Udhampur, town - Revision history

Jyoti at 11:20, 22 December 2018

2018-12-22T11:20:38Z

Jyoti at 13:00, 10 October 2018

2018-10-10T13:00:06Z

Jyoti at 12:57, 10 October 2018

2018-10-10T12:57:59Z

Pdewan: /* Moungri Mela */

2017-07-02T00:38:23Z

‎Moungri Mela

Pdewan: /* Moungri Mela */

2017-07-02T00:37:39Z

‎Moungri Mela

Pdewan: /* Baisakhi Mela */

2017-07-02T00:36:26Z

‎Baisakhi Mela

Jyoti at 23:22, 18 May 2017

2017-05-18T23:22:30Z

Pdewan: /* Udhampur City */

2017-04-19T16:59:37Z

‎Udhampur City

Pdewan: /* The land of natural springs */

2017-03-05T16:39:35Z

‎The land of natural springs

Pdewan: /* Heritage temples circuit of Udhampur */

2017-01-14T05:42:57Z

‎Heritage temples circuit of Udhampur

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 [[Category:Jammu & Kashmir |U ]]
 [[Category:Places |U ]]
 = Udhampur City =
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 (The writer is serving as lecturer in English in Govt Hr.Sec.School (Boys) Udhampur)
 = Moungri Mela =
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 Mongu Di Bowli: Mongu Di Bowli is situated near Devika Ghat and the bowli has been constructed by a pious person named Mangu in the year 1941. The same person also constructed a big pond at village Panthal enroute Katra and the pond has been named after him as Mongu da Talab.
 = Repository of Dogra Culture =

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 [[Category:India |U ]]
 [[Category:Jammu & Kashmir |U ]]
 = Udhampur City =

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 [[Category:Places |U ]]
 [[Category:Jammu & Kashmir |U ]]
 = Udhampur City =

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 (The writer is serving as lecturer in English in Govt Hr.Sec.School (Boys) Udhampur)
 [[Category:India |M ]]
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 So far the Duggar region is concerned,fairs and melas have been organised in Duggar region since ancient times, which add colour and vibrancy to our everyday mundane life. One of the famous Melas of Udhampur, which attracts thousands of visitors from within and outside the state is the Moungri Mela. This 3-day famous Mela is organised with religious fervour and gaiety every year on the eve of first Jyeshth and lasts till the 3rd Jyeshth,which generally falls in May-June,at Sar Dabbar at a distance of 51 Kilometers from Udhampur,nestled in the pictursque and salubrious environs in the lap of nature at the confluence of two streams in block and tehsil Moungri in District Udhampur in the midst of tall mountains endowed with matchless and pristine beauty.
- ‘Sar’ means ‘a lake’ such as’Surinsar,Mansar,Dalsar etc.It is believed that this place was once a lake the water of which was drained leaving the vast stretch of land (Dabbar) behind.A large no of people from Moungri,Panchari,Udhampur and other regions of our state and outside throng Sar Dabbar during the Mela to pay obeisance to Lord Shiva, Goddess Parvati and other deities in the natural caves having a naturally formed nine and a half ft.Lingam guarded by Sheshnag and stone manifestations of Damru, Nandi and countless other deities worth seeing at the site of the Mela in Moungri which is also the abode of widely reverred Kansar Devta. The Mela organised under the overall control of Mela Officer,attracts a large number of local artists and cultural troupes from other parts of the state, who play melodious tunes on their flutes, present folk songs and dances such as kud,geetru,bhakhan etc. and leave the visitors mesmerised and spell bound.The local people, wearing colourful Dogra attire, and leaving behind their household chores,can be seen trekking in groups to the mela site.It appears as if one has come into another world of colours and joy.
+‘Sar’ means ‘a lake’ such as’Surinsar,Mansar,Dalsar etc.It is believed that this place was once a lake the water of which was drained leaving the vast stretch of land (Dabbar) behind.A large no of people from Moungri,Panchari,Udhampur and other regions of our state and outside throng Sar Dabbar during the Mela to pay obeisance to Lord Shiva, Goddess Parvati and other deities in the natural caves having a naturally formed nine and a half ft.Lingam guarded by Sheshnag and stone manifestations of Damru, Nandi and countless other deities worth seeing at the site of the Mela in Moungri which is also the abode of widely reverred Kansar Devta. The Mela organised under the overall control of Mela Officer,attracts a large number of local artists and cultural troupes from other parts of the state, who play melodious tunes on their flutes, present folk songs and dances such as kud,geetru,bhakhan etc. and leave the visitors mesmerised and spell bound.The local people, wearing colourful Dogra attire, and leaving behind their household chores,can be seen trekking in groups to the mela site.It appears as if one has come into another world of colours and joy.
 Various Government departments also put up their stalls to aware the people about welfare and people friendly schemes launched by the Central and the State government. Sports such as Kabaddi, tug of war,stone lifting and other fun filled activities are also organised with the active participation of the Department of Youth Services and Sports in collaboration with other departments. An Indian style wrestling match (Dangal ), arranged under the patronage of Shiv Kumar Sharma, President J&K Indian Style Wrestling Association, generally on the second or the concluding day of the Mela, is the star attraction of the Mela.

