri-labour 5.61 2.08 15-34 29.6% 6. Priesthood 4.65 1.67 35 -,39 16.2% 60 &: over 10.0% 9. Herding of cattle 3.49 1.25 Comparing this data 'with that given 10. Hikmat 1.16 0.42 in Table VIII, Set A, we find that in a 11. Private service 1.16 0.42 popUlation of 106 in the age-group 0-14 ' 12. Hair cutting 1.16 0.42 ~.0 lJ 0 :It ~ of 0 Z I III illllJ .. ",z(II 21 III '" lit ~ t ~ r- II r- g ... g g ~ nc z - (7 Z 0 S c· lJ ~... = : 0 •-c ITI z :u" G') en lJ 0 .. C Z "0 0 lit (II Z ACt I ~ Z 0 n > ::D ...... ~ C m :D II m (/) 0 "11 -t ~ (/) ~ ITI -...... )C II ~m[[lj]~ < to ZIII a c;.. ::E -i- :J) ·01c r- 0 .. ",,, r- lJ -fTI 0 .,• zlltlit· ~ (II "III 0 0 E rra > lit 0 •-t (II (II VI Gi 0 c:of " C 0 > .. lit Gl ! iii Z II: .. .. In ..~ I tI WORKERS CLASSIFIED BY LIVELI HOOD CLA SSES ,112 ar... ¥ a: o •_, e~I ILo ... "c 10- ..z 1M v a 1&1 Go I CLASSIFICATION OF WORKERS 37 Parol, The above data shows that the block in the age-group 15-34 representing about presents quite a different pattern of 18.2% of the total non-workers mostly economy than the one obtaining in other females engaged in household duties. The rural areas of India. Agriculture, which age-group of 35-59 has 7.1% total non constitutes a major economic source, pro workers in it. all females. The remaining vides employment to only 10.41% of the non-workers numbering 15 are of the age total· population. Among other livelihood of 60 and over and include 2 males and classes, however, the population of workers 13 females. in scavenging, road labour,.- Govemment It is also apparent that full-time service, spinning and weaving, drum-beating students who claim a population of 23. and agri-labour each' account for more include 5 females. Dependents, infants, than 2.00% of the total population of the children not attending school and disabled block. persons who swell the population of non The proportions given in the above workers include more females than males. table have been worked out in respect of According to the data household duties' the total population of workers of the are performed by 33 females only. two sexes. A reference to Table IX, ill Statilltlcal data regardiag Prbaary Set A, appended to the Report, will show IUld. Su'b8lcliary Oceapadoa. that the working force includes 14 females The following statement gives the of whom 9 work in scavenging, 2 in .primary and subsidiary occupations of· cultivation and one each in Government the households inhabiting the block:- service, spinning ami weaving and private service. The total workers being 86, it Main Occupation No. of Subsidiary No. is clear that the female population contri house- Occupa- of holds tiODS house butes about 16.3% of the working force holds of the block.- I. Cultivation 11 i) Road labciur 1 The growth pattern of livelihood classes ii) Hair-cutting 1 over the 'past could only be measured by 2. Govt. serVice 5 • i) Scavenging 2 comparing the above data with that of the ii) Cultivation I previous census data. Since, however, iii) cattle rearing no census could be undertaken in 1951, and' sale of due to uncertain conditions prevailing leat4er I then. it is not poisible even' to make any iv) Scavenging rough assessment of the growth of liveli and road hood classes. Even before 1951, economic labour I data . was not tabulated by individual 3. Scavenging 5 i) Road labour 2 villages at any cenllUs. 4. Spinning and Table XI, Set A, appended at the end weaving 4 i) Cultivation 1 of the Report, shows that 64.9% non ii) Cultivation _ workers comprises male and female infants . and cattle and children below the age of 15. The' rearing 1 next impo~t category coniil~8 of those- iii) Road labour 1 38 5. Agriculture varying incomes ranging from Rs. 26.00 labour 4 i) R.oad labour, 1 to Rs. 75.00 per mensem. This gives a 6. Drum beating 3 i} Agri-labour prorata income of about 34 paise per head per diem for ~n average family of ii) Road labour 5 persons which does not provide a satis iii) Agri-labour factory living. The households with a and road monthly income of R.s. ,76.00 to Rs. 100.00 labour appear to be leading a better living as 7. Priesthood 3 Cultivation 3 In this case per capita income per diem 8. Road labour 2 ,works out to more than 55 paise. The category of families earning a monthly 9. Private service I' Road labour, income of more than Rs. 100.00 is in cultivation minoritY and number only 4 or \0.2% and cattle pf the total households. rearing 10. Hikmat 1 Cultivation, The above statistics is, however, based horticulture on the information supplied by the heads ' and sale of 'of households who have only given the medicines rough estimates of their incomes and'that too without furnishing any details as to 39 21 how these estimates have been worked The data indicates that on the whole at. It has also been observed during about 54% households inhabiting the block the course of the survey that the incomes supplement, their normal income from revealed are generally under estimated main occupations by working in addition while the expenditure is exaggerated. In in, subsidiary occupations. Another striking spite of the above limitations, efforts were feature is that most of the subsidiary made to extract factual ixiformation about occupations consist of cultivation and the financial resources of each household road labour. wlaich was f-.vther verified by other sources like the Co-operative Society, The sub-joined statement gives the Village area Committee etc. distribution of households by. income groups,:- iii) Occupational Mobility' Income-group No. of Percentage of The occupational history of the house house- the total holds has been presented in Tables II(A), holds housedolds 'II (B) and 11 (C) of Set B, appended at Rs. 25.00 and less the end of the Report. The first of these Rs. 26.00 to 50.00 11 28.2 tables reveals that. in all 11 households Rs. 51.00 to 75.00 10 25.6 have abandoned their traditional occupa Rs. 76.00 to 100.00 14 36.0 tions and joined new vocations. Of these" 5 have disclosed that' they have volun RI. 101.00 and over 4 1O.~ teered to take up the new assignments An analysis of the above classification because of brighter economic prospects. shows that about 54% households have The other one' has stated that he had 39 Parol, discontinued his traditional occupation reveals that of the 39 households inhabiting because he was forced by circumstances. the block as many as 4 heads have no The remaining 5 heads of the households male issues at all while another head of have switched over to cultivation as benefi the household is still unmarried. Among ciaries' from the Abolition of Big Landed the remaining, 10 have returned cultiva Estates and Jagirs. tion, 5 Government service, 5 scavenging, It is also significant from the table 3 spinning and weaving, 3 agricultural that four heads of the households who are labour, 2 drum-beating, 2 priesthood, 2 presently engaged one each as scavenger, road labour, 1 private service and 1 hikmat agricultural labourer, drum-beater and as their respective occupations. priest are not content with their present Of the 10 heads of the households occupations. engaged in cultivation, 9 want their sons The statistics in Table 11 (B) further to retain the same occupation in which indicate that of the 11 persons who have they are engaged. While the remaining made a shift from their traditional occu one aspires that his children should join pations, 6 have joined cultivation and one GoverI1ment service. each Government service, spinning and 'The five Government servants are weaving, road-labour, private service and satisfied with their own occupations and hikmat. The traditional occupation of 3 have expressed the desire that their of the 6 heads of households who have children should also retain the same joined cultivation was road-labour. occupation. Similarly among . the five The remaining 3 entrants had their tradi scavengers only one prefers his son to tional occupations as agricultural labour, join Government service otherwise the weaving and village watchman. rest of the four would like their children The new entrant in Government to adhere to the same occupation which service had priesthood as his traditional although not so dignified' is quite remu occupation. The household newly engaged nerative. in spinning and weaving depended all ~n so far as 3 heads of the households along in the past on its traditional occu engaged in spinning and weaving are pation which was business. Similarly one concerned, 2 aspire that their children household previously engaged in weaving should join Government service while the has joined road labour. remaining one would like a shift being One of the heads of households who made in favour of cultivation. depended all along in the past Oil culti vation in which his forefathers were en Of the 3 households engaged in agri gaged could not maintain the family cultural labour, 2 wish their children to within the meagre income which accrued join cultivation after purchasing their own from this source and joined private service. The remaining one household whose lands while one has expressed a preference traditional occupation was priesthood has for Government service. shifted to hikmat finding the latter as more profitable. Of the heads of two households each Table 11 (C) gives the nature . of as pursuing drum-beating and priesthood as piration of the parents for their ~hildren. their primary occupations, one each wants The data given in the table further his children to retain their respective 40 Economy occupations while the remaining two prefer .implements, pesticides and chemical ferti their children joining Governme:pt service. lizers . etc. The solitary head of the household It would, however; be relevant to make engaged in private service would like his mention of the Parole MUltipurpose C0- children to follow cultivation. On the operative Society which has been func other hand, the· Hakim has expressed the tioning in the area since 1957 an~ndering desire that his son should become not a very valuable assistance to the inhabitants. hakim but a physician. The society has' at present a total mem bership of 336 of which 25 belong to the During the course of survey, l!.owever, block under survey_ The society is financed none of the househoids inhabiting the by J atIlJI!.u and Kashmir Co-operadve Bank block expressed any de~ite to migrate to and has been advancing short-term loans some other area in search ·of· better assign to' enable the cultivators to purchase seeds. ment. But in case the aspirations of some oxe,n,. agricultural implements, chemical of the parents come out to be true, for manure and the like. The society charges their children joining Government services, interest at the rate of 61%. Besides advan some of the households would not hesitate cing loans, the society has also proved a migrating from the block to the place of a great asset to the cultivating households the duty. in-as-much as it undertakes the sale of surplus produce at reasonable rates and 8-1 DESCRIPTION OF DIFFERENT procures the same for Government. Other OCCUPATIONS activities in which the society is engaged (I) AgrIcaltare are mentioned hereunder :- . . As already indicated, 25 of the 39 house i) The Society deals in ~nsumer goods holds inhabiting the block depend wholly like sugar. rice, salt, kerosine oil, or partly on agriculture. soaps, cereals etc. The society also issues improved seeds, pesticides Enquiries made from the cultivating and chemical fertilizers at moderate households, have revealed that 15 heads rates to such of the cultivaton of households knew that the are~ falls who make a requisition for the same; within the jurisdiction of the N. E. S. Block headquartered at Kathua and of these 8 ii) The Society is also engaged in the are a ware of the functions assigned to purchase of paddy from the culti the Block. However, only two heads of vators of the area at the rate of the households claim to have benefited Rs. 10.00 to Rs. 11.00 per maund from the technical advice given by the for Director Food &; Supplies, N.E.S. Organisation during the survey Jammu. In return the Society gets year. The activities of the N.E.S. Agency 37 paise per maund as commission, like the Gram Sevak thus appear to be out of which 3" paise are taken dormant in enthusing and. educating the away each by the Co-operatjve Bank cultivaton about the advantages that w~uld and the Marketing Socie~ for finan flow from the adoption of improved methods cing the deal.. Of the remaining of cultivation. use of better agricultural 31 paise, 12 paise are retained by 41 Parolt the society as profit whereas the fertilizers supplied by the Multipurpose rest of the 19 paise are distributed Co-operative Society. Care is taken to as share-money among the members ensure that the manure is absorbed and who deal in paddy. completely mixed in the soil. This is followed by sowing of the seed, which is The Multipurpose Co-operative Society invariably done by hand. After sometime has a well established office comprising when the seedlings sprout up, the super two-rooms