“Very perception of....Page 4 SUNDAY, JUNE 28, 2020 INTERNET EDITION : www.dailyexcelsior.com/sunday-magazine Knowledge means Vedas ...Page 3 RAMKOTE : The Historical Village Old palaces and Forts of Ramkote. Photo/Pardeep Khajuria Dr R K Gupta Kalhana. Until this period, Ramkote was a small town. Jamwal clan founded by Raja Dhruv Dev, a Jamwal ruler Rajpura and Amb, Raja Ran Singh died in 1892 and was However, with the advent of Jasrota Kingdom founded of Jammu in 1703. Subsequently, around 1808, Jammu succeeded by his son Raja Raghunath Singh who died in Nestled in beautiful hills surrounded by lush green forests, by Raja Jasdev this town was built and handed over by became a part of the Sikh Empire, under Maharaja Ranjit 1918. on the bank of Basanter stream, lies a small town Ramkote him to Raja Karandev. His eldest son Raja Bhoj Dev Singh who in 1820, gave Jammu to Gulab Singh. Thereafter, Raja Lakshman Singh succeeded him who extended his rule upto Surinsar and ruled Bhabbapur The State of Ramkote was given by him to Raja Suchet ruled Ramkote from 1918-1945. He died on 4th June on Dhar Udhampur Road. The place is about 85 Km from around 1150 A.D. After the death of Raja Bhoj Dev in the Singh, his younger brother who later established the 1945 in Ramkote and was cremated at Khoon, seven kilo- Jammu well connected by road through Mansar, Suriansar battle with Nasar- ul-Din (Bikrami 1032), his eldest son kingdom of Bandralata in 1822. Thereafter, the grandson metres from Ramkote. From 1945 to 1947, his son Raja and Dayalachack. From Udhampur, it is about 55 Kms on Bhrorak became Raja of Bhabbore. He was not a fit ruler of Gulab Singh, Raja Ram Singh acquired the throne of Chain Singh acquired the throne. Thereafter, when the and left the throne for his younger brother and his suc- Bandralata and changed the name of Mankote to State ceased to exist in 1947 he moved to Amb in Una dis- the Dhar Road while the distance from Kathua is near cessors were Bir Dev, Kirpal Dev and Ahal Dev. Later on, Ramkote to set aside the influence of Mankotias and trict of H.P However, Lakshman Singh's brother, 50 Kms via Dayalachak Road. one of their descendants, Raja Manak Dev conquered replacing the prefix Man to Ram as Ramkote reflecting Rajkumar Shiv Dev Singh (IAS) preferred to live in some villages nearby Ramkote and built a fort on the his name and also changed Bandralta to Ramnagar as Jammu at Ramkote house which is still located at The old name of this town was Mankote, a small state bank of Basanter Nallah and named it as new State well. After the death of Raja Ram Singh, this place came Panjtirthi Jammu and served in the administration of established by Raja Manak Dev, a contemporary of Raja Mankote. Though, it was a small State having dimensions under the rule of Jaswal clan around 1880 by Raja Ran Maharaja Hari Singh of J&K State and retired as Narsingh Dev of Jammu (1272-1314 AD). The state was of 25 kms by 15 kms lying between village Khoon and singh, grandson of the raja of Jaswan, Ummed Singh Chairman of the JK Public Service Commission. His elder spread over an area of 24 Kms in length and 15 Kms in river Ujh, this State remained important for Maharajas of (1800-1849) son Rameshwar singh IPS retired as IG in J&K while the breadth. Geographically it was bounded by Bandralata in younger son Baldev singh Jaswal retired as IAS officer the north, Karaidiri mountains in the south separating it from J&K. from Samba and Jasrota , Billawar in the east and in the west by Bhoti. Later it was renamed by Raja Suchet OLD FORTS AND PALACES Singh (1822-43 AD) as RAMKOTE. At present, it is a Since, it was ruled by three Rajput clans namely tehsil headquarter with a population of more than five Jasrotia, Mankotia and Jasswals, there used to be three thousand people. This place is famous for Dogra history independent palaces (Mahals). The first one built by and culture. This Dogra heritage village is popular for Dogra history, Mankote style of paintings, ancient tem- Manak Dev is now completely destroyed. Fortunately, for ples, remnant of historical monuments, the unique Chinjj the last ten years Mankotias from all over India have now and Mela, the oldest Ramlila and wonderful Dogri cul- been organizing their Mael (Congregation) and started ture and festivities. building a Kuldevi temple at this place. The 2nd Palace HISTORY OF RAMKOTE was huge with large open ground. This Mahal housed High school Ramkote till 1976 but is now completely As per the archaeological explorations , at many sites ruined. The Third one was built by Jaswals and partially around Ramkote, like