Jammu Town
This article has been extracted from THE IMPERIAL GAZETTEER OF INDIA , 1908. OXFORD, AT THE CLARENDON PRESS. |
Note: National, provincial and district boundaries have changed considerably since 1908. Typically, old states, ‘divisions’ and districts have been broken into smaller units, and many tahsils upgraded to districts. Some units have since been renamed. Therefore, this article is being posted mainly for its historical value.
Jammu Town
Capital of the Jammu province, Kashmir State, and the winter head-quarters of the Maharaja, situated in 32degree44' N. and 74 degree55' E., at an elevation of 1,200 feet above sea-level. Popula- tion (1901), 36,130. It lies high on the right bank of the river Tawi, which flows in a narrow ravine to join the Chenab. The town covers a space of about one square mile, densely packed with single-storeyed houses of round stones and mud with flat tops. In the upper portion are superior houses of brick, and in the Mandi stand the State offices and the palaces of the Maharaja and his brother. The general effect of Jammu is striking ; and from a distance the whitewashed temples, with their gilded pinnacles, suggest a splendour which is dispelled on nearer acquaintance. The most conspicuous of the temples is Raghunathji, but like all the other buildings in Jammu it is common- place.
The Dogras have little taste in architecture, and are essentially economical and practical in their ideas of domestic comfort The railway, which runs to Sialkot, a distance of about 27 miles, starts from the left bank of the Tawi.The river is spanned by a fine suspension bridge, and a good cart-road runs from the bridge as far as the Mandi. The other streets are narrow and irregular, and there is nothing of striking interest. Of late years the construction of water- works, the opening of the cart-road to the Mandi, the suspension bridge over the Tawi, and the railway extension from Sialkot have improved the conditions of life in Jammu ; but there has been no marked response either in population or in prosperity. In the palmy days of Raja Ranjit Deo, towards the latter part of the eighteenth century, it is stated that the population was 150,000. There is nothing in the geographical position of Jammu which makes for prosperity. It lies on the edge of the Maharaja's territories, with an infertile hinterland. Rightly speaking, it should have been the emporium for Kashmir commerce, but the construction of the Kohala- Srinagar cart-road has taken trade away from the Jammu-Banihal route. At present there are hopes of the development of coal-mines to the north, which might bring prosperity to the DogrS capital; and the railway projected from Jammu to Srinagar would restore much business.
The town of Jammu was a considerable centre of industry in the time of the late Maharaja of Kashmir and Jammu, Ranbir Singh ; but now it is merely the residence of the ruling family and of the officials of the State. The governor (Hakim-i-Ala) of the province with his revenue office, the Chief Judge, the Sub-Judge and two magistrates of the first class, the WazIr-i-Wazarat of the Jammu district, the Super- intendent of police, Jammu province, the chief medical officer, and the heads of various departments all live in Jammu, together with the staff of their several offices. A large hall called the Ajaibghar was erected by the late Maharaja for the accommodation of the present King- Emperor, when he visited Jammu as Prince of Wales in the year 1875. The Mandi Mubarak palaces and the palace of Raja Sir Amar Singh, situated on the Ramnagar hill, towards the north of the town, are the chief attractions. The Central jail has a daily average of 268 prisoners, and costs about Rs. 20,000 per annum. The State high school is located in a large building, and is doing fairly efficient work. It contains about 800 pupils. A college to be named after the Prince of Wales is shortly to be opened. A State hospital is maintained, costing annually Rs. 14,800. Great improvements have been made in the drainage system of the town, which is managed by a municipal com- mittee, and more improvements in this respect are under contem- plation.
