Padder and Padri : A lingua fransca

Ethnicity of Doda

Sarsi village is located in Doda Tehsil of Doda district in Jammu & Kashmir, India. It is situated 28km away from Doda

Sarsi is a medium size village located in Doda Tehsil of Doda district, Jammu and Kashmir with total 296 families residing. The Sarsi village has population of 1338 of which 686 are males while 652 are females as per Population Census 2011.

In Sarsi village population of children with age 0-6 is 223 which makes up 16.67 % of total population of village. Average Sex Ratio of Sarsi village is 950 which is higher than Jammu and Kashmir state average of 889. Child Sex Ratio for the Sarsi as per census is 1046, higher than Jammu and Kashmir average of 862.

Sarsi village has lower literacy rate compared to Jammu and Kashmir. In 2011, literacy rate of Sarsi village was 57.31 % compared to 67.16 % of Jammu and Kashmir. In Sarsi Male literacy stands at 72.62 % while female literacy rate was 40.89 %.

As per constitution of India and Panchyati Raaj Act, Sarsi village is administrated by Sarpanch (Head of Village) who is elected representative of village. Our website, don't have information about schools and hospital in Sarsi village.

n Sarsi village out of total population, 337 were engaged in work activities. 95.55 % of workers describe their work as Main Work (Employment or Earning more than 6 Months) while 4.45 % were involved in Marginal activity providing livelihood for less than 6 months. Of 337 workers engaged in Main Work, 155 were cultivators (owner or co-owner) while 100 were Agricultural labourer.

PADDER AND PADRI

Paddar, also spelled Padar (Hindi: pāḍar), is a remote valley in the Kishtwar district of the Union Territory Jammu and Kashmir in northern India.[3] The valley covers the entire southeastern portion of the Kishtwar district. It borders Zanskar (Ladakh) in the north and east, Pangi (Himachal Pradesh) in the south and the rest of Jammu and Kashmir in the west. The valley is known for its sapphire mines.[3][4] It lies along the Chenab River basin in the Great Himalayas Paddar is among the most remote regions of Jammu and Kashmir. There are various sub valleys within Paddar, such

as Machail, Ghandari, Kabban, Ongai, Bhuzunu, Barnaj, Bhuzas, Kijai Nallah, and Dharlang, among others.

History[edit]

Little concrete material is currently available about the early history of civilization in Paddar. However, it is said that there were no humans in Paddar until the 8th century Eventually, people living in nearby areas such as Bhaderwah, Lahaul, and Ladakh were attracted to the ample grazing lands in the valley.[3] At first, the valley was used to graze cattle, but eventually people settled there permanently.[3] The area was inhabited mostly by the Thakur community.[3]

Paddar was under Guge rule from the 10th to 14th centuries.[3] After the 14th century, Guge rule in the area collapse and civilization in Paddar divided into smaller areas.[3] These areas were ruled by Petty Ranas (Rana is an Old Hindi word for a ruler who is less in Power than a Raja).[3] The Ranas of Paddar were Rajputs Each Rana usually controlled one to three villages, often fighting with other Ranas for control of land.[3]

Residents of ancient Paddar were primarily serpent worshipers. However, they observed other Hindu rites and rituals as well. Temples of different Nagdevtas or Serpent Gods are still visible and are adorned with wood carvings of snakes of all kinds.

[3] Besides Hindus, Muslims and Buddhists also settled in the valley. The Buddhists were spread in the upper reaches of the Machail, Kaban, and Gandhari valleys and in the town of Gulabgarh. The first Muslims came to Paddar during the period of the Raja Shantar Kantar from Chamba. The descendants of those Muslims still live in Atholi and Kijai.[3] There were long military conflicts in Paddar starting in the middle of the 17th century.

History of Paddar

Paddar valley is the farthest corner of district Kishtwar on touching the Himachal Pradesh, Zanskar valley of Ladakh and Marwah-Wadwan Valley. On the South-Eastern side Paddar is known for sapphire deposits and other forest products like zeera and Guchhi. Although vast areas of the valley is under forest cover yet few villages are also known for producing green dry vegetables pulses such as Peas & Rajmash.

No concrete material is available about the early history of Paddar. However, it is said that there was no one in Paddar till 8th century. It was just a meadow. The people from nearby areas such as Bhaderwah, Lahol and Ladakh were attracted to see the fascinating grazing lands. So., they used to come here to graze their cattles. With the passage of time, they settled

here permanently. Some historians say that it was known by the name ‘Palder’ in the beginning. Later the name was changed to Paddar.

According to available sources, Paddar was under Googay rule, during 10th century. It remained under their rule till 14th century. After 14th century, Paddar got separated from Googay rule and divided into smaller parts. These parts were ruled, by smaller Petty Ranas (Rana is an Old Hindu word for a ruler who is less in Power than a Raja). The Ranas of Paddar were Rajputs, Every village or every two or three villages used to have a Rana who often fought against the next village Rana. The area was inhabited mostly by Thakur community. People were serpent worshippers but they observed other Hindu rites and rituals as well. One can see temples of different Nagdevtas or Serpent Gods which are adorned with wood carvings of snakes of many forms. Besides Hindus there are also Muslims and Budhists. The first Muslim came to Paddar during the period of Shantar Kantar Rana from Chamba who used to make the pots of soil. The descendants of those Muslims are still living at Atholi and kijai.