and a big go-down which is fluous grass, wild growth and creepers are owned by the society and has been cons weeded out to ensure the growth of plants tructed at a cost of Rs. 8,008.00. Mem without any obstruction. This done, crops bers of the Managing Committee of the are allowed to grow and ripen without society are elected at the begining of every any important operations except watering financial year. the plots whenever necessary. When the In the block under survey the same crops ripen, the harvesting operation starts age old practices of cultivation are still and is carried out by using Drati and followed. As such various agricultural Pathi. The produce thus cut is heaped implements in vogue continue to be the up in a central place among the fields same as were employed generations ago. to dry. In certain cases it is transported As stated by the cultivating households, to the residential premises of the households following are the principal implements where the thrashing operation is conducted used :- with or without the help of outsiders. In case the help is sought, the members of Hal or plough i~ the households reciprocate' the gesture by ii) Panjali assisting their helpers in thrashing their iii) Daa crops. iv) Kili Mechanical cultivation is conspicuous v) Kurpa by its absence in the village-area. Like vi) Drati most other parts of the State oxen alone vii) GudtuJo are employed for tilling the land. There viii) Genti are very rare instances when a household ix) Kaie not owning its own oxen and plough may x) Pathi or Daroth have to obtain these on rent. In the latter case, the wages paid are in kind at In the traditional way, as in other the harvesting time when each plough rural parts of the State, the land is tilled man is provided for his services 20 kilos of in the first instance with Hal and Panjali. wheat and 24 kilos of paddy.. This prac Ploughed land is arranged into small rect tice is locally known as Sappi. angular plots each with an inlet and outlet to facilitate the flow of irrigational As mentioned already, the size of land __water from one plot to the other. The plots holdings is fairly small with the result are then strewn with manure of cowdimg, that very few of the cultivators, if any, night-soil and refuse etc., and occasionally need employ hired labour for cultivating with ammonium sulphate and other chemical their l<1nds. Whenever this becomes 42 unavoidable agricultural labourers, who iii) Kutra ... pest which eats away ~umber 5 in the block, are employed on a crops of Mash dal, payment of Rs. 2.00 to Rs. 2.50 per head iv) Pondi pest· damaging crops of per day. water melons and vege The head of the household is the sup tables, reme authority for organising the agricultural v) Kallo, Tiddi operations and division of labour. He assigns or Toka pests responsible for specific duties to various members of his spoiling standing crops household and hired labour, if any. of wheat. Partly due to their apherence to the The inquiries made during the survey cultivation of traditional seeds and partly have revealed that many of the cultivating because of ignorance and non-availability households in the block cannot meet the of better varieties. the cultivators generally cost'.. of cultivation from the produce of preserve a small portion of the produce the previous year and have to resort to of the previous year for sowing purposes. borrowings. It will be pertineilt to point It is, ho\Vever, encouraging to note that out here that as many as 8 households there is a gradual shift in favour of better have raised varying loans aggregating to quality seeds, manure and use of pesticides. Rs. 1750.00 or Ril. 218.75 per !amily either For this gradual switch over, Multipurpose from Multipurpose Co-operative Society or ' C Parou goddesses and mother-earth are scattered but none of the households inhabiting the by hand in the fields to be sown which block is engaged in fishing either as primary is followed by the actual operation. This or subsidiary occupation. Except this small done, Khetar-Pal Devta or the God of Agri stream, there are no ponds and tanks culture is worshipped in the fields and where the breeding of fish could be deve His blessings are invoked for the protection loped. The fish caught locally is available of the c'rops and for rich harvest. On for sale at the rate of 75 paise per kilo. the occasion a large baked bread of wheat In the absence of any forests in the flour kneaded with ghee, sugar, dry-fruits close vicinity of the block, no new avenues etc. is offered to the God of Agriculture of employment connected with forestry are in the sown field. In case any cultivator available to the inhabitants of the block happens to .see' Khetar-Pal Devta who is or village-area. believed to reveal Himself in the form of a mass of fleshy texture of2 to 2t kilos. Animal husbandry which luis a promi- . he digs deep the fleshy texture with reverence nent scope to flourish in the village. in the field in which he sees it. It also already constitutes an auxiliary occupation becomes obligatory on the part of that of most of the households. Of these, cultivator to sacrifice a sheep or goat in only three households engaged in cattle the name of Khetar-Pal Dlvta in that very rearing put up in the block under survey. field. The information collected during the course of the survey reveals that if the As soon as the thrashing operation is inhabitants are provided with technical over a vegetarian feast is organised by. the guidance about animal husbanding and cultivating household inviting priests, brother supplied with species of superior breed, cultivators and close relatives who are all animal husbandry is bound to exercise a entertained with 'formal Dogri dishes. This vital part 10 the economic' growth of the feast . is locally known as Sabloo-Sad. village. The Veterinary Unit, functioning The sowing and harvesting seasons vary in. the village area, has no doubt made a froD;l crop to crop. Crops of rice, maize beginning in this direction by importing and pulses ~re sown sometime in June one superior quality bull for breeding and harvested in September or October. purposes. I t is, hoped that with the The sowing of the winter crop vegetables carrying out of cross-breeding operations, and potatoes lasts from 15th Septe~ber to the preSent species' will gIadually be 15th October and harvesting from 15th replaced by superior type of bulls and January to 28th February. Against this cows. the summer crop of vegetables and potatoes iii) V:illage Industries is sown in between 1st March and 15th April and harvested during June. Parole village-area has. nothing to boast in respect of industrialisation. There (8) .ADiiDal Hu.bandry, Fishing aacl are, however, good prospects ofa number Forestry of cottage as well as other industries It has already been stated earlier that being developed if an effort is ·made to fishing is carried out by a few', of the exploit the available resources. The topo villagers in the adjoining stream Wajuhu graphy of the village-area as well .as its surroundings for instance show symptoms cases it was reported to be their tradi of kerosine oil in its soil and if steps be tional industry inheritec;t from their fore- taken -to explore the presence Qf and fathers. - possibilities of extract~on thereof, whole It was revealed during the course of of the area can be J:?enefittCci in one or the survey that the raw wool sheared the other way. from the sheep by . many households or the indigenous cotton procured by them Above all the areas under the cultiva from such of the households who cultivate tion of cash crops like sugar-cane and the same is first of all cleaned and purged cotton can be increased further in order off dust and' other waste by pressing it to give a fillip to such industries as through a Belna. After cleaning raw wool extraction of sugar, hindloom weaving or cotton, it is spun by the ladies of the etc. According to the 'statistics made households over Charkhas and T Ilklis and available by the Directorate of Economics later transferred to the Megh weavers -and Statistics, Government of J & K. the for . manufacturing of blankets, khadder . area under sugar-cane and cotton in and other like fabrics. Households which Kathua district during the year 1959-60, cannot afford to undertake the spinning, was 1,230 acres and 1,807 acres respectively. employ the services of professional spinners. The corresponding figures for 1951-52, are 948 acres and 3,402 acres respectively. This As in most other rural areas of the shows that while the area under cotton State, in the block under survey also has decreased considerably, the area handlooms employed for the production under sugar cane has shown quite of blankets, khadder etc. are installed by a favourable increase. In case the the weavers in one of the rooms of their agricultural produce of these crops be residential houses. further improved and made use of for The spinning and weaving charges are setting up the said industries extra man paid to artisans in cash at rates settled power available can be utilizCci gainfully. in advance. The barter system which The vast growth of bamboo and -date was in vogue only one decade ago, has trees and the availability of hhabb".· grass long since been .discarded and payments in abundance could also be transformed are every time made in cash. According into a .potential source of income by setting to the Fevailing rates, a spinner is paid a net work of cottage industries for -the RI. 2.50 to Rs. 3.00 per kilo of raw manufacturing of mats, fans, brooms, cotton and Rs. 3.00 to Rs. 3.50 for one baskets, bamboo furniture etc. etc. kilo of raw wool. A spinner on an average can weave -one kilo of raw During the course of the survey, it cotton or wool in a day. was, however, found that except for 4 Weavers usually finance the entire cost heads of the Megh or Kabir Panthi of production of finished woollen or cotton - households, who are engaged in spinning fabrics· which they dispose of at varying and weaving as principal - occupation, rates to the prospective customers. Such nobody follows any occupation conn~ted of th~ households which spin the yam with industrial production. Even in these themselves supply spun yarn to the weavers 45 Parole and ~ngage them for the weaving of Rs. 51.25. The industry thus is not so khadder or blankets or other fabrics. A remunerative. No wonder, therefore, that weaver can weave on an average 5 to one of the heads of household had to 6 yards of khadder in a day which raise a loan of Rs. 100.00 as asserted roughly weighs half· a kilo. The weaving by him. charges for plain cloth are paid at rates varying from Re. 0.75 to Re. 1.00 per No facilities for imQarting training in yard of 27' width. In case of designed the industry are available in the block. or multi-coloured fabrics usual rate charged The households continue to follow the exceeds by ae. 0.10 to Re. 0.15 per yard. traditional practice of training their Thus the charges payable for weaving a children by visual observance first. The blanket of Khes measuring 2t yards in children are later employed as apprentices length and II yards in width range from under the personal supervision of the RI. 3.75 to Rs. 5.00 only. artisans until in course of the time they are declared fit to work independently.. The tools employed for spinning and ·weaving are the same as those used many iv) COlDlDerc:e decades ago in all other rural parts of the State. The same wooden Charkhas, As will be apparent from the available Taklis, Belinas and the locally made market facilities, mentioned in Chapter I, Khadis constitute the equipments employed Parole is a good market centre which by the artisans. Even so far as the serves as a catering station not only for designs are concerned there has been no the villages constituting this village-area remarkable change not because the weaving but also for a large number of a SI.No. Occupation Caste No. of households in the occupation as ~--~----..""