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 (The writer is serving as lecturer in English in Govt Hr.Sec.School (Boys) Udhampur)
 [[Category:India |M ]]
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 Jammu & Kashmir, is known for various fairs and melas such as Jhiri Mela, Bahu Mela, Hemis Gompa Mela, Bhaderwah Mela, Baisakhi Mela etc. which attract thousands of people and bear testimony to the priceless and multifaceted cultural heritage passed on to us by our wise forefathers.
-So far the Duggar region is concerned,fairs and melas have been organised in Duggar region since ancient times, which add colour and vibrancy to our everyday mundane life. One of the famous Melas of Udhampur, which attracts thousands of visitors from within and outside the state is the Moungri Mela. This 3-day famous Mela is organised with religious fervour and gaiety every year on the eve of first Jyeshth and lasts till the 3rd Jyeshth,which generally falls in May-June,at Sar Dabbar at a distance of 51 Kilometers from Udhampur,nestled in the pictursque and salubrious environs in the lap of nature at the confluence of two streams in block and tehsil Moungri in District Udhampur in the midst of tall mountains endowed with matchless and pristine beauty .
+So far the Duggar region is concerned,fairs and melas have been organised in Duggar region since ancient times, which add colour and vibrancy to our everyday mundane life. One of the famous Melas of Udhampur, which attracts thousands of visitors from within and outside the state is the Moungri Mela. This 3-day famous Mela is organised with religious fervour and gaiety every year on the eve of first Jyeshth and lasts till the 3rd Jyeshth,which generally falls in May-June,at Sar Dabbar at a distance of 51 Kilometers from Udhampur,nestled in the pictursque and salubrious environs in the lap of nature at the confluence of two streams in block and tehsil Moungri in District Udhampur in the midst of tall mountains endowed with matchless and pristine beauty.
   ‘Sar’ means ‘a lake’ such as’Surinsar,Mansar,Dalsar etc.It is believed that this place was once a lake the water of which was drained leaving the vast stretch of land (Dabbar) behind.A large no of people from Moungri,Panchari,Udhampur and other regions of our state and outside throng Sar Dabbar during the Mela to pay obeisance to Lord Shiva, Goddess Parvati and other deities in the natural caves having a naturally formed nine and a half ft.Lingam guarded by Sheshnag and stone manifestations of Damru, Nandi and countless other deities worth seeing at the site of the Mela in Moungri which is also the abode of widely reverred Kansar Devta. The Mela organised under the overall control of Mela Officer,attracts a large number of local artists and cultural troupes from other parts of the state, who play melodious tunes on their flutes, present folk songs and dances such as kud,geetru,bhakhan etc. and leave the visitors mesmerised and spell bound.The local people, wearing colourful Dogra attire, and leaving behind their household chores,can be seen trekking in groups to the mela site.It appears as if one has come into another world of colours and joy.