In the middle of 17th century A.D chattar Singh, the Raja of Chamba also attacked Paddar. He first conquered Pangi from where he advanced with about 200 men to Paddar and annexed it. He constructed a fort after his name as well. The local Ranas could not face the onslaught of Raja Chattar Singh. They accepted his suzeranity and became his tributaries and began to work as his Kardars. The impact of Chatter Singh’s conquest lasted long and Paddar area continued to be the part of Chamba upto 1836. From Chattar Singhs period onward Paddar remained comfortably under the Raja’s of Chamba for five to six generations.

Under the leadership of Ratnu Thakur the people of Paddar attacked Zanskar in 1820 or 1825 (Zanskar was with a Bhot Raja under Ladakh). He made it his tributary. The Bhot Raja agreed to pay 1000 rupees, besides musk bags and other things annually as Nazar (present) to the Chamba Raja.

As soon as Gen. Zorawar Singh reached Kishtwar he heard of an uprising in Ladakh. Therefore, he left for Ladakh via Zanskar. From this route Leh is 275 miles from Kishtwar, Which is the shortest route between these two places. Zanskar area falls enroute Bhot Nullah. The army of Gen. Zorawar Singh entered Zanskar(Ladakh) through Paddar. This time wazir Lakhpat Rai Padyar, who was a trusted officer of Gulab Singh, also joined Zorawar Singh in the second attack on Ladakh. After

conquering Ladakh a part of the Army was sent to Zanskar under the command of Wazir Lakhpat Rai and Col. Mehta Basti Ram as Zanskar was not under them till then. After conquering Zanskar, the army returned to Jammu through Paddar. 30 soldiers of Dogra army were kept in Chattar Garh fort to keep in touch with the soldiers fortified in Zanskar. During this period a rebellion broke out in Zánskar and the Dogra soldiers present there were massacred.On hearing the news Ratnu Thakur, who was the highest employee of Chamba Govt. instigated people and caught hold of Dogra soldioers. Some of them were made prisoners and sent to Chamba. This made Gen. Zorawar Singh mad with rage. He intended to attack paddar.

In 1836 Gen. Zorawar Singh along with 3000 soldiers, attacked paddar from Zanskar through Bhot Nullah route. To escape from the onslaught frightened Ratnu demolished the bridge on Chenab. For this reason, the Dogra army had to wait for 3 months. With the help of some local peasants they made a ropeway bridge and crossed the Bhot Nullah and led a furious attack on Chattar Garh. The whole town

was set on fire. It was heaps of stone all around. Many people were hanged some were disfigured. A new fort was built in place of Chattar Garh. An officer along with a few soldiers was stationed there for the watch of the fort and Paddar became a part of Dogra State. Ratnu was arrested and sent to Jammu, where he remained under detentions for three to four years. Subsequently, he was released and granted an estate in Kishtwar. Those days Paddar was under the Tehsildar of Bhardarwah.

After conquering Paddar Gen, Zorawar Singh went to Zanskar via Umasi La (Dharlang) about 17370 feet from sea-level to quell the rebellion there. He succeeded in establishing peace. In 1837 a fierce rebellion broke out in Leh and Gen. Zorawar Singh covered the journey from Kishtwar to Leh in about 10 days. In May 1838 Zorawar Singh got a fort built at Chisoti (Paddar) on his way back to Kishtwar.

In 1845, during the rule of Maharaja Gulab Singh, both Paddar and Zanskar were given the status of Tehsil. Later on, when Leh got district status, Ladakh was merged with Leh and Paddar was merged with Tehsil kishtwar during the period of Maharaja Ranbir Singh. In 1963, Paddar was given the status of block by the govt. of J&K. Now, it enjoys the status of a Tehsil.

Source:- Daily Excelsior

Religion[edit]

Hinduism is the largest religion in Paddar and is followed by around 83.63% of the population. Other significant religions are Buddhism (9.46%) and Islam (6.84%).[1]

Language[edit]

Languages of Paddar (2011)[5]

Padri (79.6%)

Ladakhi (8.9%)

Kashmiri (5.9%)

Other (5.6%)

The majority of the population (almost 80%) natively speaks Padri Other languages spoken here include Ladakhi and Kashmiri

Villages[edit]

 Kirthai is the among the most accessible villages in Paddar. The village lies in green paddy fields, with the river Chenab on one side and dense forest on the other. It is 58 km from the district capital and is a cultural centre.

 Gulabgarh is the sub-divisional commercial center of Paddar and a hub for the area's economic activities. It has a sizeable market area and a TRC (Tourist Reception Area). Transport services run from here to Kishtwar town and Pangi It also hosts local cricket tournaments. Besides for its economy and recreational opportunities, Gulabgarh also hosts many government offices, J&K Bank,[6] a police station and rest houses.[7]

 If Gulabgarh is the commercial capital of Paddar, Atholi is the administrative capital. It contains many sub-district level offices including the Atholi Tehsildar's office, Munsiff Camp Atholi, the Paddar Forest Range Office, the Paddar ZEO office, the Atholi Tehsil Library, the Atholi fire station and post office, and the Paddar sub-district hospital. It is also known for a scenic spot called Pathaal and a water mill (known locally as Ghiraat) run by a waterfall in the village.,[7] AEE office Jal Shakti Vibhaag, Higher Secondary School, Girl's High School and Degree college are other significant establishments in the town.

 Tatta Pani is known for its natural Hot spring.There is a waterfall Dhanasar Fall.Sheshnag temple is also situated here.It also said that the of(kund) Hot Spring gives relief to joints pain.[7]

 Sohal is used by off-roaders and as a base camp when travelling to Chitto, Kannan and Ongayee villages.