..._------:---~ Primary Subsidiary , Occupation Occupation I. Government service i) Gosain I ii) Momay (Christian) 2 iii) Sowntay -do- 1 iv) Pathan -do- 1 2. Scavenging i) Sandhu (Christian) 2 ii) Momay -do- 1 2 iii) Sowntay -do- 1 iv) Pathan -do- 1 v) Hadar -do- 1 3. ,Drum-beating i) Yogi ,3 4., Priesthood i), Gosain 3 5. Road labour i) Megh or Kabir Panthi 2 4- ii) Yog.i. 2 iii) Momay (Christian) 1 iv) Sandhu -do- 1 v) Hadar -do- 1 6. Private service i) Megh or Kabir Panthi 1 7. Hikmat i) Gosain 1 8. Hair-cutting i) Megh or Kabir Panthi 1 Total 20 IS 47 The Gomin household is headed by a engaged in the occupation for the whole teacher employed in Government High year. On festive occasions like Lohri, School for boys situated in Mirpur Ram Baisakhi, annual fairs etc., theyare_ much (one of the villages of Parole). His wife in demand as drummers and are employed too is employed as a 8chooi teacher in at the -rate of Rs. 8.00 to Rs. 12.00 per Government Central School, Mirpur Ram. drummer per day. For the rest of the Both the husband and the wife are un year they roam about, from place to trained, the former being a matriculate place, with their drums hanging with the and the later a primary pass. As disclosed help 'of a string from their necks. In by the head of the household, their joint this way they please the rural masses by income amounts to Rs. 175.00 per month. beating their drums and even singing The rest of the four households engaged Dogri ballads, heroic lays and other folk in Government service are Christians and songs. In return they are paid either in have been employed either in village-area" cash or kind. This can be called in or in the Allopathic dispensary. Average other words a type of beggary. In spite income of a sweeper household has been of the above mentioned facts, the drum calculated at Rs. 100.00 per month which beaters have confided that their average -also includes the income from subsidiary monthly income from the profession is not sources like sweeping and cleaning private less than Rs. 50.00 per household. houses etc. There are three priests in the block There are all told nine Christian house all belonging to Gosain caste. Of these, holds in the block under survey who are one is the priest of the temple while engaged in scavenging either as their other two are not affiliated to any insti primary or subsidiary occupation. As tution and make their· living by performing mentioned in the preceding paragraph, of religious rites connected with various these nine households, four are in Govern functions which the inhabitants celebrate ment service as sweepers of which three from time to time. A significant feature work as scavengers in private _capacity of their activities is that they also conduct also to supplement their normal income the religious rites of households belonging from Government service. The remaining to scheduled caste community which was five depend primarily on cleaning and socially forbidden only a decade or two sweeping private latrines, premises etc. ago. The average income of a priest The process of cleaning is carried out family has been estimated at Rs. 40.00 with the help of a long bamboo groom per month lowest among all except barber. and a metalic plate. The refuse and The data discussed in this chapter rubbish thus collected is carried away in reveals that the working force of the bamboo basket and thrown in pits. The block includes, among others, 12 road average income of these households does labourers belonging to II households, of not exceed Rs. 65.00 p. m. per family. whom two households follow the profes As is clear from the above data, three sion as primary and 9 as subsidiary of the Yogi households are engaged in occupation. The two Megh labourers, drum-beating as their primary occupation. who are engaged in the occupation This is an idle class, who are not· actively primarily, are engaged on constructional 48 EcU1UJ7flY works being executed by contractors on main market where he treats patients various roads. The average monthly with patent ayurvedic medicines as well income of each of the two households as indigenous medicinal herbs. He has stands at Rs. 82.50. The other ten a good practice and earns Rs. 150.00 labourers do only part-time work on per month on an average. road-sides as coolies in order to supple The Megh household who is engaged ment their normal income. in hair-cutting as a subsidiary occupation One of the Megh households in the is primarily engaged in cultivation. One block headed by a female, depends on . of the members of the household who private service as main occupation. She works as a barber, during his spare is engaged by a number of households time, earns about Rs. 25/- per month for doing domestic work like cleaning from this profession. utensils, washing clothes, winnowing grains B-U-INDEBTEDNESS .AND TRENDS etc. etc. In return she is paid for her OF CHANGES services both in cash as well as in kind. The subjoined statement gives the Her average monthly income, as estimated number of households by livelihood by her, comes to Rs. 60.00. classes as also the number of those among As mentioned already, one of the them who are in 'debt together with the Gosain households is headed by a hakim total and average indebtedness of each who has set up a regular shop in the livelihood class and household respectively :- S.No. Livelihood Class Total No. of Households Total amount Average households in debt of debt indebtedness 1. Cultivation 11 9 Rs. 1,370.00 Rs. 152.22 2. Govt. service 5 4 Rs. 4-71.09 Rs. 117.75 3. Scavenging 5 5 Rs. 120.00 Rs. 24.00 4-. Spin~ing and weaving 4- 2 Rs. 600.00 Rs. 300.00 5. Agricultural labour 4 4 Rs. 850.00 Rs. 212.50 6. Drum-beating 3 2 Rs. 600.00 Rs. 300.00 7. Priesthood 3 Rs. 650.00 Rs.650.00 8. Road labour 2 Rs. 200.00 Rs. 200.00 9. Private service I Rs. 300.00 Rs.300.00 10. Hikmat Rs. 300.00 Rs. 300.00 Total R8.).461.00 NO . OF HOUSEHOLDS o :r tI' 0 '" ~ 0 Z C 0 (/) 111 :r -z 0 0 r I'll 0 aJ en ~ fT1 OJ 0 -< . Z IT1 Z- (/) 0 (/) 0 OJ ~ -< I'T1 c1 G1 » :D Cen 0 fI1 C (/) (It" 49 Parol. A reference to "table XXII, Set A, households include among others marriages, appended to "the Report. shows that of sickness, ordinary wants and household the total number of 39 households in cultivation. The loan raised for household habiting the block 30" or about 77% are cultivation accounts for 32.05% of the in debt. the average indebtedness per total borl'Owings raised by 8 families. household in debt being Rs. 182.03. 31.13% of the borrowings have been in The data given in the table further dis curred by 6 households for meeting closes that the proportions of households expenditure in connection with marriages. which have raised loans "are very high Ordinary wa~ts have prompted 14 of the in all income-group. particularly among families to raise 16.68% of the total loan those whose monthly income J"&nge from against 7.32% which was borrowed by a Rs. 26.00 to Rs. 50.00. It is also single household for incuring expenditure apparent that except the income group on sickness. Rs. 26-50 with the increase" in the monthly An analysis of the above data shows income the extent of indebtedness also that on the whole 42.12% of the aggre increases though not in the same propor gate loan" has been incurred on productive tion. Households falling in the income purposes like purchase of land, house range of Rs. 26-51 owe on an average construction, improving agricultural pro Rs. 141.11 eacll while those belonging to duction, expansion of industry and busi the next higher group of Rs. 51-75 are ness. This type of borrowing is a healthy in debt to the tune of Rs. 140.00 only. one as it is designed to improve the The corresponding increase in the indeb economic resources of the household and tedness of the income-group Rs. 76-100 is not classifiable as wasteful expenditure. is comparatively high being Rs. 201..00 The amount of loan raised for celebration pel' household on an average. In the of marriages and providing dowry amount case of households belonging to the income ing to 33.88% of the total debt, however, range of Rs. 101 and over the average is fairly "high. It points out the fact that borrowing, however, stands at Rs. 333.33 the traditional practice of spending too per household. much on social functions is still continuing Table XXIII, Set A, spells out the with a large number of households of causes which have prompted various the block. households to incur debts as also the Enquiries made during the survey number of households classified by such have further revealed that the mon~y causes and the percentage of the total lender's grip is still very tight on a borrowings of each such class. According section of the population who pawn their to the data given in this statement, jewellery and other valuables or the purchase of land, construction and repair produce of their "stimding crops for incull ing of houses, to give dowry and invest ing borrowings, which are charged a high ments made on industrial production and rate of interest. The money-lender, how business account for petty amounts vary ever, executes no bonds etc., for such ing from Rs. 50.00 to Rs. 300.00 only. illegal dealings. It is also quite en Causes which have imposed a heavy couraging to note that Co-operative Society Btrain on the ~nancial resourceB " of the have to a large extent replaced the money- 50 lender and advance. money at very &om-INCOME AND EXPENDITURE reawnable rates to members only, It is AND TRENDS OF CHANGES only the formalities involved in advancing The subjoined , statement gives caste money and the delays caused in its wise number of' households by main disbursement which tempt the borrower occupations belonging to various income to approach tbe money-lende~. groups :- Caste No. of Main occupation Households belonging to tbe" households ,---___income- __ ..J>. range ______of ...... Rs. 0-50 Rs. 51-100 Rs. 101 . and over Megh (Scheduled Caste) 11 Cultivation 4 6 4 Spinning &: Weaving 1 3 4 Agricultural labour 2 2 2 Road labour 1 1 Private service 1 Gosain 3 Priesthood 1 2 1 Govt. service 1 Hikmat Yogi 3 Dnun beating 2 Momay (Christian) 2 Govt. service 2 1 Scavenging 1 Sandhu -do 2 Scavenging 2_ Pathan -do- 1 Govt. service I 1 Scavenging 1 Hadar -do 1 . Scavenging Sowantay '-do- 1- Govt. service 1 39 11 24 4 The _living standard and a more holds with a total population of 49 and detailed analysi. of the economy of the having an aggregate income from all village can be had by a comparison of sources, as as.e.sed from the household the income and expenditure budgets of schedules, at Rs. 475.00 per month. This the households belonging to various provides an ..average of Rs. 43.18 per income-ranges as listed above. family of 4.4 members or a per capita The first group belonging to the income income of Rs. 9.69 only. The expenditure range of Rs. 0-50 consists of 11 house- budget, provided in table XXVIII. Set A. ·51 app.ended to the RepOrt, however, shows It is apparent that an average household that the earnings and the expenditure of this income-range is just able to incurred by the households when compared accommodate its expenditure within its depict a large disparity. It is further earnings. Normally, therefore, very few evident from the data. provided in the of the households of this income-range table that about 87 % 'of the income is should have been in debt. But the data exhausted on. thl" cost of food-grains and on indebtedness, table XXII, Set A, other eatables like vegetables, pulses, appended to the Report, shows that 75% meat, fish, eggs, milk, curd, ghee, sugar, of the households of this category are tea and spices etc. This leaves a very alsO in debt to the extent of R,\. 117.28 small margin of the income for miscella per family. It does not seem probable neous expenditure such as that involved that these loans would have been incurred on clothing, fuel, cosmetics, education of for bridging up the disparity between children, medical expenses and observance income and expenditure. The only likely of religious functions etc. which together reasons accounting for this indebtedness account for another Rs. 6.00 per month are that loans would have been invested raising the expenditure budget to Rs. 45.00 either in productive activities like house per month. There is, thereforE', nothing hold cultivation, business, industry or for surprlsmg to find that the monthly the celebration of social functions like budget, of an average family is deficit by marriages, births etc. RI. 1.82 and about 82% households of The third category falling in the this category are in debt to the tune of income-range of Rs. 101 and over consists Rs. 141.11 on an average per household. of 4 households manned by a total population of 23 persons or 5.75 per The intermediate income-group of Rs. household. The aggregate income of all 51-100 consists of 24 households with a the 4 households is estimated at Rs. 600.00 total population of 168 persons. This per month which gives a per capita provides the strength of an average family income of Rs. 26.09 or Rs. 150.00 per to be at seven members. The sum total household of 5.75 members. The expendi of die monthly income of all the families ture incurred on maintenance by an of this category stands at Rs. 1,955.00. average household of this category is On this basis per capita income works estimated at Rs. 103.00 excluding mis out to Rs. 11.64, which is a little higher cellaneous expenditure spent on fuel and than the corresponding average 'of the contigencies like clothing, education, . lower income-group of Rs. 0-50. Since, cosmetics, medical care etc., which again however, the average size of these ramilies account for a further sum of Rs. 35.00. is 7 persons, the average monthly income It is also evident that the monthly amounts to Rs. 81.46. Table XXVIII, income of this income-group exceeds the referred above, indicates that the house expenditUl"e by Rs. 12.00. The households, holds are just able to balance their ex- therefore, do not suffer from any pecuniary . penditure budget with their incomes. In needs and appear to be economically this case, however, 80% of