← Older revision		Revision as of 00:36, 2 July 2017
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	(The writer is serving as lecturer in English in Govt Hr.Sec.School (Boys) Udhampur)		(The writer is serving as lecturer in English in Govt Hr.Sec.School (Boys) Udhampur)
		+
		+	[[Category:India \|M ]]
		+	[[Category:Festivals \|M ]]
		+	[[Category:Jammu & Kashmir \|M ]]
		+
		+	= Moungri Mela =
		+	[http://www.dailyexcelsior.com/the-moungri-mela-2/ Ashok Sharma , The Moungri Mela "Daily Excelsior" 14/5/2017]
		+
		+	Jammu & Kashmir, is known for various fairs and melas such as Jhiri Mela, Bahu Mela, Hemis Gompa Mela, Bhaderwah Mela, Baisakhi Mela etc. which attract thousands of people and bear testimony to the priceless and multifaceted cultural heritage passed on to us by our wise forefathers.
		+
		+	So far the Duggar region is concerned,fairs and melas have been organised in Duggar region since ancient times, which add colour and vibrancy to our everyday mundane life. One of the famous Melas of Udhampur, which attracts thousands of visitors from within and outside the state is the Moungri Mela. This 3-day famous Mela is organised with religious fervour and gaiety every year on the eve of first Jyeshth and lasts till the 3rd Jyeshth,which generally falls in May-June,at Sar Dabbar at a distance of 51 Kilometers from Udhampur,nestled in the pictursque and salubrious environs in the lap of nature at the confluence of two streams in block and tehsil Moungri in District Udhampur in the midst of tall mountains endowed with matchless and pristine beauty .
		+
		+	‘Sar’ means ‘a lake’ such as’Surinsar,Mansar,Dalsar etc.It is believed that this place was once a lake the water of which was drained leaving the vast stretch of land (Dabbar) behind.A large no of people from Moungri,Panchari,Udhampur and other regions of our state and outside throng Sar Dabbar during the Mela to pay obeisance to Lord Shiva, Goddess Parvati and other deities in the natural caves having a naturally formed nine and a half ft.Lingam guarded by Sheshnag and stone manifestations of Damru, Nandi and countless other deities worth seeing at the site of the Mela in Moungri which is also the abode of widely reverred Kansar Devta. The Mela organised under the overall control of Mela Officer,attracts a large number of local artists and cultural troupes from other parts of the state, who play melodious tunes on their flutes, present folk songs and dances such as kud,geetru,bhakhan etc. and leave the visitors mesmerised and spell bound.The local people, wearing colourful Dogra attire, and leaving behind their household chores,can be seen trekking in groups to the mela site.It appears as if one has come into another world of colours and joy.
		+
		+	Various Government departments also put up their stalls to aware the people about welfare and people friendly schemes launched by the Central and the State government. Sports such as Kabaddi, tug of war,stone lifting and other fun filled activities are also organised with the active participation of the Department of Youth Services and Sports in collaboration with other departments. An Indian style wrestling match (Dangal ), arranged under the patronage of Shiv Kumar Sharma, President J&K Indian Style Wrestling Association, generally on the second or the concluding day of the Mela, is the star attraction of the Mela.
		+
		+	A large number of famous wrestlers from within and outside the state take part in the Dangal to prove their mettle at the Dangal, which is witnessed by a large number of people.Shopkeepers set up temporary shops of sweets,bangles, toys, food items etc and have a brisk business.District Administration Udhampur plays an important role in the successful organisation of this Mela. Besides providing other facilities,the District administration arranges additional buses to the Mela site to cater to the demand of heavy rush of people for the Mela.The District administration also makes elaborate arrangements of drinking water, security, power, sanitation, control on rates of various items etc to ensure that people donot face any problem at the Mela.A free langar is also organised for the devotees during the Mela.This year,the Mela is being organised from 14th May to 16 th May and the Dangal will be organised on 16th May,2017.The District administration,Udhampur and The Lord Shiva-Parvati Caves Shrine(Moungri) Development Board have made an earnest appeal to the people of the state in general and Udhampur district in particular to visit the caves and have the blessings of the Deities on one hand and explore the pristine beauty of Nature at its best.