 Gandhari is visited by mountaineers, hikers, and climbers, and is known for green pastures. Its first village, Bhatwas, is about 30 km from Gulabgarh, with 25 km accessible with motor vehicles. The rest can only be travelled by foot. The trek route from here continues to Machail in Paddar, Zanskar in Ladakh, and Pangi [7] As per Sanskrit language, Gandhari means "girl from Gandhara", and is a prominent character in the Mahabharata, an Indian epic. Gandhari was a princess in Gandhara and the wife of Dhritrashtra, the blind king of Hastinapura. She was the mother of a hundred sons, the Kauravas The town also contains the holy shrine of Maa Chandi, Shiva temple, Nag temple, and Gompa Monastery of Buddhists. It is a popular spot for picnicking, touring and adventuring, and is situated at a height of around 9000 ft above sea level. Gandhari valley consists of six villages, on which three are Hindu one and three are Buddhist.

 Haloti and Hangoo are the nearest revenue villages to the Machail Mata shrine The majority of the residents in these two villages are Buddhists. This villages are known for yaks, which are found only in this area after Ladakh. These domesticated yaks are raised to provide milk and to plough fields for agriculture. Many Buddhist monasteries are also found here.[7]

 Machail is known for the Chandi Mata Temple and the annual Machail Yatra festival, during which lakhs of pilgrims visit the temple. Machail has recently been granted the status of tehsil

 Lossani is the second closest revenue village to Machail's Chandi Mata Mandir. The majority of the settlements here are part of the Buddhist community. They are known for yaks and horses, which are used for the same purposes as in Haloti and Hangoo. Lossani is the second largest village in Paddar.

Festivals[edit]

Some notable festivals celebrated in Paddar are : sazzar.caulter of Aatakh rakshabandhan mela sherzaath to all india caulter of sazzar and paddar

 Mela Magh is an annual celebration lasting three days in the village of Ligri. Thousands of people from villages in the surrounding area take part. The disciples (chelas) of gods and goddesses, wearing local woollen (pattu) dresses and locally made grass shoes, perform specific religious dances. The third day of the celebration is marked by a visit to the holy lack in the upper reaches of Munhal Dhaar [8]

 Zaagra is a celebration where a huge fire is lit in front of a temple of god/goddess during the night and the chelas (disciples), along with the other locals, dance around the fire to the music of dhols and flutes [8]

 Losar is the Tibetan New Year, which is celebrated mostly by the Buddhist communities. Households observe Losar together. People drink the local brew Chhaang and celebrate for weeks. Losar generally occurs in the months of January and February.

 Naghoi Mela is celebrated in Gandhari in the middle of August every year. People across Paddar and Pangi (Himachal Pradesh) come here to celebrate the festival at the Chandi Mata Mandir Gandhari.[8]

 Mithyaag is celebrated to mark the onset of spring and to pray to Mother Earth for better crop yields. People gather at a holy sites and dance around the sacred weapons of the gods.[8]

 Yatra is a shrine dedicated to the goddess Durga, popularly known as Machail Mata is located in the village of Machel, in the Kishtwar district of the Jammu region. It may be noted that Durga is also known as Kaali and Chandi. Thousands of people, mainly from the Jammu region, visit the shrine every August. In 1981, the shrine was visited by Thakur Kulveer Singh of Bhaderwah, Jammu. In 1987, Thakur Kulveer Singh began an annual tradition called 'Chhadi Yatra'. Thousands of people visit the shrine every year during 'Chhadi Yatra'. Many pilgrims report supernatural occurrences while at the shrine. To reach the shrine, one may take a bus from Jammu, Udhampur, Ramnagar, or Bhaderwah or hire a cab. It takes approximately ten hours to travel from Jammu to the base camp Gulabgarh by road, after which a 32 km foot journey begins. It usually takes two days to reach the shrine on foot. There are many villages on the way where one can stay for the night. The chaddi takes three days to reach Machail. Many people organize roadside 'langars' (free food points) on the way to the Gulabgarh. The government of Jammu and Kashmir also arranges basic amenities for the pilgrims. Another means for reaching the shrine is to take a helicopter from Jammu and Gulabgarh. The helipad is located 100 meters from the shrine.

 Awaans is a festival in which a huge fire is lit in front of a temple in Karthie. All the religious pujaris (priests) from nearby villages come wearing traditional dress and are welcomed by local villagers. The festival happens once every three years, attracting people from across Paddar. Participants enjoy group dances and singing. This festival is a symbol of the rich and diverse culture of Paddar, which embraces love and respect for people irrespective of caste or colour.

Demography

Atholi (Paddar) Religion Population

List of Villages in Atholi (Paddar)

Check out complete list of all villages of Atholi (Paddar) in Atholi (Paddar) district, Jammu & Kashmir

Gulabgarh

It is the significant village of Paddar. It is the hub of all the activities that happens in the area. All the transport services run from here, be it to the Kishtwar town or towards Pangi in Himachal Pradesh. It also plays the host to all the local cricket tournaments that are organised here, besides this there are many Govt. offices, J&K Bank, Police Station and Rest houses.

Atholi

Another beautiful village just shy of a kilometer from Gulabgarh, this village is equallyimportant destinationof Paddar. It is known for its Tehsil status. Tehsildar's office, Primary Health Center, Higher Secondary School and Girl's High School are the important establishments here. There is also a waterfall here in this village,a very scenic spot called Pathaal and a water mill (Ghiraat) local

name. If you get lucky and have never seen it running, experience it firsthand, make a visit to this place. A good hangout destination with friends.

Tatta Paani.

As the name suggests "Tatta Paani" means Hot Water, this village has natural hot springs which are a boon for the residents of this place. The warm water makes it a perfect hot spot for people who want to wet themselves for fun or just bathing during winters and ofcourse any other season of the year when the whole Paddar is covered with snow; or for those who just want want to relax themselves in the warm water. The hot boiling water has curing effect for the skin diseases and joint diseases; particularly rheumatic problems.