the 'income well of. is utilised on food-group thus leaving a little. ,margin for miscellaneous expen.diture. Judging from the income-levels of other 52 rural areas, the per capita incomes and on many others who . cultivated the lands the Jiving standard of the inhabitants of not owned by them. , As per the statistics the block under-study cannot be regarded supplied by the Tehsildar Kathua, as as unsatisfactory. Of late there have been many as 84 families· of Parole have been s~me changes in the ppenditure pattern allotted an aggregate land of 1,149 kanals, due to the adoption of modern amenities previously owned by the landlords in though the economic resources almost excess of the prescribed ceiling of 182 continue to be traditional. The people kanals. Of these beneficiaries 12 allottee have become conscious of the benefits of belong to the block under survey who education and make some expenditure have beed' allotted in all 269 kanals of in this behalf. There is also a trend land. Under the changed conditions indicative of change in the pattern of tillers are conscious that the land now dress together with a developed taste for belongs to them and it is in their own mill-made cloth against the handloom interest to introduce improved seeds, which naturally taxes their budgets. The scientific fertilizers and pesticides for greater ·fact that the inhabitants have also taken yields of better variety. to the use of soaps, cheap cosmetics, impdrted shoes, hair-oils etc., is also There are, however, several mctors responsible to some extent for the increase which operate adversely against the in their expenditure. prospect of any improvement in' the eco nomic standards of the cultivating house ·B-IV-PACTORS JNPLUENCING ECO· holds. Allottees have been· aJlotted land NOMIC 'LIFE AND IMPROVEMENT in fragments, the pieces of land lying far OP COMMUNICATIONS away from each other, which cause great inconvenience to the cultivators for opera Although half of Parole Nagri got ting agricultural calendar simultaneously. depopulated during the disturbances of Even in most of the other cases, . land is 1947 yet it has survived the ravages of owned by various households in scattered this historical catastrophy and at present pieces due to its sub-division as a result the economic structure rather seems 10 be of inheritance. Yet another factor is the more sound· than it existed prior to 1947. . . failure of crops caused by pests, which Being very near the Pakistan border, the aspect also needs much attention. Ird village witnessed a sizeable consternation gational facilities are ·also not enjoyed by caused by wholesale immigration and emi all due to the lack of distributive channel gration of refugees. Of these immigrant etc. Community Development Organisation; families, 8 are residing in the block however, is taking some interest and has under survey. provided a few wells in order to remove Abolition of Jagirdari and the system the shortage of irrigational water which of Muafis, Mukararis and Big Landed is available only on a limited scale from Estates in 1948 and 1950, have also Wajuhu stream. reoriented the· economic life of the area. The agrarian refonns transformed many It also appears from the· statistics landless . people called Nang4Ts into owners collected during the survey that 2 house of land and conferred proprietary rights holds which were not among the benefi- 53 ciaries of the agrarian reforms, acquired town has resulted in ideal transport land through purchases. This shows that facilities for the inhabitants. A private the inhabitants are keen to extend the bus daily plys on the road to cater to size of their holdings to make them the transport demand. For the transpor economic. tation of goods now trucks are also made use of. The main difficulty at present, Table XXVI, Set A, appended to-the faced by the inhabitants, is thai: the foot Report, shows that 3 households have bridge over Wajuhu stream, connecting liquidated the debts amounting to Rs. the main road with Parole market, is 450.00 which they had incurred a decade only five feet wide with two spa~s and ago. The repayments, as reported by the fit for half tonner light vehicles. Unless _heads of the households, were made from this bridge be reconstructed for heavy the savings which were effected in their vehicles, buses and trucks won't have incomes. access to the main market which naturally The construction' of a five miled sur causes a great inconvenience to the faced road inbetween Parole and Kathua business class. CHAPTER .IV SOCIAL AND CULTURAL LIFE The fundamental characteristic of the A-STATISTICAL DATA AND ANALY TICAL DISCUSSION RELATING aocial and cultural life of Parole folk is, TO AGE AND SEX, MAlUUAGES, that it is typically Dogra which of late DISEASES, EDUCATION, IMMI has been greatly influenced by Punjabi GRATION AND EMIGR.ATlON. culture. Proximity. of the area to the (I) Age aa.d S_ Punjab. has resulted ·in close mutual Table II, Set A. appended to the contacts which have made their impact Report, shows that in all 240 persons live in the block of which 135 are males and 105 felt ill:. the manner of drels. speech, food females. The sex-ratio thus works out to 778 habits and even residential pattern. Except females for 1000 males as against 879 for some sporadic Muslim households, for the State as a whole. No precise Parole as a whole is mainly the abode explanation is available about this lower of Hindus, Sikhs and Christians. While sex ratio. The following however, seem on the whole inter-relations among various to be some of the relevant factors:- sections of the people are marked by (a) The mortality rate among the cordiality and fraternity, Christians and females of the age of 0-4 and some '\of the Scheduled Castes engaged in 10-14 appears to be much higher than that of males. The high menial works, scavenging etc., are still mortality rate of girls of less than regarded as socially inferior by a few of 4 and inbetween 10 to 14 years the orthodox caste Hindus. Such diehards appears to be due' to the indifference refrain from mixing up freely with them of the parents in providing prompt though they do not make their feelings medical treatment to their girls, whom they regard as a liability public because of the dread of the penalty on their meagre financial resources. impo~d under Untouchability Offences The boys, however, receive com Act of 1955. Nevertheless, Christians and paratively better attention. Scheduled Castes have free access to (b) 'There are two males of more than reHgious places, shops. community gather 30 years age, not married so far. ing centres, social functions and the like. Against this there is no unmarried And when the qUestions of broader in female above the age of 15. terests of the village are involved, cumu lative efforts are put in and all join (c) There is one male of the age of hands in the common endeavour irres 35-39 who is. divorced or separated pective of any caste complexities. On from his wife (this naturally reduces other religious and social functions also . the number of females by one). the inhibiting attitudes generally do no~ (d) The biological phenomenon of excess preVail. ~r males over females at the time . . . . 0- ~rnnl ::r ~ CD ~ "., r l3 r )10 )10 0 -t r -t VI C ":z: » -~ ('\ -t- III .... n ,.. ,.. '"» l3 n ~ )10 < ::! -t '"7' en 0 0 ,.. ;- III 0 z -4 n » )10 '" JD r ~ 0 -4 z c.. CI' '" 0 C -t % ,.. Z )10 0 l3 Z c < 0 0 -t ~ ~ )10 :D 0- 0 ~.t. ,.. ... ,~ ~ '- ~ VI » , ~ 1_ r ~ rn n (J') , , lTm ITTIl' "., 0 W CIt 0 1.1' 0 U\- CIt ;~ I I I I 'I I t ~ .~ .f>. ..0 I> ;; ~ ~ ~ .0 z 0 " t • ~ .~ ~ UJ1l :Ilil "TJ " I rn I ~ ~111 L - ' » r ZO fl1 I // (J') O~ ~ ~~ (i)-f "., 0 :- To- GlZ om:0 ' ,- c-< '"O(/) (/)rn x N o ...I .. ~ ... ,.. o x r- N UJ c./)c./) >-0. m=> too 0 tI) a: ::> C) o w l- I ~ I- UJ « r-r- ...... C) i- ~ ~I- en tJ) I- « UJ ..J .J ~ I- « 0 <{ z ~ ~~~ ..... UJ ~ ~ - « LL 1-1- 1-1-1- ~~ a: I- « I I ~ I o z ~ 0- (t> 0- ~ + : J. .; ~ tf\ ~ ~ I I I - '"I I 1ft I '" • 0 C) 11\ 0 0 ~ 11\ ~ ~ : ~ '" o IU I I '"I I II I I 1-1-- t- ~t- ",I-- t- I- t- u too ... t- ~ r2 ... o 1--1--1- &&I • 1--1-- ... ~ ,..1--1- ~ C ~ I::::.~ C C.. "Q. o I&J 1--2 &&I cit - cr- cr cr o c o 2 o o 1&1 I&J I&J CIo. U cr- lI: III o , "> cr ' o "g ~~ 11.1 c Z 2 lI: o illIJl~ L2 55 of birth also accounts for the !iis Ii) Marriage. parity between the two sexes. The' The classification or' the population by family composition data of the marital status has been indicated in table block shows that 15 of the total VI, Set A. appended 'at the end of the number of 39 households do not Report. This indicates that, 119 persons have any female' issue at all. have never married, 96 are married, 24 The above table further indicates that are widowed and th~ remaining one is with the exception of age-groups 30-34, separated from his spouse or has secured 45-49 and 60 and over, the proportion divorce. The proportion in which the of females in all other age-groups is less village is inhabited by each of these than that of males. The large disparity categories is' indicated below:- in the population of the two sexes is Never married 49.6% particularly reflected in 'age-groups 10-14, Married 40.0010 40-44 and 55-59 in which the proportion of males and females stands at 18: 9, Widowed 10.0% 6 : 1 and 2: 1 respectively. Divorced or separated 0.4% The fact that 10% of the total popu The table further reveals that out of lation of the block is above the age of the total of 27 persons (18 males and 9 59 years indicates that the life expectancy females) of the age of 10-14. three (one is quite satisfactory when compared with male and 2 females) are married inspite that of the State as a whole where only of the restrictions imposed under the 5.07% of the population falls in the age Infant Marriage Prevention Act of 1928. group 60 & over. This is presumably The tendency to marry girls tarlier and due to the hardy life which the inhabi to postpone the marriages of boys until tants lead. they are well settled in life is also The subjoined statement gives the reflected. All the females abOve the age distribution of the population by broad of 15 are married while in the age age-groups and different categories accord group 15-24 out of 21 males only '1 are ing to capacity for work:- married. Category Age- Popu': Percen- group lation tage of The table also reveals that the married total males and females are in equal propor popu- tion in the block. the number in each lation case being 48. i) Infants 0-4 36 15.0 The block is inhabited, among others. ii), Boys and girls 5-14 70 29.1 by 9 widowers and 15 widows. Of these. iii) Youngmen and the number of males and females in the women 15-34 71 29.6 age-group 60 and over is 7 and 9 res iv) Middle-aged pectively. The excess oC females over men and males appears to be due to comparatively women 35-59 39 16.3 greater longevity among them. This is v) Oldmen and corroborated by 12% of the tota,1 females women 60+ 24 10.0 faU in, the age-group 60 and over as 56 Social Sf Cultural Lif, against 8% males, the number being 13 treated from 1-4-1961 to 31-3-1962 stood and 11 respectively. at 26,073. Common among the diseases treated by the Dispensary are eye-diseases, The proportions of never-married, bronchitis, anemia and' general debility, married and widowed males and females. goiter, scabies and allied skin diseases, are also at variance. Among the males, malaria, fevers etc. only 35.6% are married whereas in the case of females the corresponding proportion Table XIX, Set A, appended to ,the stands at 45.7%. Similarly, the percentage Report, shows that' there have been 11 of males never-marriecl is 57.0 against maternity cases in all in the block. Of 40.0 in case of females. Among males these, only one was hospitalised while only 6.7% are widowed but the corres two each were handled by a qualified ponding proportion among ~males is 14.3%. and an unqualified Dai respectively. The ill) Dis_sea remaining six cases did not avail of any Kathua as a whole is a: malarial area medical fldvice and were handled by the and general conditions of health are not ladies . of the respective households. so good. The people of Parole, however, being hardy and labourious are compara.. The bible further shows that out of tively healthier and physically better lot 39 households inhabiting the block as of people. There are, however, three many as 10 favour allopathic treatment Hakims and two doctors who ·run regular against 15 who. still prefer ayurvedic .shops in· the main Illarket for treating medicines while the remaining· 14 fa,..our the ailing persons. Hakims treat their to be treated by a com:bination of plore patients with ayurvedic medicines while than one system. The tact that the doctors prefer allopathic system. Besides, medical advice was sought and availed there is one Government Allopathic Dis of by a number of households is signifi pensary functioning in village Mirpur cant and indicates the growing confidence Ram, one of the villages constituted in of the inhabitants in the efficacy of Parole village-area. medical treatment and lesser dependence on recita~ion of religious hymns and use The Government Dispensary which of amulets etc. It. is also encouraging to was established ;n 2002 Bikrami era, is note that all the inhabitants were vacci housed in a rented building, the rent· nated against small-pox only six months being Rs. 50.00 per month. It is manned before the survey was taken up. by a Medical Officer whose staff consists of one trained compounder, one trained It is also apparent from the data Dai, one Khidmatgar and one sweeper. that in 29 cases the medical advice was It is not equipped with any arrangements availed of in public hospitals or dispen for operations nor provided with any saries and not more than 6 cases were accommodation for in-patients. According treated by private dispensaries.'