Pharies of erstwhile Doda: A tale of forgotten people
Sadaket MalikFredric Drew in his book Jammoo Kashmir territories’ has aptly declared the people of Doda, Kishtwar and Ramban are the Pahari dwellers, (Mountain dwellers) owing to the practice of cattle rearing, inhibiting in the dhoks and Dhars which is a prerequisite of being a Pahari. “I shall call by the name Paharis” The race map of such pahari dwellers of middle mountains starts from the middle mountains (Doda, Kishtwar and Ramban) drew has elucidated that these Pahari dwellers are having some unique features like straight forehead, good brow, with a nose which hooked especially among the elderly. Drew also mentions the significant features of the Paharies who are living the remote areas of Ramban, he has noticed narrow nose, bent over a peculiar curve, their black heir had to grow over their shoulders, their beard and moustaches are thikish.
The men of these pahari belts of Ramban are made up of the grey woolen cloth which defines the level of the ethnicity enjoyed by the Pahari dwellers of Doda Kishtwar and Ramban. Drew has said that Ramban has a peculiar race that he has notices in the Ramban. The fact that the analysis of the Drew resembles the people living in the Pogal paristan, Ramban, Banihal areas where people are still using to go to the dhoks and had a similar facial features, race and ethnicity that has been a prerequisite for being a Pahari dweller. It is clear that such an ethnicity is pravelant among the people of Bhalessa. The Bhalessa besing a part of Doda too is representing theFraderic Drew’s viewpoint of Paahari dwellers. The people in Bhalessa used to go to the dhoks in the summers for the pestoral purpose and speak and distinct pahari language and are known for their ethnicity in the entire Jammu and Kashmir. The prerequisite of being a pahari is visiting to the dhoks and a distinct speech which the Frederic Drew focused is pravelent in Bhalessa its trio tehsils. The people are veering in Bhalessa (Trio tehsils of Gandoh, Chilli Pingal and Kahara) for the hill District status for the trio tehsils keepingin view the Pahari languages and the ethnic revelance which is seen in these Tehsils of Doda. The base for the Hill District status for Bhalessa is its ethnicity and languages besides Kashmiri ethnic populace over here used to visit Dhoks and are having ethnic relevance as is being enjoyed by the other areas of the Jammu and Kashmir like of the Teetwal,karnah, Guresh, Baramullah, Anantnag,poonch and Rajouri. The indigenous language movement which is supported by the people of all walks of life has taken inspiration from the Linguistic Survey of India (GA Grierson), Census of Inda and the Frederic Drew who referred these the people of the areas including Bhalessa as “Pahari Dwellers”.
There is a unique feature of Paharies and Gaddies of middle mountains including Bhalessa, Their cap is of different shapes, sometimes a skull-cap, more often one with side flaps. Lastly, a or blanket, of the same cloth, worn in many ways according to the occasion, enables them to withstand all the severe weather they are exposed to. All these practices are still prevalent.
The women have a long gown of and, like the men, wear a kamar band. In some parts the gown is of nearly black cloth instead of grey. The women also wear a low round
Red cap; Drew also is of the view that in Ramban the women have a peculiar tall one.
The Pahries indeed, cultivate for the most part their own land; they are the peasantry of the mountains. They visit Dhoks. The areas are inhibited by people belong to the most vulnerable sections like Dum and Megh, Moshi, Nai etc are scattered about everywhere; they dress in the same way as the others.
Nevertheless, the districts of Doda Kishtwar and Ramban are dominated by Pahari speaking people as per the different linguistic surveys and studies conducted from time to time but awaits some legalized procedures and attention of the governments at the centre and periphery. The census authority of India need a fleeting attention. There has not been a common united voice to represent the pahari speaking people dominated in the districts of Doda Ramban Kishtwar where in people speak different languages and their offshoots like Bhalesi in Bhalessa region spoken in three tehsils of Gandoh, Chilly pingal and Kahara. The trio tehsils has PSPs. Sarazi is spoken in Saraz region of Doda, Padri is spoken is Padder valley in Kishtwar, Bhaderwahi in Bhaderwah area, Pogali in Ramban District. The other unscheduled languages includes Kishtwari which as per siddeshwar verma is a language of ancient origin having close lexical similarities with Western Pahari dialects. Some authors has elucidated that Kishwari is prior to Kashmiri and some us of the view that Kishtwari is a lingua fransca of ancient origin and must be included in western pahari.
According to the analysts like late SP Vaid Bhalessi speaking People (Pahari speaking) areas includes all the three tehsils of Bhalessa viz Gandoh, Chilly pingal and Kaharaspoken widely inall the villages. Late S P Vaid has mentioned the villages like Kahara, Kilhotran, Jakyas, Bhatyas, Gandoh and Jugasar. It is pertinent to note that all the 66 panchayat halqa's of three tehsils of Bhalessa are dominated by Pahari speaking hindu's and Muslims. The pahari speaking people of Bhalessa and even entire erstwhile Doda is conglomerate of both the communities inhibiting here. Bhalessi is a link language between the varying communities besides Kashmiri being spoken and understood by both the communities. The folklore, and tradition of Bhalessa people resembles the pahari of other areas. According to the census report of 1901 the Bhaderwahi, Bhalesi, padri trio languages having independent character of their ownhas a number of speakers 25517. According to SP vaid near Bhalesi there are other dialects around like Cinali and Pangwali which are spoken in Pangi area.
Eight Demands
1. Amendment in J&K Reservation Rules
2. 4 Percent reservation in recruitment and Free admission in Academic and Professional colleges
3. Grant of scholarship ( Post/Pre-matric ) to school going pahari speaking students by J&K Board for the Development of Pahari Speaking People.
4. Construction of hostels for Pahari students of Doda Kishtwar and Ramban by J&K Board for the Development of Pahari Speaking People.
5. Implementation of Pahari Sub-Plan on the pattern of Tribal Sub Plan for Doda Kishtwar and Ramban by J&K Board for the Development of Pahari Speaking People.
6. Promotion of Pahari Language, Literature and Culture of Doda Kishtwar and Ramban by J&K Board for the Development of Pahari Speaking People.
7. Creation of separate sections for Bhaderwahi, Sarazi, Bhalesi, Padri, Pogli in J&K Acamemy of Art Culture and Languages
8. Publication of Text books for Bhaderwahi, Sarazi, Bhalesi, Padri, Pogli by The Jammu and Kashmir Board of School Education.