Sohal

This place will excite you if you are a serious offroading junkie and just want to test your machine and yourself. Take a route to this village and you will experience yourself that it just doesn't takes guts to reach there it's more than that. A small and lovely village on the way towards Himachal Pradesh, famous for the Goddess Kali. A must visit place before continuing your journey further, the temple is located at very interesting location; over a cliff. Reach there to get blessings and a spectacular view.

Gandhari

A fantastic place for mountaineers, hikers and climbers. Now if you get bored of driving wheels, head towards this place on foot which is just at the border of J&K and Himachal. A backpacker's paradise, it will lead you to the top of the mountains and some amazing pasture land where you can set up ur camp site amidst nature's lap. The trek route from here meets Zanskar in Ladakh and Machail.

Haloti

This is the nearest village to the famous Machail Mata shrine. Majority of the settlement here is of Budhists community. The interesting part of this village are the muscular Yaks, which are seen only in this area after Ladakh. These animals play very important roles in the lives of local population as they are used for milking and even farming purposes to plough the fields. Another addition to its beauty are the Gumpas (The Budhist Temples) which speaks for the sanctity ofthe religion in itself. A valuable addition to your visual memory.

Machail Yatra

Location

Paddar is famously known for the Machail Yatra of Goddess Chandi. Maa chandi resides in the remotest corner of Paddar at an altitude of around 9500ft above sea level. It is a trek distance of around 30 kms on foot from the Gulabgarh Village. This is the last village connected by road. Every year thousands of devotees pay visit to the Holy Shrine with the faith undeterred and to receive the blessings of Mata machail waali. The number of pilgrims with each passing year has kept on increasing manifolds.

The Legend and The Start of Yatra

According to the ancient sources, Maa appeared in the form of Pindi, the same as it is in Vaishno Devi. She came here from the Mindal Bhattas, a small village in Himachal Pradesh to bless the people of Paddar. The yatra was initially started by Thakur Kulbir Singh of Bhaderwah who was serving in J&K; Police department and was posted in Machail. The yatra with Holymace, starts from Chinote(Bhaderwah) during the month of August with a lot of zeal and fervor amidst the chants of Maa Chandi. Devotees from Jammu start their journey from the Lakshmi Narayan Mandir (Pacca Danga) after taking the obeisance and join the yatra at Bhaderwah from where it takes off to Kishtwar and then to Atholi in Paddar. The Holymace is welcomed enroute by thousands of devotees at various villages with them offering free Langars at Gulabgarh, Massu, Kundhail, Chishoti, Hamori and Machail.

Impact of Yatra on Local Populace

The yatra has laid tremendous impact on the socio economic conditions of the people during the month long yatra. The locals get to showcase their scantily available food crops like Bajar Bhang, Phulan, Sivil which are used during fasting and the sale of these items boost them financially. Coupled with it the sale of shopkeepers, dhabawalas and tea stall owners surges considerably, earning them a good fortune; all this with the divine blessings of “Mata Chandi Machail Waali”.

Government Initiatives

The Government of J&K; through District administration Kishtwar takes lot of initiatives to provide facilities to the ever increasing flow of the pilgrims in the areas of health, clean water, rationed items, security arrangements and transportation. Significant is the step arranging the Chopper services from the DistrictHeadquarter Kishtwar as also from the Block Headquarter (Gulab Garh) to Holy Temple Machail.

Organised By

The

whole yatra is Organised by Sarv Shakti Sevak Sanstha® Doda

Mighty Peaks, Glacier, Meadows, Luseni Gumpa. Photos By Arpan Charak

Landscapes, Rest House, Waterfall, Rope Way, Chenab Photo by Rohit

Fog, Villages, River Stream, Ancient Construction.

Trek route to Zanskar, Kabban, Glaciers, Camp Sites, Nomads Photos By Sonam Angel

Kabban Pass, Landscapes

Fairs and Festivals of Padder

Zagra Festival of Padder

Chajge Festival of padder

Sherjati Festival of Padder

Chazag- A fire festival in Paddar

Paddar is a land of myriad festivals. All the festivals that are celebrated in Paddar are in some way or the other connected to the seasons of the year. There are scores of deities in Paddar which are invoked during the celebration of these festivals. Staunch devotees of all the deities dance these days and perform rituals which might look bizarre and unusual to outsiders. Chazag is one such festival celebrated in Paddar. This festival is usually celebrated on

Padri Culture

the Paush Purnima (Lunar calender) every year. Moreover, this festival is an analogous to the Lohri festival which is popular in the northern India.

Doors of the temples of all the deities in Paddar remain closed in winters except the doors of the temples of Maa Kali. Chazag festival is celebrated with great enthusiasm and fervour in the sanctum sanctorum of Maa Kali. In fact, it begins from the Maa Kali temple. All the villagers excluding members of those families which are mourning the deaths of their relatives that have happened in the past year come outside their homes and celebrate this festival.

This festival usually comes in the month of January every year. It marks the sun’s transit into the Capricorn Zodiac (Makara Rashi). This festival is known by different names in different regions. In Lahul (HP) a festival of this kind is called Halda and in Chamba this festival is known by the name Khoul. On the eve of this festival people gather at a courtyard of temple with dhlyungs (flexible wooden sticks usually made of a plant, locally called Killar). These dhlyungs are sticks with a knot on the top in which kindlings of dry inflammable deodar tree are stashed.