		+
		+	Thus,this Mela serves to fulfil the social,economic and religious needs of the people of Moungri,Panchari and other regions of our state. Like other fairs, this Mela also serves the twin purpose of preservation and transmission of our rich cultural heritage to the posterity on the one hand and provision of platform to the people and artists to come together,foster close interpersonal bonds and present an excellent example of communal harmony and unity in diversity.So,everybody must take some time off from our fast and mechanical life and take part in such Melas to have a glimpse of our rich culture and heritage from close quarters. It is important that sincere efforts are made to provide facilities such as upgradation of roads,provision of regular power/water,toilet facilities,construction of bathing ghats,development of recreational parks etc.to this scenic spot having religious importance .Moreover,this site needs to be promoted as a rural tourist spot to attract more tourists,especially in the summer season when the pollution free atmosphere and salubrious climate of Panchari and Moungri provides a much needed relief and pleasant escape from the scorching heat of the plains and cities.
		+
		+	Advocate Swatantar Dev Kotwal,who is the Chairman of Lord Shiva-Pavati Caves Shrine (Moungri)Development Board and who played a significant role in discovering this cave first on September 14,1998 ,said that Moungri needs to be developed as tourist and religious spot as more than 50000 devotees visit this cave every year during the Mela and the number of visitors is surgng every year.He demanded construction of shelters at the Mela site to protect the people from rain and heat .He also demanded that Department of Tourism should take steps to promote this region as a tourist spot and include this Mela in the Annual calender of activities undertaken by the Department to boost tourism in this region.
		+
		+	He said that tourist huts and inns need to be constructed so that the tourists can have a nice and memorable stay there.He also demanded upgradation of the path with fencing from the Mela site to the holy caves and development of a park at the Mela site.He said that adventure tourism has a vast potential in Moungri and Panchari and aleady trekking activities are organised by Tawi Trekkers,Jammu from Moungri to Mantalai via Sankri and Nathatop.He highlighted the need of developing view points at Kainthgali,Panjar and other places to enable the tourists to have a breathtaking view of lofty mountains,misty in monsoon and snowcapped in winter.Mr Kotwal also demanded the establishment of a permanent Wrestling Akhara with suitable infrastructure to explore and tap huge wrestling talent and skill in the region as the sport of wrestling is highly popular in Panchari-Moungari region.
		+
		+	Hans Raj Thakur,President of the Board said that as the cave is located at the confluence of two streams,waterfalls and artificial lake should be developed to attract the visitors throughout the year. In view of the cool climate of this region almost like that of Kashmir Valley,trees such as Chinar,Deodar etc should also be planted in large numbers along the road and in the whole of Moungri and Panchari belt to give a boost to the local tourism and economy.Moreover this region has a vast potential for floriculture and horticulture sectors .Therefore awareness camps need to be organised for the local farmers to aware them about the latest schemes related to floriculture and horticulture and motivate them to adopt these sectors to add to their income.
		+
		+	Mr. Kotwal and Mr Thakur appreciated the District administration, Udhampur for extending all cooperation for the successful organisation of Moungri Mela every year.They also urged the Union and the State government to provide liberal funds for the development of this region which has huge tourist potential and religious importance. People ought to take some time off their hectic and mechanical life to participate,alongwith their children,in the Moungri Mela to have blessings of Lord Shiva, Goddess Parvati and other deities as also to expose their children to rural life and watch our rich cultural heritage from close quarters and enjoy the natural environs and matchless beauty of Moungri and Panchari and make it a memorable experience of their life.
		+
		+	(The writer is serving as lecturer in English English, in Govt.Hr.Sec, School (Boys) Udhampur)