Billawar, Kootah, Chinji Makwal, Raja Suchet Singh Raja Raghunath Singh Raja Lakshman Singh Raja Chain Singh Dayalachak and around Udhampur evidences for Pre- renovated for establishing a museum by Brigadier historic, Neolithic, Harappan, Kushana, Gupta, Post This happened because a suitable match for grand- Jaswal. An open ground in front of it is Rajas Mandi, now Jammu. Since inception, about twenty three rajas ruled daughter of Maharaja Gulab Singh was proposed by his used as playground as well as to organize the famous Gupta and early medieval cultures were found in this this state until their extinction in 1820. The notable chief purohit with grandson of Raja Ummed Singh of Dangal of Ramkote every year. region. It remained a part of Dogra Kingdom since incep- names among them were Manak Dev, Udai Dev,Nagar tion of Duggar land. This was evident from the copper Jaswan in1877. This was a very difficult decision for In order to house the war horses, a stable still exists Dev, Uttam Dev, Harichand Dev, Azmal Dev, Kalas Dev, Gulab singh as Raja Ummed singh had joined the Sikh in plate inscription in chamba that mentions about Biram Dev, Sarwar Dev and Partap Dev. Among them, around the palace of Raja. Besides there are number of Durgara, which is origin of word Dogra Land. The area an unsuccessful revolt against the British and he was Burjs still standing around the periphery of Ramkote. For Raja Pratap Dev was a contemporary of Akbar who com- stripped off his title and exiled to Almora where he died. comprised of Barahumpura, Vallapura and Babbarpura. manded Dogra armies against the rebellion by Hill Rajas public welfare ,a very old Radha Krishan Temple, and a The Barahumpura is Bralumar including Chamba His grandson, Raja Ran Singh was following punishment against Akbar. Another notable ruler of Mankote was in jail with iron mould in the neck. Even then, he was large water reservoir (Talla) were built and still exist on (Himachal Pradesh),Vallapura is the present day Raja Trehi Dev. These rajas ruled the State successively the ground in the centre of famous temples of Ramkote. Billawar and Babbarpura is modern Babour a small his- helped by Maharaja Gulab Singh who requested the until 1690 A.D, when the last Mankotia Raja Raja Maipat This was to supplement water needs of the villagers for torical town situated on the Udhampur-Dhar Road in British viceroy to free Ran Singh from captivity and got Dev had to flee and leave the throne. His descendants him married to her granddaughter. His request was worship and drinking. As there is scarcity of water in Majalta Tehsil of Udhampur District. All villages around were known as Mankotia Rajputs who mostly went back Ramkote were part of Babbapura which was a prosperous accepted, as a result he later acquired the jagir of such areas, a popular song is famous (Lok ramkote-e dai, to Himachal Pradesh expect some who settled around Ramkote with 22 villages as rajwara in Jammu, the jagir soye dai tarai-dai te barsanti ra-aj la-a de) township in early medieval period ruled by Kriti during Jammu. Successively this State came under the rule of 11th Century A.D as referred in the Rajtarangini by in Jaswan, along with several other former properties in (The author is Professor (Entomology) SKUAST-J) Paragliding in Jammu Kamal Singh Oberh more paragliding sites are being commissioned across the country as each season passes by. 1918 - H1N1. 1957 - H2N2. 1968 - H3N2. 2009 - H1N1. Next door to Jammu, nestled in the South West slopes 2020 - COVID-19. of the Dauladhar mountain range is this small time town, Fear? No fear! We humans are known to have over- Bir Billing, near Palampur in Himachal. Bir Billing is one come the biggest of the epidemics and therefore COVID- of the most popular paragliding sites, not only in India, 19 too shall soon be a thing of the past and go down the but the world. history books as did its cousin viruses decades and centu- The books define Dauladhar range to rise in the lesser ry ago! Himalayas from the plains of Kangra. On a closer look at Once things settle down and life starts to get back to a this range on Google Earth, one can see this range linking little normal, we’d have the urge to go out. To feel ‘free’. across the Ravi valley with the Pir Panjal in Jammu To travel. To explore. Or would it be to feed the hunger of region. adventure in us? So what does the above Talking about adventure, let’s imply? Could the high moun- explore a colourful sport that While there are multiple excellent tain reaches in Jammu too be brings mankind closest to flying good paragliding sites? Well, like a bird in the sky.