· There to the statistics supplied by. the Medical have, however, been 23 cases in which Officer, the average number of patients the patients had to be treated at home treated in the dispensary stands at 71.73 by calling in physicians or allopaths or per day and total number of patients homeopaths. . 57 Iv) EdueatioD number of literates by sex together with The following statement shows caste- the literacy percentage claimed by .each wise/community-wise population and such class:- Community(caste Population Literate Literacy r------..A------... ,..--__.A. ___ Percentage Total Males Females Males Females (1) (2) (3) (4) (5) (6) (7) 1. Scheduled Caste Hindus 127 68 59 11 8.7 i) Megh or. Kabir Panthi 127 68 59 11 8.7 2. Other Hindus 43 23 20 11 6 39.5 i) Gosain 24 13 11 8 4- 50.0 ii) Yogi 19 10 9 3 2 26.3 3. Christians 70 44 26 I 1.4 .. The statement points out the steep any educational qualifications, 12 have backwardness in which the scheduled passed Primary or Basic examinations and castes in general and christians in parti only one has passed Matric or Higher cular fll"e placed in even by literacy Secondary. Among females except for 2 standilrd as cOlDpared to others. with Primary or Basic School qualifica tions, the remaining 4 are merely literate According to the definition adopted at having passed no examination whatever. the· Census of 1961, a literate perso~ is one who is able to read and write a The classification of literate males and simple letter in any language. Following females of different educational lev~ls by this definition, table VII, Set A, appended small age-groups shows that of the 10 at the end of the Report, shows that of males who are merely literate, the age the 135 males and 105 females inlmbiting of 7 vary from 5 to 14 years, one is Of tile. block, 23 males and 6 females are the age of 15-19 aud the other 2 are literate giving an overall literacy percen more than 49 years old. It appears that tage of 12.1. This puts the overall lite those of the age of 5-14 years are still racy position of the block better than .receiving elementary education and have what it is for the state as a whole, that .not passed any examinations so far while being only 10.7%. The corresponding the others would have switched over to literacy percentages among males and various occupations. . females work out to 17.0 and 5.7 respec Among the 12 males with Primary or tively. Basic School qualifications, the ages of .. ·The table further reveals the distri 10 vary from 10 to 19 years and appear but-ion of sex-wise literate population by to JJe students of the Government High educational levels which shows that a,mong School. Of the remaining. two,· one each tlie 23 literate males, 10 do not possess belongs to the age-groups 20-24 and 50-54. 58 Social 61 Cultural Lif, The 19ne matriculate belongs to the of the Indian subcontirient into India and age-group 30-34 and is a teacher in the Pakistan. The event was marked by all GoveJnment High School. uncivilized acts and other morally heinous atrocities like looting, arson which com The classification of female literates munal frenzy is generally frought with. shows that all the 4 mere literate. Investigations made during the course of belong to the. age-group 5-14 and seem survey revealed that prior to 1947. Parole to be students· of the fucaI girls IChool.. as a whole had a population of about Of the 2' females. who have passed 4.000 compnslDg approximately 2,500 Primary or Basic School examinations Hindus. Sikhs, Christians. and ' 1,500 one each belongs to the age-groups 10-14 Muslima. A5 a result of the disturbances, and 25-29. The former is a' student and half of the population migrated leaving preparing for Middle examination while their homes and hearths. Some of the the latter is a teacher in the local girls residents. however claimed that even in ic:hool. thi. dark hour a good number of Hindu The, statistic. collected from the families gave shelter and protection to Government High School indicate that their Muslim brothren who were in the school has 488 students on its rolls danger of life from some of the commu of which only 18 belong' to the hal and violent groups. They claim with block under-study. The school has pride that in many cases no loss of life ~n housed in a Government bWl-' or property was allowed to be suffered. ding and is also equipped with a play Not a few of the residents claim to have ground. It is manned by 13 teacher. been as open minded as to have given iilcluding the Headmaster. of whom 9 are a warm send off to brother Muslims, trained whDe the other 4 are untrained. who opted to migrate to Pakistan. They There' is also a Central School for Girl. even claim to have accompanied them which has a staff strength of 4 teachers upto the Pakistan border protecting their (2 trained and 2 untrained) and ams cattle and other moveable property. been housed in a rented buDding. Of the 158 students on its rolls. 5 come Synchronously with the exodus of from the block. Muslims to Pakistan, there was an influx of refugees frooi Mirpur. Jheleum and \ In any case the fact that about 33% Muzaffarabad districts of the State Which children of the age of 5-14 attend IChool hOW fall on the other side of Cease-fire in an index .~ the, conscioumesl which Line. Some of the refugees even hail is gradually growing 'among inhabitants &om. areas raDing in Pakistan itself. of the block. It is hoped that in the course of time . this percentage will go on Tables 2(A) and 2(B). Set B. appended in~. . to the RepOrt, portray the settlement history of the various households inhabi v) IauDf.patloIa ~ Emlp-atloaa. ting the block. According to the .tatiltics. Parole Nagri like most other bortler the block was five generations ago inhabited areas was also a victim of the 1947 by 12 households in all consisting of 10 riots which came in the wake of' Partition Hindu and 2 Christian fa.WeI. During . I I I ..o [J [ill] [ll]][IIIJ III 0 Z 0 g ! r .,. -< c 0 0 :. CIt 0 z li r C ~ > CIt J: '" z · rn '"z - 0 ' z ~ ,.. '" ~ S z .. 0 7J ~ J: r 0 rn ~ I I CIt 0 J: z E: I I III III Z • Z I I ~ 6 I I 0 " J: I I- '"z PI I I I I ~ I I \II » ~ I I r rn I I (/) I I I I I PI 0 0 5 ,.J '"J I '"I Z 0 " 'T1 -u I I m I I 3: » 0 I I I » z "'tJ I I r C »> '" rn 0 I I (/) .- I » » G') ~' fT1 - JT1 0 I 0 G') Z :D 0 CD c -< -c (J1 (J) FT1 X I\,) o 59 the followin"g generation 5 more- house this classification the block is inhabited holds. comprising 4 Hindu and 1 Chris by 33.3% Simple. 20.5% Intermediate tian families. migrated to the block and 30.8% Joint and 15.4% other families. settled here permanently. Later another 6 Joint family system has been one of households (2" Hindus and 4. Christia~s) the cherished traditions of Dogra society. infiltrated raising the number of This is why the inhabitants of the block households inhabiting the block to 23. have been endeavouring all through in the According to the survey. conducted 16 past to maintain individuality and indi other households (14 Hindus and 2 visibility of the family except when it Christians) migrated into the block during becomes unwieldy by size and cannot be the present generation. Of these 9 are accomodated in one premises. Of late, there Megh or Kabir Pant his. 3 are Yogis. 2 has been an increase, in the number of Simple are Gosain and of the remammg two. families which appears to be a natural se one each belongs to Sandhu and Pathan quence of the growing tendency among castes. newly wedded couples to enjoy economic Table 2(B) further indicates that 9 of independence which is J:lot usually possible the immigrant households (6 Megh and in Joint families. An equally cogent 3 Yogis) have migrated from Hiranagar reason for spliting up of Joint families tehsil of Kathua district. The remaining into Simple ones is the temperamental 8 comprising 3 Meghs. 2 Gosain. I Sandhu differences among women folk who fall and I Pathan families have migrated out occasionally with each other on petty from Pakistan during the riots of 1947. matters like equitable division of work, distribution of food and other provlslons B-FANU~Y STRUCTURE from the pooled income of the family. With a view to studying the family In so far as inheritance is c~ncerned, structure of the inhabitants. the households the ancestral property is, among Hindu may be divided into four categories families, shared by the head of the namely Simple. Intermediate. Joint and household with his children from the very Others. A Simple family consists of time of their birth. This does not, how husband, wife and unmarried children ever, apply to such property as may only. Families which include, in addition, have been acquired by the head of the unmarried brothers and sisters of the household himself. After the death of head of the household and one of the the father. his property whether parents are classed as Intermediate. A ancestral or acquired is shared in equal Joint family is one in which some of proportion by his male children but the married children. brothers and I or neither the widow nor the daughters are sisters of the head of the household may entitled to any share from the same. also be living and taking meals from the The male children are. however. responsible same kitchen.. Families which do not for the maintenance and marriages of fall in any of these categories are treated their unmarried sisters. They are also as others. expected to look after the widow unless she decides to remarry. Table· I, Set B. appended .at the end If. however. a person passes away of the RepOrt, shows that according to" without leaving any issue. the entire 6Q Social 67 Cull1mzl Lift property is inherited by his widow_ On followed by various Christian families the other hand, the property of a person residing in the block under-study. who is not survived by any son or widow is inherited by his daughter. Where, a C-LEISURE AND RECREATION person leaves behind an adopted son the' Earning hands usually get no time latter alone is entitled 10 inherit the assets during the day either to play games or of the deceased, provided there are no to participate in recreations. In evenings collinear or other near relatives_ and not infrequently during summer lloons the elderly and seasoned male inhabitants. This is the procedure prescribed' by however, assemble in Co-operative Society religious and customery laws for the building or in some centrally shady place inheritance of intestat~ property_ The in the main market to play different State Government, have, 'l!.owever, intro games of cards like trump, sweep etc. duced substantial changes in the law of Tho'l1e who are not interested in card inheritance of Hindus by Act No_ XXXVIII garneill discuss a wide range of subjects, of 1956 entitled the Jammu and Kashmir while puffing over the Hooka (Hubble Hindus Succession Act of 1956. By this bubble), right from the local gossip to the Act the status of male and female latest political deveiopments in the country. children has been brought at par in the matter of inheritance of the property of There are no theatres. cinema haJJs. their father and a daughter has been dramatic clubs or any cultural units in declared to be entitled to the same share Parole Nagri to entertain the inhabitants. as the son. The law also prOVides that The only places of growing interest are the widow or, if there are more widows than the two cinema halls, namely Vijay and . one, all the widows together shall be entitled Moonlight talkies, located in Kathua town to receive one share equal to that of a son which is about six miles away. Occa or daughter. Further, by this law the sionaJJy youngmen and others, whose mother of· the intestate and the children interest is provoked by coloured picture of deceased sons or deceased daughters postals, pasted regularly by the cinema are also entitled to receive one share management into the village, visit these equal to that .to which each of the l~ving theatres. The Information Depal-tment of children is entitled. Jammu and Kashmir Government also Inquiries made' in the block have entertains the inhabitants from time to revealed that out of 39 households the time by film strips which are shown in heads of only 3 households have a general the open ground. impression of changes having been made Fairs and