	= The land of natural springs =		= The land of natural springs =

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 [[Category:India |U ]]
-[[Category:Places |U ]]
+[[Category:Festivals |U ]]
-[[Category:Religion |U ]]
 [[Category:Jammu & Kashmir |U ]]
 = The land of natural springs =

← Older revision		Revision as of 16:39, 5 March 2017
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	Mongu Di Bowli: Mongu Di Bowli is situated near Devika Ghat and the bowli has been constructed by a pious person named Mangu in the year 1941. The same person also constructed a big pond at village Panthal enroute Katra and the pond has been named after him as Mongu da Talab.		Mongu Di Bowli: Mongu Di Bowli is situated near Devika Ghat and the bowli has been constructed by a pious person named Mangu in the year 1941. The same person also constructed a big pond at village Panthal enroute Katra and the pond has been named after him as Mongu da Talab.
		+
		+
		+	[[Category:India \| ]]
		+	[[Category: Culture & Learning \| ]]
		+	[[Category:Jammu & Kashmir \| ]]
		+
		+	= Repository of Dogra Culture =
		+	[http://www.dailyexcelsior.com/udhampur-repository-of-dogra-culture/ Ashok Sharma , Repository of Dogra Culture "Daily Excelsior" 12/2/2017]
		+
		+	Culture is the way of life of a group of people of a particular region. It includes the collective knowledge, beliefs, ideas, customs, etc. of the people of that region. Dogras, who inhabit the Duggar region in our State,have a rich culture of their own. They have their own beliefs, mores, folksongs, folkdances, folklores etc which they have practised since times immemorial. But the modern fast life, globalisation and exposure of the youth to the western culture has influenced the Dogra culture a lot. A large no of people, especially the youth are losing charm for our rich culture. Amidst all this,the people of Udhampur district have withstood this change to a large extent and practised and preserved Dogra culture in such a way that it can be called the repository of Dogra culture.In Udhampur, folk dances such as Kud, Geetrus etc. are still in vogue in many regions, especially in the hilly areas. We have famous folk dancers in Udhampur for performing the folkdance called Kud.They have popularised this dance in our state as well as at national and international level.Similarly,some talented and devoted artists of Ramnagar are doing a yeoman’service to preserve Dogra culture by presenting geetrus on various social and religious occasions.They also perform on national and other days in and outside Udhampur.
		+
		+	Traditional sports and games, which were an important part of our culture,too are given prominence in Udhampur.In Udhampur. We have traditional games such as wrestling, kabaddi., santolia, etc. which are highly popular in Udhampur. Indian style wrestling matches (Dangal) are organised on the eve of various fairs and melas such as Baisakhi fair, Moungri Mela, Shankri Mela and other occasions across Udhampur district. Thousands of people attend these competitions and applaud the wrestlers who converge from across the country to take part in these matches. The traditional marriage rituals, which are fast vanishing from the Dogra marriages, are still alive in many parts of Udhampur district, especially in remote and farflung areas. We have traditional marriage rituals such as Jagranas and marriage songs called ‘Suhaags’ and ‘Kourians’ and many other such rituals well practised in Udhampur than, perhaps in any other region of the State. Dogras are primarily religious people, who have profound belief in deities, saints and the people who sacrificed their lives for the sake of justice. They are eulogised by Dogras and their history and sacrifices are praised and sung in the form of Kaarkans, Baaraans, Bhaakhans etc.Jaatars are organised at the abode of Kuldevtas to make sacrifices, instal Kuldevtas or celebrate the birth of child or marriage of son.Kaarkans and Jaatar are well preserved and practised in Udhampur than perhaps in other regions of the state.Melas and fairs having economic, religious and social significance