One prime devotee comes up with a huge bundle of deodar tree sticks which is called Diurakh in Paddri dialect. He lights up that bundle of sticks with a holy fire in the courtyard of a temple. All the people who come up with the motive of celebrating this festival light up their respective dhliyungs in the bonfire created out of diurakh. Then with the loud chants of Jai Maa Kali/Jai Maa Bhawani and reverberating beats of traditional dhol dhouns they move toward a specified place in order to dance with the lit up dhlyung.

After this magical dance they throw their dhlyungs towards a safer place already selected. There are many legends associated with the throwing up of dhlyungs. It is believed that a person who throws it at a maximum distance gets some kind of favour from the gods. After this all the participants are given prasada (mixture of soaked rice and jaggery pieces) who take it to their homes for the family members.

Lohri has a lot of things in common with this festival but it is not celebrated with traditional rituals. Chazag is a part of our local culture. Moreover this festival has different stories attached to it at different places. It is also said that Chazag is comprised of two words Chaz + aag which means a festival of fire with logical rituals. It is likely that the rituals which seems bizaare today were of some significance in the past. This generation has lost touch with the typical local culture and with this a lot of lessons which these festivals are showering upon us with these rituals are invisible to us and which are not murky seems unimportant and eccentric to us.

I hope one day we all shall pay our attention to our unique culture and understand its relevance in the modern times. Thank you!

1. ^ Jump up to:a b c "Paddar Population". Census India. Retrieved 29 August 2020.

2. ^ Census of India 2011

3. ^ Jump up to:a b c d e f g h i j k "History of Paddar" Lalit Singh Chauhan. Archived from the original on 27 May 2012. Retrieved 11 June 2012.

4. ^ Qazi, S. A. (2005). Systematic Geography Of Jammu And Kashmir. APH Publishing. p. 80. ISBN 978-81-7648-786-3

5. ^ C-16 Population By Mother Tongue – Jammu & Kashmir (Report). Office of the Registrar General & Census Commissioner, India. Retrieved 22 October 2020.

6. ^ "J&K Bank Paddar"

7. ^ Jump up to:a b c d e "Villages of Paddar". Lalit Singh Chauhan. Lalit Singh Chauhan. Archived from the original on 27 May 2012. Retrieved 11 June 2012.

8. ^ Jump up to:a b c d "Festivals of Paddar". Lalit Singh Chauhan. Paddar.com. Archived from the original on 27 May 2012. Retrieved 11 June 2012.

9. ^ "Travelling from Jammu to Paddar. A complete guide". Retrieved 10 March 2021.

10. ^ "Travelling from Jammu to Paddar. A complete guide". Retrieved 27 February 2021.

EDUCATION IN PADDAR – THE PRESENT OF OUR FUTURE

By: Ravinder

Education is widely acknowledged as an important public treasure and a social responsibility. The benefits it produces to the society are diverse and widespread over various spheres of development and flow for a long period including generations after generations.

“The main hope of a Nation lies in the proper education of its youth” said Erasmus.

The above quote illustrates the importance of education. It is the duty and responsibility of society as a whole to create a conducive environment, where every child can achieve perfection in every field of modern education.

In Paddar subdivision, since the time of independence we are struggling hard to get education. Educational graph of Paddar Pargana since Independence is not good and undulating. For years Paddar was isolated and remains cutoff from the rest of the world because of its typically tough topography. In 1990, Paddar was connected with motor able road, thanks to the Beacon (GREF).

Major investment in the education sector will be necessary to exploit demographic dividends. Tomorrow’s workers are today’s child. Tomorrow’s teachers, doctors, engineers and leaders are today’s children. Our future is our present.

Watch documentary on Paddar by Ashish Chouhan:-

A nestolagic poem in Padri

DYING ART AND CULTURE OF PADDAR

By Paddar Machail

The Paddar valley lying in the north of Kishtwar range in the Greater Himalayas, located in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir was

traditionally very rich. In fact, every micro region of the valley was richly endowed with its unique traditions. Whether it be performing arts or woodworks, metal casting or dying, handicraft or embroidery, the range was varied and most forms had a highly developed theoretical basis. They were also living traditions which became a way of life for those involved .These traditions were not just a performance, but the individual’s entire life and livelihood revolved around these traditions.

Once” Majnu Bhai” a local farmer from Paddar approached the then Maharaja Partap Singh of Jammu and Kashmir in his royal court to request the king for exemption from Ghaascharai tax, a local tax paid during that time for cattle grazing. The Maharaja wanted to know about their hard life from Majnu Bhai. When Majnu Bhai explained about daily life and hardships of inhabitants of Paddar , the Maharaja was so surprised about their hard life and asked how they managed their livelihood. He asked how many people are here in Paddar, the answer was 500. Then he asked how many people are labourers, and the answer was again 500.When asked about how many are cobblers, the answer was surprisingly again 500.When the Maharaja wanted to know about the total number of tailors, the answer was again 500 and so on . It means Paddris ( inhabitants of Paddar) were experts in every fields of arts and crafts and managed their livelihood from local traditional technologies. The Maharaja was so pleased with the answer given by Majnu Bhai and the Maharaja exempted the said tax of Ghaascharai.

Origin of the Word Losar

The word Losar is basically a Tibetan word comprised of two words ‘Lo’ and ‘Sar’. Lo means year and Sar means new. Losar is considered to be the most important festival in all the Buddhist belonging villages of Paddar valley. It is an important social and religious celebration. It is a week-long traditional festival which begins with the illumination of religious places (Gompas) and residential places. Traditionally the festival is celebrated to mark the beginning of New Year. ‘Losar’ falls every year in the month of December- January.