festivals though essentially in the Hindu Law of inheritance. They religious in character also provide arrange have no knowledge of the nature of these ments for the entertainment of children changes nor have they followed these for and youngmen alike_ On such occasions the distribution. of intestate property which wrestling matches of Indian style known is being governed by customary laws. as 'Chinnjs and games of Kabadi are also The customary laws for the inheritan.ce organised. Besides private individuals of intestate property in vogue are all and parties moving from place to place 61 Parol.. to give magical or other shows are also metallic bells tied to a leather belt) seen. around his ankles. Participants of each group move in a circle and start the The most important among the fairs dance with slow and steady liteps but in which elaborate arrangements for enter gradually gain momentum until the tainment are made is Baisakhi. The movements of hands, feet and body are Baisakhi fair falls on first of Baisakh, accelerated. The dancers and the drum corresponding to 13th April, and is held mers challenge each other to continue the for one day in a vast garden" of mangoes dance and the various agricultural ope at Erapati or Ervan which is only 2 rations such as sowing, harvesting, win miles away from' the village-market. Here nowing etc., are expressed by zestful lie~ an ancient temple of Lord Shiva and movements of limbs. The dancers gradually there are 101 springs" known as Boulies. become ecstatic and throw a spell over the It is a tradition that on the day inhabi audience who respond with the movements tants usually ladies consider it auspicious of their limbs. The dancers also change to take a: bath in these Boulies early in their movements so that these may be the morning afterwhich they pay a visit to harmonious with the tunes to which the the temple and return home. musicians may switch over. One of the participants also recites love ballads or The enter1:ainment part of tBe fair some lyrics and the rest respond with starts after 8 a. m. when groups of parti the loud cries of encouragement. The cipants begin to pour in from Parole and concerts come to an end during the various other villages. It has been esti evening when the villagers and spectators mated that the fair is attended to by disperse. about 15,000 persons irrespective of sex, caste and creed. About 100 temporary It may be remarked here that females shops and stalls also spring up to cater who participate in the fair in "large num to the needs of the participants. Special brrs dressed in gay and gaudy coloured feature of the day" is drinking and dancing dresses do not participate in these dances. of cultivators and others to celebrate the Like" agricultural classes of other dawn of Indian New Year's day which parts of the State, a favourite hobby of also marks a day of rejoicing for them the cultivators is to keep on singing due to the ripening of the Rabi harvest. folk-songs in the fields while performing In some of the areas it is considered a various agricultural operations. Some of good omen to apply sickle to the crop the specimens of these folk-songs will be "for the first time on this day. The virile found in the current chapter under peasants attired "in their best clothes folk-lore. express their joy by performing Bhangra During spring and summer months dance, which is a typically Punjabi induc "square kites of thin paper of various tion. Usually every village is represented colours and designs are also flown by by separate Bhangra parties accompanied the childt'en from house-tops. Arrange by drummers and flute players. Each ments have also been made by the party is dressed uniformly and afmost Education Department authorit,ies for the every participant ties gungroo (gingling recreation of children attendmg schools. 62 Social (]/ Cultu7al Lif, They are usually seen playing foot-ball may be remarked here that the mem and volley-ball in the ptay-ground attached bers of the playing group are not only with the schooL In addition, they also expected to escape the hit of the ball play a number of other "games of which but also to rkstore the disturbed the following are more popular :-=- Santolia to its original position before making good their escape. If they A number of boys assemble to play succeed in both the operations, they what is known as Santclio.. The parti are declared as winners and the game cipants divide themselves into two groups comes to an ~end with shouts of either by mutual agreement or. failing Santolia, Santolia from the winners. that, by the device of Tass. One.of This qualifies the players to have "an the parties starts" playing the game extra turn for one of their membe~. and the other tak~s the field. The decision as to who s~ould play first is The other popular game which is the also made by throwing a penny in hobby of teen-aged girls only is what air. Seven small flat stones or pieces is known as Unch-Neach (up and down). of an earlhen pot are piled up at a 'For this purpose an area of slightly convenient place, one upon the other. varying topography is selected so that This pile is called Santolia. A point the game may extend from high to called Panne about 12 to 15 feet away low level area.. One of the girls takes froID Santolia is then fixed and the her position in the area at lower level members of the playing team start while others assemble at a compara striking the Santolia with a rubber ball tively higher altitude. The former then from this point turn by turn. If the selects a place which can"" be reached ball does not hit the stones and is by crossing a part of low level area instead caught" by one of the fielders and asks those on the upper level to before it touches the ground for the reach it. While they do" so, the girl second time. the player is ousted. at the lower level tries to catch one of The next player then resumes the game them. If she succeeds, the girl" thus and in this way all the players are caught replaces her and the game "out, one by one. If. however," the starts again. This provides a good ball touches, Santolia and is then running exercise to the children. caught by one of the fielders, the D-RELIGIOUS INSTITUTIONS whole" party is ousted and the fielders start playing the game. On the other As mentioned already, there is only hand. in case the ball disturbs the one temple of Lord Shiva in the block stones bu t the fielding team fails to under survey which is visited both early catch it. the members of the playing in the morning and after dusk by most team run away in the effort that they of the Hindu inhabitants, who being should escape the hit of the hall by orthodox and religious minded are keen the fielders. In case any member of and regular in their prayers. There are the playing group is hit, he is supposed many other shrines in Parole village-area to be out and is succeeded by another which are also frequently visited by the person from the playing group. ""It inhabitants. Among these mention may 63 be JIlade of ~he following. important ones their prayers at home. There are, how two temples of Lord Shiva, shrine of ever, two mosques and one renowned Devi Bala Sundri and Surgal Bawa. It shrine of a faqir known by the name is a common belief that these Shiva Chattar Shah. temples and those at Ervan were cons tructed during the reign ·of King Vikarma A fair is held for one day at the sacred abode of Cbattar Shah on 7th of Dittya (400 A.D.) Ashahar to commemorate the anniversary All the shrines mentioned above attract of the saint and is attended to by 4,000 daily large number ()f devotees belonging persons of all faiths. It is a popular faith to all castes and callings who visit witll that . Cbattar Shah blesses barren women great veneration and offer their prayers with children. The shrine is a roofless both severally as well as jointly. Entry structure surrounded with flags of mUlti into the temples, as stated earlier, is not coloured pieces of cloth which are hoisted banned against the members of any caste by the devotees in fulfilment of their or creed as such the devotees include prayers answered. It is also commonly .. among others scheduled castes also who believed that the faqir was not interested are treated equitably with other cast~ in a roof and never allowed any roof Hindus. to be constructed. Nearly there is a 'circular spring of 8 feet diameter famous On the occasion of religious festivals' far its cold and hygienic water. The especially, these institutions gain an added management of the shrine has been importance and become the centre of entrusted to Anjman-e-Okaf, Jammu. large gatherings. For instance on Shivratri, fairs are held in all the Shiva temples. E-VILLAGE ORGANISATION Similarly during Navratras and on the days of Durga Ashtmi and Ram Novmi As mentioned elsewhere in the Report, fairs are held in the temple of Bala the Panchayat that existed in the village Sundri which are attended to by 10,000 earlier was dissolved in 1952 as some of to 15,000 persons on an average. It has the village leaders did not, favour it and been usually observed that lhe number went on a hunger-strike against it. It of women participants on such religious was replljlced in 2009 Bikrami era by a festivals by far exceeds that of males. nominated Village-Area-Committee, consti tuted in accordance with Praja Sabha Snake worship is common among the bill dated 21-4-1943, compnsmg of a scheduled castes only who have' great Chairman, a Secretary and six other devotion for the shrine of Bawa Surgal members. Due to certain internal rift and which is considered to be the home of differences of opinion, all the six: mem snakes. Once a week joint prayers are bers of the Committee resigned on 25-5-1957. offered at the shrine accompanied by the Since then the Chairman (acting tehsildar beating of. drums etc. Kathua) and the secretary (Medical Not to say of the block under-study Officer, Government Dispensary, Kathua) there is no church even in Parole as a are acting as ex-officio members and whole with the result that Christian carrying on the functions assigned to the inhabitants have to be content by offering Village-Area· Committee. 64 S«io.l 6f Cultural Lifl The various· functions assigned to the· c:ourse of the survey indicate that no Committee are as under:- official or private orga~isation has ever visited the block to educate the inhabi (a) To' look after the and cleanline~s tants about various reform measures in sanitation of the village-area.. For their socio-economic life such as family this purpose four sweepers have planning, discontinuance of early marriages, been engaged who are paid Rs. 12( introduction of widow remarriages, economy per mensem each; in expenditure on marriages and other (b) To improve the condition of the social functions and prohibition of smoking streets, bazaars etc. by minor children etc. Whatever changes (c) To levy and collect various cesse. are noticeable' the credit for these goes like octroi on vegetables, grass and to the inhabitants themselves who have firewood; removal M. refuse, tonga due to their contacts with the urban stand and lorry stand fee etc. population of Kathua town been imbibing new '~rends and adopting new practices. Besides, the Multipurpose Co-operative There is no doubt that the Government Society functioning in the area is a grea t have enacted legislation to eradicate many asset for its members who can raise short a social evil, but the provisions of these term loans etc. on reasonable rate of Acts have only been preserved in the interest and also sell their surplus produce statutes and have never been implemented on competitive rates. The various activities with a strong follow up. The Juvenile of the Society have already been discussed Smoking Act, for instance, which prohibits in Chapter III of the Report. smoking by children below the' age of Further, as per the information supplied 16 years, is violated openly and minor by the Block Development Officer, Kathua children are seen smoking recklessly in the Parole area, for purposes of Block public. Similarly, the law prohibiting activities, falls under the jurisdiction of early marriages is also on the statute but two separate Panchayats namely Said Pur no cognizance appears to have been taken and KhakhyaI. The following develop of the people who contravene it and mental works were executed by the Block solemnise marriages of minor children. Organisation during 196()"62 in five of the six villages constituting Parole :- Information regarding the awareness of the inhabitants about laws regulating Worb executed social life has also been provided in a) Mirpur Ram One well, two khuls tables 6(B) and 6(F), Set B, appended to b) Taraf Bala One well the Report. First of these tables reveals that only 3 heads of the 30 Hindu c) Taraf Pian .One well, and one households are conscious of the changes culvert introduced by the Government in the d) Pitho Pian Road and culvert form of Hindu Succession and Adoption e) Mirpur Jagoo Two lanes Act but none of them could explain the nature