are an important part of Dogra culture.Various melas and fairs are held in Udhampur to add colour and vibrancy to the monotonous life. We have Moungri Mela, Sankri Mela, Gole Mela and Baisakhi Mela at Udhampur, Barmeen, Ramnagar. Then a grand three day Mela is organised at the pictursque spot of Sudhmahadev on the eve of full moon day of Saavan in June/July every year.In Ramnagar, melas are held at Dalsar, Gandhtop, Shivgali, Guraang etc.on various occasion. Various shrines and temples such as ISKCON temple, Pingla Mata, Marhara Mata, Vasuki Mandirs, Sharda Mata etc. are visited by people in large numbers on important religious days to seek blessings of various Deities.
		+
		+	Dress is also an integral part of the culture of a region. So far the Dogra dress is concerned, a good no of people practise Dogra dress, according to the climatic conditions, especially in hilly areas.Dogras wear simple dress such as ghuttanas, suthan, having many folds.They used to wear ghuttanas and long overcoat with a traditional turban called ‘safa’ . Women used to wear ‘Suthans’ having many folds or pleats. Many elderly people, especially in the upper reaches of Udhampur still wear this dress. Udhampur is, in fact,the land of true colours of Dogra culture and ethos consisting of various mores, beliefs, folklores etc.People in Udhampur are deeply connected to their culture. They celebrate traditional festivals such as Baisakhi, Lohiri, Rakshabandan, Minjaraan rade, Dhrubri, Ohoi Ashtami, Nag Panchami, Shivratri, Janamashtmi etc with great enthusiasm and religious fervour. People of Udhampur have strong belief in folk lores such as geetrus, gasaitan, gagail,masadde, etc.which reflect our varied culture and belief.They adhere to their traditions and beliefs and participate in these folklores wholeheartedly in large number.
		+
		+	Food is an important part of the culture of a region.Dogra food is another aspect of Dogra culture,which bear testimony to the people’s liking for this food.Traditional foods such as Madra, Kiur, Tarad, Katriar, Desi ghee, Matha, Maani Sakaran, Suchian, Chile etc are savoured and appreciated in Udhampur and in many rural areas. Food prepared in ‘daans’over wooden fuel on the eve of marriages, mundans, bhandaras and other occasions,is still practised in rural areas and cherished by one and all. Traditional food such as ‘Makki ka Toda’ and Sarson ka Saag’ is cherished and the cakes from the maize flour are prepared from the traditional water mills called gharats in many regions. There is a large number of ghrats on the banks of rivers and streams in Udhampur even in this age of fast life and technology. Dogra jewellery is much in vogue in many rural areas of Udhampur. Since times immemorial, Dogras have believed in serving the parents and elders with due respect and reverence and for this purpose, joint family system came into existence.
		+	This joint family system is still in vogue in many parts of Udhampur district, which ensures that elders are looked after properly and the youngers are treated with love and affection to ensure their holistic development and growth. Thus, the Udhampur district is serving as an oasis of Dogra culture in the whole state but the young generation is not taking much interest in conservation and transmission of our rich culture.
		+
		+	Thus there is need to take steps to promote Dogra culture.For this purpose, it is imperative that folk dances, folksongs, folklores etc are prominently sung and displayed on religious and social occasions. Dogri songs and Dogra artists should be encouraged at block, tehsil, district and provincial level on eve of cultural programmes related to National Days. Programmes based on Dogra culture, on the pattern of ‘Display Your Talent’ need to be organised at school level. There is also a need to launch ‘Duggar Channel’ which should be exclusively devoted to telecasting programmes related to Dogra culture , which can help a lot in promotion and preservation of this rich culture in Duggar region.
		+
		+	(The writer is serving as Lecturer in English in Govt.Hr.Sec.School (Boys) Udhampur)