Mela Losaer in Padder

Losar festival in Paddar

It is celebrated in almost every village of Paddar valley amidst extensive pomp and gaiety to welcome the New Year with a special fervour. On this day local people are seen dressed up in finest traditional clothes. They start the festival by visiting monasteries with offerings before their deities, pray for the well-being of their relatives and wish each other.

During the Losar festival a blend of cultural events, traditional performances and various ancient rituals are performed which make the festival more tempting and artistic. There are blaring musical instruments accompanied by dancing and celebrations. Traditional dishes are prepared and served among relatives. Houses are decorated with good luck signs and colourful prayer flags for peace and harmony are hoisted in important religious place like monasteries and house tops to welcome the New Year.

Star Performers this year in 2020.

Changes in LOSAR with time.

But the trend of celebrations is changing day by day. With the passage of time the week long celebrations of Losar has now been reduced to a day. Exhibition of our cultural heritage through very ancient rituals and traditional performances are now becoming extinct. Participation of people in the celebrations is decreasing nowadays. The value and importance of the festival Losar in Paddar valley has now remained only as a source of entertainment and enjoyment. The celebration of Losar which was once the celebration of whole community, engagement of all men, women and children, exchange of best wishes among the village has now reduced to few families and relatives. In fact the celebration of the festival has now become a thing of past.

With the advent of television, mobile phones and internet services in Paddar in the past decade, a drastic change in the celebration of Losar has crept in the society which is not a good sign. Use of other languages instead of our own in our houses and community, focusing our mind on other culture by watching TV shows, paying attention more on fantasies has now changed and mind-set of our generations.

All these changes with the advent of modernization have helped us all to develop educationally and financially but on the other hand have degraded us morally, ethically and traditionally. We all should focus on the preservation and

Losar festival, 2020. Celebration Gulabgarh.

promotion of our cultural identity. Otherwise in the near future practices like celebration of Losar and other ancient rituals which we got from our forefathers will just remain in our stories.

Promotion and way forward

There are some positive signs in the preservation and promotion of our cultural heritage also. Gandhari village which I think is educationally the most backward among other Buddhist belonging villages is the best example where the villagers both men and women are still seen in their traditional attires at every occasion. It is indeed a good sign. Thanks to the people of Gandhari valley who being cut off from the rest of Paddar valley have still kept their identity intact. Thanks also to the APBSWA, the Buddhist Student Association in Jammu for extending its hands in the promotion of Losar festival during past few years. APBSWA is doing a remarkable job in this regard by providing platform to our young artists to exhibit our culture through cultural songs and dances.

Inauguration of first ever Annual Cultural Festival by his Holyness the 12th Gyalwang Drukpa on 22nd of July, 2018 was a revolutionary step towards cultural promotion and preservation. The said cultural festival has revolutionized the whole society. People are now understanding the value of our cultural heritage.

Poets and Lyricists like Master Des Raj and Nomo Padma Tsomo have started composing poems and songs in Paddri language. Artists like Nomo Tsering Tolma, Nomo Tsewang Palmo, Nomo Tashi Dorjee and Nomo Padma Tsomo are coming forward in promoting our culture. First ever musical album ‘Paddar Ldumra” released on the occasion of first annual Paddar Cultural Festival by Himalayan Buddhist Cultural Society Gulabgarh Paddar and live performances by our young artists like Tashi Rock, Tsering Tolma and Tsewang Palmo on international level high voltage stage at Naro Festival Ladakh, India, are some of the live examples which have given new wings to our culture to flourish and new trajectory to our culture to develop. Each and every one of us should take responsibility and play an active part in the cultural transformation. Young and educated class of the society should come forward and extend their hands in transforming the society towards cultural preservation.

Paddari language belongs to western Pahari sub-group of Indo- Aryan language family. It is primarily spoken in Padder area of District. Kishtiwar of Jammu

Jaswant Singh

Padri is a Pahari dialect spoken in Paddar valley of district Kishtwar located on south-eatern side touching its borders with Pangi (Himachal Pradesh), Zanskar valley of Ladakh & Marwah-Wadwan Valley. It is the child dialect of Bhaderwahi group which includes three dialects viz. bhaderwahi, bhalesvi and padri. It has been placed under Indian Indo-Aryan language family and is one of the offshoots of western Pahari language. It has been influenced by the common speech of people living in her neighbourhood viz. Pangwali and Bhaderwahi significantly.

As far as present status of the Padri dialect is concerned, there are less than 15000 speakers who speak Padri as their mother tongue and the number of speakers is decreasing on an alarming rate. It is facing crisis mostly in the last two decades and heading towards extinction along with its culture. Given the critical status of the dialect, it has been included in vulnerable category of languages in 2014 by Ministry of Minority Affairs, Government of India.