of these changes. Table 6(F) P~REFORM MEASURES further shows that i heads or' the The inquiries conducted during the households out of 39 favour the inherited 65 Parole property being shared in equal proportion the addition of more children, 6 are by sons and daughters. These seven already having 1 to 3· sons while one households include 3 belonging to Christian has no daughter-and the other 4 are community. It also reveals that 26 Hindu issueless. The remaining 5 households households have not even· heard of the are headed by widowed persons. law enacted by the Government for treating Table 17 (A) further reveals that house the daughters at par with sons in the holds in favour of getting more children matter of distribution of inherited property. include 2 whose heads were married 11 ~s stated· earliar, no final restrictions to 15 years ago and 3 whose duration of are prevalent against the members of marriage varies from 6 to 10 years. The Scheduled Castes· and Christians who heads of another 6 households date back move about freely in all public places. their marriages to less. than 5 years. Table 4, Set B, spells out that 20 out Among the other 23 households, which of the 30 Hindu households in the block are not in favour of getting more children, are aware of the Untouchability Offences the heads of 2 households were married Act of 1955. less than 11 years ago while the duration The inhabitants of the block have no of marriage of others exceeds 11 years. knowledge of the Family Planning Centre This shows that number of households which . is functioning in Kathua town which appreciate the desirability of res since January, 1961 and are much. less tricting the s~e of their families is fairly aware of the advantages which accrue by large. restricdng the size of a family. The inhabitants being orthodox and religious A study of the economic levels of households which are in favour of and minded are also not in favour of adopting which do not approve of getting· more artificial or technical devices for birth control as such an act is regarded un children shows that there are only 4 natural against the creative powers of the households in the block with a monthly Almighty. The ignorance of the people income of Rs. 26-50 which crave for more children. Among the remaining, 3 about the importance of family planning can mostly be attributed to the reason earn Rs. 51.00 to Rs. 75.00 per month that no organisation has· so far visited and 2 have varying income from Rs. the block to educate the masses on· the 76.00 to Rs. 100.00. The other 2 house need of slowing down the growth rate .holds in favour of getting more children of population in the interest of the nation. belong to the income group Rs. 10 I and It is, however, quite encouraging to note over. from tables 17, 17 (A) and 17(B), Set B, The classification of households which appended at· the end of the Report, that are averse to the enlargement of the size as many as 23 heads of the households . of their families by addition of more are not in favour of more children being children shows that 6 households earn born in their families, although 4 of less than Rs. 50.00 p. m. There are 5 them have either no daughters or ~ sons. who earn Rs. 51.00 to Rs. 75.00 p. m. Of the . 11 heads of households who crave while 10 others have varying incomes for increase in their family populatio~ by ranging JCOlll Rs. 76.00 to Rs. 100.00. 66 Social & Cultural Life There are 2 others which do not favour Dogras with the speakers of these lan the idea of getting more children even guages, English word. had to be borrowed though they earn more than Rs~ 100.00 for want of their appropriate equivalents p.m. in Dogri. Among these mention may be made of radio, harmonium, loud-speaker. It may, however; be remarked that bicycle, tube, tyre, truck, meter, car, the inhabitants are now conscious of the seat, handle, military. police, driver, realities of life and are not so backward in petrol, engine. pencil, fountain-pen, slate, social and cultural spheres as they used pass. fail. coat, button. hockey, football, to be two decades ago. The very fact cricket, school, college, hotel, restaurant, that of the total 39 households as many glass. plate and numerous other words. as 25 have enlisted the1'(lselves as members of the
Social & Cultural Life
and of the territory inhabited by religious and festive' occasions as also Dogras. during folk dances a large drum locally called Dhol is invariably used. A special The second category namely lyrics feature of the devotional songs is that contain a vast mass of literature and are they are accompanied by the clash of most popular and attract large audiences. Chhane or cymbals. tinkling of metal plates These may be sub-divided into the and clapping of hands. following categories:- Besides the above. wandering minstrels, Theme of lyrics Local names who usually belong to Gardi caste, are (i) Love Janjotian, Bhakhan, also seen singing folk tiallads in the 'Chann accompaniment of Ek-Iara, or one-wired instrument. (ii) Ceremonial Ghorian, Suhag, In some of the songs. the use of ins Behaiyan, Sithnian, tI"timents is altogether dispensed with. Chhands ...... These are sung' by several persons in (iii) Festival and Bisanpatte, Arties, chorus, each pa.rticipant tucking his fore religious Bhetan and lyrics fingers in his ears. The whole party sung on Lohri, raises its voice in full volume and the Navratras etc. resultant melodious sound echoes through the surrounding plains. (iv) Lyrics sung Savarian, GharIodri during agri As in all other rural areas of the cultural ope State cultivators keep on singing in their rations and fields both when engaged in agricultural house cons op~rations as also during leisure hours. truction Following are some of the proverbs (v) Lyrics sung which are very common among the during Dogri inhabitants of Parole:- folk dances (a) Tam Ie subha do. Koye laj "ge like Kud, Literal Meaning- Phumnian etc. Baldness and bad nature are incurable. It .will be relevant to refer here to (b) Dena bhela na baap ka, the musical instruments which the in Bet; bheli na ekk habitants usually employ during folk-lores. Literal Meaning- The most popular among these are pipe Indebtedness is not good even when and flageolets, locally known as Bansari incurred from father. and Algoza respectively. The former needs Nor is the daughter ,comfortable. only one man to play but flageolets are (c) Hatti jeya banj na)'" not played unless the musicians simulta j, duhar na hoye J neously opera~es upon two such instru Maaow babbe jeye mooj nayt. ments. Another instrument known' as je ghar. nat na hoyt. Sarangi is 1,lsed for singing of ballads of Phee nar jeye b~hai- Mye. Baran or Karkan type. While celebrating je badkar na haye, 69
Parole
Pfue bharain jeye be behar nayl, Explanation- je lehar na hoye. Rains in the month of kartak (October) Literal Meaning- are followed by famine. No business like running a shop, if (h) Varl Magar. there are no sales on credit, Kanke de dhtr. Nothing like father and mother, pro Literal Morning vi~ed one has no wife, Rains in Maghar No pleasure like having a wife, if Heaps of wheat. she is not unchaste, Explanation- . No better source of happiness than Rains during the month of Maghar brothers, if there is no dispute. (November) bring bumper crops. (d) Peoke kus raje banyae. (i) Mangal Bud na jaye Panar galian lehub dtrange laye, Jin baz;i dende har. Suhre lew baduea ba'!'YtIe. Literal Meaning- urde panchi pinj", pqJe. Travel not towards mountains on Literal Meaning- Tuesday-Wednesday, What Raja founded the p~rental house Spoils an accomplished feat. where lot of fun is available, Explanation- What devil founded the house of parents Travelling on Tuesday and Wednesday in-law where flying birds are in cages. towards mountainous regions spoils ( e) Duhstra phalcota fl4YI seet, lohn PhiJkoee an accomplished feat. gay Sett. Literal Meaning- The most popular among the. ballads are KaTlean of Baba jitto, Data Ranu, Burning of Dussehra (effigies) heralds Raja Bahu Rull. Baba Kura, Mai Mali, cold and Lohri burnings signify its Baba Kallu, Baba Nahar Singh and Baba departure. Surgak Nagmi etc. In so far as ballads (f) Ajsi"e de Ilggare II ghore de pichare of Baran type are concerned, those relating leedye na hona. to Mian Diddo, Wazir Ratnu, Gugga, Literal Meaning- Basti Ram, General Hoshiara and Baj Avoid appearing before an administrator , Singh are famous and are regarded as an and behind a horse. authentic record of the glory and pride Explanation- of Dogras. The ballads are characterised The wrath of administrators haunts by a logical treatment of the incidents those who visit them as a horse strikes alld happenings in a chronological order with his hind legs anyone standing and provide a vivid description of the behind it. bravery and gallantry of Dogras. (g) Kalak karl£. Besides the above, devotional ballads ele Tali do jaru. associated with holy shrines and places Literal Meaning....,...· of pilgrimage like Vaishno Devi, Kalka, Rains in kartak Sudhmahadev, Sukral and Harmandir are One leaf two persons. also cherished by the Duggar folk. 70
Social & Cultural Life
Love lyrics .are generally shrouded in come and speak to me, please symbolic references which, are not the come and talk with me. names of particular individuals. but stand 2. In your hand is a silk handkerchief for the lover and the sweet-heart. Thus . 0 Chanchalo, Prithee Singh and l Inder Devi, K'unjua and my ring is on your finger, and Chanchlo which are often cited in as a token of our undying love. love songs refer to the lover and the beloved. Specimens of songs of this kind 3. My lustrous black eyes, 0 Kunjua, are quoted below:- often admired by you, are filled with tears and sorrow, (a) Kuehon ria uthi Kali bat/lil symbols of our hopeless love. 00 mundfya PN(hee Singha Kuthon da barseya tlumda neer 00 ? 4. On your fair anns Dilla da uthi kali badti, . the red bangles quiver, 00 kureaye /Rtkr Deyea and among them, 0 Chanchalo, Nainan thow barseya thanda neer 00. is the bracelet I gave you in token of my adoration. (b) 1. Kapr, dohan kanne ,-ovan Kunjua Mukhon bol jabani . Do, mne Kunjua In love lyrics similies are also very muMon bol jabani 00 frequent. Generally the beloved is referred to as Chan or moon, as is the usage in 2. Hath bieh resAmi rumaal Chanchalo folk songs of many other languages. Here Buh eballa nisbani Do, mnyea is a stanza from a lyric :depicting the jirultl" buh challa niskani 00 agonies of separation experi~n'ced by the 3. Kal; akhian anbye deyan patlan belle who IS eager to meet her sweet Bich Dlharon niskan; 00. mne heart :- Kunjua bick atka,-on nishani 00 Chan mada ehadfya bo chadfya Rajoria, 4. Go"; gon banwan lal eAu"a Bani Jaian pakhru te mi!ye jaean thoriya, Chanchalo Man ba"a ge duaas mere jaan. Bich gajra nisbani 00, meryea English rendering- jinddl, bich gajra niskani Du. 0, my darling moon, now on the hori zon of Rajouri, Rendering of these verses by Dr. Karan Singh in his book "Shadow and Do visit me unnoticed in the form of Sunlight" run as under:- a bird, I am feeling very forlorn. (a) Wherefrom arises this dark cloud, o Prithee Singh, Ceremonial lyrics command no less Wherefrom rains this ice cold popularity than and claim as much water? variety as the. love lyrics. These are designed for various ceremonies celebrated From my heart arises this dark cloud, in conneCtion with births, marriages etc. India. Devi, o and constitute a medium through which from my eyes rains this cold water. women folk express their emotions on (b) 1. I weep profusely, such· occasions. Lyrics sung to celebrate while washing clothes, 0 Kunjua the addition of a,' male child in the 71
Parole
household are called Beharyan and contain (ii) What mounting the pony for the references to the treatment which ~ is Barat- accorded to a male child when compared Bhenan tie bir shangaria, with that of a female who is regarded as Bkabian ne devar ghm chadyea, a liability. Marriage lyrics. however, fall J' glzori tlaye bieh bfZl!!lJT. in two broad categories viz., Ghman and fAre de satki chan te tare. Suhags. The former are exclusively meant English rendering- for the marriage of males and are named Sisters have decorated the brother. after various rituals like mounting the mare and proceeding to the bride's home Wives of brothers have helped him in a barat etc. The latter contain the mount the mare, good wishes and affections of the girl's As the mare reaches the market, friends. relatives and parents for her long The bridegroom and the processionists and happy marriage. Here are a few resemble the moon and the stars. - specimens of Beha"iyan, Ghorian and Suhags (iii) While sisters hold the reins of the sung by the women in chorus:- pony and feed the mare with wet· grams- B,haryan- Eh ghm mer, lal de, Milan looltf)l' he,~a de lade, jere motian jade, Bindrabana mengqya tf)Ie, Xe mubarak hoy, ajje d, ghadi,· Jenda bhabian ne rokeya, Je Kanne de hoye aaju hadi, deye ja surma lOy;' aye, Xe mubarak hoye ajje de ghadi. MB'le kola ke tun mengni, English rendering- Babul de~g bidqye qye. Mother is showering her .diamond English rendering- necklace embeded with pearls, Oh this mare of my' dear son has To (elicitate this auspicious hoW" of the come from Bindraban, day, When about to start was stopped by The new born baby may be blessed wives of his brother's who demand with a long Ufe, Surma-pout To felicitate this auspicious hour ...... Why you demand it from me, Ghorian- brother will pay you. While starting was stopped by sisters, (i) When the bridegroom takes a bath who demand Dal-Charrie. after rubbing huma, Why you demand it from me, father Butna lonyedr lare ge garmijo tf)Ie, will pay you. PtZkha chole naif kol kharote hhaie. [According to a popular custom pre English rendering- vailing among Dogras. the reins of the The bridegroom experiences heat due pony carrying the bridegroom are held to the rubbing of. hutna, fast by his brother's wives and sisters The barber is providing breeze by. fan (called Vagpherie) who demand some cash and the brothers are standing nearby. or gift from him, for the ceremonies of 72
Social & Cultural Life
Surma.poie (applying of antimony in bride Is bele Bahul jage, groom's eyes) and Dal-Charrie (feeding the B, rajae, dharma d~ bela, mare with wet dal of grams) respectively]. Suna be denia roopa be dmda. (iv) When the marriage procession is Kan!ya da doon kerenda, B, rajae ...... _...• :."_!. ... . about to start~ Balgo balgo, chache aaqn deyean, English rendering- Chache aaye, jani abaj banni; Who should be awake at this hour. English rendering- o Raja. it is the time for the duty Wait wait. let the uncle come, - of Dharma, Uncle came, the marriage procession At this hOl!l" father of the bride should looks gay. awake, (v) While receiving the\ wedded couple _ 0 Raja,. it is the time for the duty at the house of the bridegroom- of Dharma., He offers gold. he also offers silver, (a) Jhil-mil jhil-mil pallri j, sad, oongan And is giving his daughter in charity. aaye, o Raja, it is ...... K rmne bhejeya sada ji, kun", sadi bullaie ? (b) When the bride leaves her parents Babul bhajeya sodara ji, alongwith the bridegroom the scene is maaow sadi bullaie. most touching and the women-folk usually sing the following verses-'- (b) Lan karian ney, chhanka, Sade [ore g, neye dma. (i) Bol ", mereye boogan dey, ko,le, Boog chho", ban ke chaly_n? (c) Lari gori Y'. gori y', Babul mer, baehan j, k,ta. Shukar kita maaow tori yeo Bachana d, b,ndi 7liian chalyan. English rendering_:_' (ii) Aa mereye dhey, galan kery,a, (a) Tastefully decorated palanquin has Aay, bichore bali raat, set in our compound, Mere babul galan keyan kny,a, Who invited her? Who sent ~he Janj kharoti boo.], bar. . message? (iii) Ter, mohalan de bick-bich V', Babul Father invited her, mother sent dola neye lengda, the message. Do ittan puta sutan g'. dM:1' gar ja (b) Oh bride, don't jingle ornaments, aapne, - Our son may not be frightened. Enna baghan de bich-bich V', Bahul dola my' lmgda., (c) Oh what a fair and beautiful bride, Thank her mother who allowed her Do bute puta sutan ge, dheye gar ja to come. aap",. English rendering- Suhags- (i) Oh Koil of my ga~den, speak, (a) At lagan ceremony- Why are you leaving this garden Is b,l, -kun kiln jag', My father has given his ~ord. B, rajae. dharma de bela, I am going to honour the promise. 73 Parole
(ii) Come on my darling daughter, let We will get the way made by us chat, removing away bricks. The night ofour separation has come. From the interior of your garden, Dh dear father, how to chat now. D father. this palanquin is reluctant Marriage procession is. waiting at the to leave, door. o daughter. you go to your own (iii) Fro.m the interior of your home, home, o father, this palanquin is reluctant to leave. We will get the way made by o daughter. you go to your own cutting away trees. home~ eHAPTER V
CONCLUSION
In the foregoing chapters an attempt for tight dresses and unlike their elders has been made to· portray, as far' as are particular to ensUre a matching combi possible, a panoramic view of the social, nation of colours in their . wears. Like cultural and economic life of the inhabi wise cheep cosmetics which were unknown tants of the block and the various changes in the past have' become popular with which have crept ~nto each of these the young-ones who have developed a spheres. The· empirical feel and the data taste for ~umed soaps, hair-oils, pttoWders, appended to the Report bring to the . creams, towels, under-garments etc. focus the extent to \ which traditional practices as well as b'eliefs and the con Some social .awareness is also reflected servative outlook have been giving room in the attitude of the new generation to to more scientific, rational and useful wards all such matters which are likely attitudes and concepts. It would appear to' influence their future life. For instance, that though the impact of the cnanges only two decades ago, hardly there was all round on the life of these people is, any literate person in the block, against in away, far reaching, the people them this the literate popUlation now claims a selves have not changed as much as they percentage of 12.1 which compares favourably should under the weight of this impact. with the corresponding average of 10.7% in the State as a whole. A comparison Among changes, mention may be made of the literacy percentage ao;.ong different of the gradual shift in outlook of the castes inhabiting the block further shows inhabitants in respect of their dress, foot that except for Christian and Megh house wear, household goods and the like. The holds the rest of the castes have a fairly middle and advanced-age people are no good percentage of literates, the average doubt even now wedded to time honoured literacy among them being 39.5%. That practjces and beliefs but at the same the percentage is bound to increase further time do not disfavour the growing tendency before long is apparent from the fact that among the. youngsters to fall in line with at present about 33% children of the age the people of Kathua and other advanced of 6.14 years are attending school and areas. There is no wonder therefore that gradually the inhabitants are also becoming the younger-folk have developed an abha conscious about the 'advantages of -educa rance for the traditional apparel of elderly ting their chUdren. people and instead covet modern type of dresses and foot-wear as stated elsewhere. Mention may also be made of the They prefer mill-made cloth to handloom spirit of co-operation which is quite con and take pleasure in wearing readymade spicious among the inhabitants who fully . garments. Even the popular head-gear of realise the benefits accliring by joint colla:' the elders has been dispensed with' in boration. About 65% heads of the house favour of }.lare head and combed hair. holds have enlisted themselves ,as members Young girls too have developed a 'iaste of the Multipurpose Co-operative Society. 75
Another stdking feature of the social Aniinal husbandry would provide further sphere of the block is the changing out scope for some of the industries connected look about the caste rigidities and growing with hides and skins. interrp.ingling in shops, religious places, social gatherings uninhabited by orthodox Another potential source capable of caste restrictions. improving the economy of the area is the setting up of a net work of cottage indus In spite of the above noted changes, tries for manufacturing mats, fans, brooms, there is yet a lot to be done in the social baskets, bamboo furniture and the like. buiJt up. Inhabitants need to be enlightened The raw material lae bamboo and date about the advantages of family planning. trees and bhabb" grass is in abundance. Similarly the basic principles of hygiene have yet to be brought home to them Furthermore, the land holdIngs are in in the mannel' of house construction and a large majority of cases uneconomic and keeping the premises and streets neat and do not yield enough returns even for the clean. Other social reformatory laws in maintenance of cultivating households. It troduced by the Government, from time is also indeed unfortunate that although the soil is an alluvial one and has a to time, also will have meaning ~only if there is follow of action to ensure. their high productive potentiality, adequate irri implementation. It is for lack of this gational facilities are not available. The action that child marriages are in vogue, crops are further prone to damage by even now, though to a lesser degree, various types of pests and rats. So besides and many young boys are seen smoking providing irrigational facilities, other publically. measures which require to be introduced simultaneously include the provision of Mass exodus of inhabitants during the insecticides, superior variety or seeds, 1941 disturbances does not seem to have chemical manure and improved agriculture effected the economy of the area which implements. No doubt local Multipurpose is of a static form and continues to run Co-operative Society have taken initiative on a snail's pace due to non-availability in this direction, a lot mor.e needs to be of electric power which could be utilised done by the N.E.S. Organisation whose for setting up a number of cottage and activities have not been able to bring small scale industries for which there are about .any perceptible results so far. The bright prospects as pointed out in the N.E.S. would be of immense help if the Report. In addition, there are a number Organisation intensifies demonstrations on of other avenues which if developed pro a number of plots for propagating the perly could be of great value in raising use of insecticides, improved seeds chemical the economic standard of the inhabitants. manure and the like. It would be a For instance there is a large scope for factual mistake to say that the inhabitants extention of animal husbandry. The fairly are still orthodox and as such not amenable large number of indigenous milching cows to change in their outlook. The results could gradually be replaced by species of of the survey show that once the villager superior breed which could almost double the yield of milk. This would naturally is convinced about the efficacy of specific increase the export of milk and its by measures to be taken, he would be quick products to Kathua and other . areas. to imbibe the new ideology. 76
LOCAL KlNSIDP TERMINOLOGY
. Relationship Local Terms
Father Pio, Bapu. Bab. Pita ' Mother Man, Bhabo, Mata ,.' Elder brother Bhaya or Beda Bhara. Sister' Bham, Bebi, Boa Younger brother Loca Bhara (by name) Father's father Baba, Lala, Bb3ya, Dada Father's mother Dadi, Bebe. Beji Father's elder brother Taya or Tatu Father's younger brother Chacha or Chachu Father's elder brother's. wife Tai Father's younger brother's wife Chachi Father's elder(younger brother's son Taya/Chacha da puttar or Bhara Father's elder(younger brother's Tay.(Chacha de dhi or Bhain daughter Father's sister Phuphi, Bhoa, Boa Father's sister's husband Phuphar or Phuphm Father's sister's son Phuphi da puttar or Bhara Father's sister's daughter Phuphi de dhi or Bhain Mother's father Nana or Bhaya Mother's mother Nani, Debe, Beji Mother's brother ManulD or Mamu Mother's brother's wife Mamin Mother's brother's son Maman da puttar or Bhara Mother's brother'. daughter Maman de dhi or Bhain Mother's sister Masi Mother's ,sister's husband Masar Mothe~'s sister's son Masi da puttar or Bhara Mother's sister's daughter Masi de dhi or Bhain Elder or younger brother's wife BhaJjai or Bhabi Elder brother's Son Bhatriya Younger brother's son Bhatija Elder brother's daughter Bhatri 'Younger brother's daughter Batiji Sister's hU,sband Bhonoja or Gija Sister's son Bhanewan Sister'. daughter Bhanewi 77
Relationship Local Terms
Husband Gharwala, Khasam. Gabhru Wife Bivi, Run, Gharwali Son Puttar. Bachcha, Lauhra, jatak Daughter Dhi. Larki, Kuri, Kanya, Boi Husband's father Sauhra or Susar Husband's mother Sas Husband's elder brother Jeth Husband's _younger brother Dewar . Husband's elder. brother's wife Jethani or Bebe Husband's younger brother's wife Drani Husband's brother's son/daughter Jathia, DriaLJathi, Dri Husband's sister Nanan Husband's sister's husband Nananwi Husband's sister's son/daughter Nanan da puttar/Nanan de dhi Wife's father Sauhra Wife's mother Sas Wife's brother Sala Wife's brother's son/daughter Sala da puttar/sale de dhi Wife's brother's wife Salehar Wife's sister Sali Wife's sister's husband Sandu Wife's sister's son/daughter Sali da puttar/sali de dhi Son's wife's father or daughter'S husband's Kuram father Son's wife's mother or daughter's husband's Kuramni mother Son'S' wife Noh, Lari, Bhou Daughter'S husband Jawai Son's son Potra Son's daughter Potri Daughter's son Dhotra Daughter's daughter Dhotri 78 SOClO.ECONOMIC SURVEY, 1960-61 CENSUS 1961 Name of District-Kathua PART II VILLAGE SCHEDULE Name of Police Station/Taluk-IJarole Name of viIlag~- Parole Area of village -3,070 acres Number of households: 795 of which 39 raIl in the block under-survey. What is the religion which majority of the villagers profess-Hinduism