Its status has further been substantiated by a survey conducted in 2015 by scholars of Department of linguistic studies, University of Kashmir. In the survey, it was found that 70% of the population speak in Padri at home while rest communicates in dominant and other specific languages. It is quite clear that there is significant decrease in percentage of its use. Some 60 % parents speak in Padri to their children today while communicating with grandparents it is 80%. As regards use of Padri in school, 50% of communication with the teachers in the classroom takes place in Padri, 37% in dominant language (Hindi/ Urdu) while 13 % in other language. Moreover, 80% people use Padri in market for buying/selling things. Only 5% converse in dominant language with the merchants of the same tribe/community and 5% converse in other languages. In the same way, 75% converse in Hindi/Urdu with the merchants of the other community/tribe. In temples, 85 % of praying to gods takes place in the dominant language (Hindi), 10% in Paddari while only 5% in other languages. In the paddar, Padri is the prominent language therefore most of the religious songs are composed in Padri and 75% singing of religious songs take place in Padri, 15% in Hindi and 10% in other languages. At the place of worship, different people communicate in different languages, however if people know one another, they speak in their mother tongue. Unknown ones usually speak in Hindi. It was found that 60% talking at religious places takes place in Padri and 40% in Hindi. Many factors are contributing towards endangered status of Padri: communication with outside regions, migration of people for education and job who end up losing the connection with it, globalization, influence of dominant language (which is considered as a political symbol of nation, symbol of civilization and progress), the stigmatization of a local dialect (low prestige of the endangered dialect), lack of physical proximity among speakers, the desire for literacy, a law of compulsory education in a specific language, a lack of social cohesion among speakers, cultural destruction and neglect (medium of instruction is only the dominant language), parents switching to the dominant language because they think that their children won’t get the best opportunities

learning their native dialect, too much of outside influence is diminishing the culture and tradition of Paddar, negligence and faulty provisions of the governance which have not facilitated our mother tongue to be functional and not useful outside the home domain, trend of mixing languages and this is mainly because youth think that talking in native languages will sound rural and rustic, due to the lack of intergenerational transmission and decrease in domains of its use. This presents a frightening scenario as the dialect could be on its path to extinction. We do not seem to have woken up to the harsh reality and no proper steps have been initiated by either the community or government of J&K to save the dying dialect. This dialect has already been listed by government of India. If the current trend continues, most probably it would become extinct by the end of century.

Some might assume that the disappearance of this dialect is the concern of only a few scholars and a tragedy only for linguists. However, this view would be mistaken. Its loss will affect us and our community in acute ways. Its loss is typically a loss of our social identity. Our psychological and social wellbeing is connected with it; it shapes our values, self-image, identity, relationships, and ultimately success in life. It is the treasure house of information of our history, literature and art. Its stories, ideas, and words help us make sense of our own lives and of the world around us-of the human experience, and of the human condition in general. If it becomes extinct without documentation, it will take all its oral literature, oral tradition, and oral history into oblivion. It is great reservoir of historical information, information about how we are related, our contacts and migrations, our homeland and past culture. With its extinction, all this information and other insights into shared human experiences are irretrievably lost. The loss of literature and historical information means loss in the range of potential ways of experiencing and understanding the world. It constitutes one of the greatest treasures of our ancestors. Its loss will lead to reduction of our adaptational strength of our community because it lowers the pool of knowledge. It will leave human survival in jeopardy because of the loss of knowledge of alternative food sources. If it becomes extinct, knowledge of the medicinal plants will be lost.

It is time the community based organizations including the student wings of Paddar and Government should take steps before it’s too late. The community based organizations can play big role in this regard. They need to shed their egos and come together to work unitedly to save the dying dialect. It gives us the responsibility to act rather than sit by and watch the precipitous loss of this intangible linguistic heritage. We must: convince the community of the worth of its dialect, promote consciousness of the catastrophic effects of loss of the dialect among its speakers (and those whose heritage language it is) and among members of the mainstream population, especially leaders and policy makers, re-establish pride in and value for the dialect, obtain collaboration from many people and organizations (parents, government officials, community leaders, and even linguists) to work together for the success of dialect maintenance projects, document the dialect by way of using either Devnagri or Persian script to write grammar and multilingual dictionary of Padri dialect, establish community Radio, publish magazines and books in Padri dialect and use Padri in communication on social sites

Often a language is pushed out of use before scholars and language community have a chance to document or preserve this linguistic heritage. Our community is recognised by the padri dialect as it is a part of our custom and tradition. It is not natural but man-made and comes out of great human labour. Thousands of years have been spent before it is born. If we lose it, we are doing grave injustice to our predecessors and ancestors.

Of the estimated 7000 languages spoken in the world today, linguists say nearly half are in danger of extinction and likely to disappear in this century. In fact one falls out of use about every two weeks.

Some languages vanish in a second, at the death of sole surviving speaker. According to a survey conducted by Bhasha Research and publication centre, India had in the 1960’s 1100 languages out of which 220 have disappeared by now. If we do not awake from the deep slumber, the Padri dialect is unlikely to maintain its existence in foreseeable future. feedbackexcelsior@gmail.com

Sapphires of padder

View of Padder Valley

Buddhist Gurus in Paddar Valley

Visits of various Rinpoches to Paddar Valley:-

Since time immemorial, various religious gurus eminent personalities have been visiting the valley of Sapphire (Paddar) but least concrete information about their visits is available.

But when we approached senior persons of Paddar valley, we came to know that since 1987, when the foundation of Himalayan Buddhist Cultural Society was laid down, various religious gurus have visited Paddar valley and we have tried to put them in chronological order as under:

MONTH & YEAR

1) JULY 1987

2) JULY 1995

3) JULY 1998

4) JULY 1999

5) October 2000

EMINENT PERSONALITIES

H.H Jabdrung Rinpoche visited the Paddar valley on foot & blessed all the Buddhist communities of Paddar.

H.E the 19th Lochal Tulku Rinpoche visited Gulabgarh Paadar & other adjoining villages. H.E laid the foundation of HCS( Himalayan Cultural School) at Gulabgarh.

Ven Jigmet Khunu Rinpoche visited Paddar Valley.

Ven Jigmet Khunu Rinpoche visited Paddar Valley for the second time.

H.E Kyabje Stakna Rinpoche at the age of 80 years visited Paddar valley and donated Rs.50000.0 to the school for its smooth running.

6) JUNE 2001

7) October 2002

8) JULY 2006

H.E Choeje(Dharana Master) Togden Rinpoche visited Paddar valley and blessed the people of valley . H.E also donated rs. 10000.00 for the HCS.

H.E Kyabje Stakna Rinpoche visited Paddar valley for 2nd time.

H.E Kyabje Stakna Rinpoche Paddar valley for the 3rd time and also

donated Rs.50000.0 to the school .

9) JUNE 2010 H.H the 14th Dalai Lama visited Paddar Valley.

10) October 2013

H.E kyabje Choegon Rinpoche visited Paddar valley and stayed at Gulabgarh fotang for a two days religious teaching organised by Youth Association.

11) JULY 2018

4 Gurus, H.E the 12 Kybgon Galwang Rinpoche, H.E Drukpa Takna Rinpoche, H.E Thuksey Rinpoche and H.E Khamta Rinpoche visited Paddar

Dalai Lama in Paddar Valley, Kishtwar:

The Tibetan Buddhist spiritual leader arrived here at Gulabgarh Paddar on his 2 day visit to the Sapphire Valley on mountainous Kishtwar District amid tight security arrangements and was received by the Chief Minister Omar Abdullah along with his 3 cabinet colleagues G.M Saroori ( R&B Minister),

Nawang Rigzin Jora ( Tourism & Culture Minister), Qamar Ali Akhoon ( Minister CAPB), Chaudhry Lal Singh( M.P) & Sajjad Ahmed Kichloo. This was the first visit of the H.H the 14th Dalai Lama to the Jammu region of the state. Media persons from different parts of the country reached Paddar valley to cover the moment of the religious congregation organized by Himalayan Buddhist Cultural Society, Paddar under the leadership of Jigmet Norbu.

For the past 15 years , the Buddhist community of Paddar in general & HBCS in in particular was consistently approaching H.H the Dalai Lama to visit Paddar to address the congregation of Buddhist population and now the dreams of the people of the valley is fulfilled.

Click here for Paddar Sapphire Mines: A million dollar Industry in J&K

H.H the 14th Dalai Lama addressed a gathering of about 10000 people from different parts of the country in the Chattergarh Stadium Gulabgarh. Prior to the visit of H.H to Paddar, the people were expecting few political announcements, but when H.H delivered his speech, it was purely nonpolitical. However he said, “I believe myself to be India’s messenger to the world, the listeners got attentive, there was a pin drop silence in the open

ground. His another statement ‘India & Tibet have always had a “Guru Shishya relationship”. I am thus a chela of India.

Buddhist Stupa in Paddar

In fact, H.H all the statements were all about peace and brotherhood. While addressing the public gathering, H.H appealed the world leaders to come forward and make the 21st century, violence free. Admiring the social fabric in India where people following different faiths live together peacefully. H.H said that peace is one of the highest virtues and this should lead to the unity of hearts among people of all faiths. H.H appealed the people to continue with their rich multicultural heritage and maintain religious harmony and tranquility at all costs. H.H also said that he was fortunate to have friendship with three generations of Abdullah Family.

Click here to know about Religious Tourism in Paddar

Before leaving H.H advised the gathering in the ground of the main temple to follow Buddhism practically for humanity and non-violence. H.H also advised to preserve the rare holy Buddhist texts Kengur & Tengur and maintain peace and harmony with other religious faiths of the valley. He also donated Tengur for the monastery and & provided financial assistance for the smooth functioning of the Himalayan Cultural School and Hostel.

All the local people of Paddar valley were chanting mantras with holding colourful khataks in their hands while H.H was leaving to Dharamshala (HP). They were both sad and happy, sad because H.H was leaving & happy because the decade long dream of the people of Paddar was fulfilled.

CLICK HERE JAMMU & KASHMIR JOBS

Skyabje Choegon Rinpoche in Paddar valley:-

H.E Skyabje Choegon Rinpoche arrived at Gulabgarh Gompa on 17th of Oct 2013 for two days teaching along with Jmayang Tsering Namgyal of Ladakh, President Himalayan Buddhist cultural society. Paddar Mr. Tsering Palyor ( Rumal Chand) 7Mr. Tenzin Namgyal Representative of Buddhist youth Association, Paddar ( All Paddar Buddhist Youth Association). On arrival at Gulabgarh Paddar, Rinpoche was given a warm welcome with colourful reception, ritual and music by the monks & people of Paddar at the main temple of H.H the 14th Dalai Lama at Gulabgarh Tehsil Paddar, District Kishtwar of Jammu & Kashmir.

On the first day of teaching i.e on 18th of October, 2013 thousands of people from all over the Paddar valley gathered in the main temple of Gulabgarh to receive the Initiation Kawang of “rta-chag-kyung-sum” & teaching of basic principle of Buddhism from H.E Skyabje Choegon Rinpoche. In the teaching H.E stressed the Buddhist community to stop the sacrifices of animals in the name of God or religion. H.E also advised to follow the principle of non-violence as taught by Lord Buddha. H.E also advised to avoid alcohol and intoxicants which create violence in the family and society.

Historic visit of Four Gurus to Paddar valley:-

It was the first time in the history of Paddar that four prominent gurus visited Paddar. The four Gurus are

 H.E the 12 Kybgon Galwang Drukpa Rinpoche,

 H.E Drukpa Takna Rinpoche,

 H.E Thuksey Rinpoche and

 H.E Khamta Rinpoche

They visited Paddar on 19th of July and stayed there for a week. They blessed the land of Paddar with positive vibration.

By Nawang Sangay

(Author

is a teacher in education department, J&K)

Machail Mata Temple

Zagra Mela at Padder