Hora Ashtami Celebrations

As stated in Nilmat Puran ,being a historical survey of the festivals of Hindus in Kashmir,Hora Ashtami falls on the 8th day of dark fortnight of Phagon every year.This day is celebrated as the beginning of the spring season in Kashmir.This joyful celebration also takes place on account of birthday of Shree Sita Ji who was to Married to Shri Ramchandra Ji. This interpretation takes us to believe that from Hora Ashtami farmers begin to work of their fields after bidding farewell to the winter. 

A traditional aspect of the festival explains the topic in yet another way.Shri Sharika Chakreshwar Shrine situated on Hari Parbat hill in Srinagar is famous for celebration of this day throughout the valley.Thousands of devotees from far-flung areas assemble there and offer prayers,keeping awake in meditation throughout the night with composite program of devotional songs or music.They believe that on Hora Ashtami Shree Shrika ji bestows riches and distributes food among her devotees which suffice for the year to come. A more distinct explanation of the topic is derived from Joyotish,Hora is astro science as defined by Baskar in Surya-Sidhant means one hour or to be more accurate,in English the term "Hour" Connotes the same meaning as Hora.That is to say the Sun sets on Hora Ashtami one hour later than it used to get & there is a vivid increase evinced and calculated from Ashtami of dark fortnight of POH,in the day. 

There is a mythological story in this repect,most of the people believe that on Hora Ashtami Sharika Ji migrates from Kishtwar to Kashmir.There is also a Devi Shrine in Kishtwar known as Sarthal Devi.The shrine is loacted on the top of mountain and there is a temple at a height of 9000ft. Every arranagement for water and light has been made for facility of pilgrims ..Thousands of people gothere to get their ambitions fulfilled. There is one more respect of the matter connected with Hora-Ashtami.The Hindus draw horsoscopes i.e observations of planets at the time of birth by which astrologers predict the events of life and in every horoscope different daigrams are drawn.Hora being one among them.Hora-Chakra gives birds eye view of the entire span of life according to the gravity of the stars within one hour ofbirth,so much so,even horoscope is derived from Hora itself. Shivratri has a bearing on Hora Ashtami, as Hindus in particular begin to worship Lord Shiva from this day,observing fast and chanting his lore.The span of week from Hora Ashrami till Shiv Ratri is significantly meant for the devotion of the Lord.

In Kashmir, Hindus white wash their houses till Hora Ashtami using 'Hur' or a duster for doing so.They have a firm belief that Lord Shiva graces on the occasion or eve of Shiv Ratri in a liberal way when the House of a devotee is neat and clean.

Wishing all '' Herath -Mubarak '' 

By Mr. M.L. Wangnoo

Moti Lal Kemmu

Born in the year 1933 at Fateh Kadal Srinagar, Moti Lal Kemmu was attracted to dancing in his early childhood. 'Dancing came to me naturally', says he. And because of this inclination towards dancing, the young Moti, (as he was fondly called by his parents), was introduced to stage at a very young age, where initially he would dance and latter was offered small roles too. 'The talented dancer of yester years late Gopi Nath from Anantnag , who was popularly called 'Gope Bache', had a tremendous influence on me', remembers he .

Parsi theatre was prevelant in Kashmir at that time and dramas that were being performed , particularly the Folk dramas like the Akanandun of Tarachand Bismil also influenced him.

'By the time I graduated in the year 1953 , I had developed a liking for painting as well. I even participated in a few exhibitions. This was the time when Cultural Congress Movement was very active in Kashmir.'

But despite this passion for the brush, young Kemmu wanted to be trained in Dance and drama. So after completing graduations, he got admissions at Baroda University to study drama and dance.

At Baroda Kemmu learnt drama and dance under the guidance of the great Guru Sh.Sunder Lal Gangani. It was the year 1957.However life at Baroda and back home was not smooth for him. He had to leave Baroda.

Back in Kashmir, he was overwhelmed by the desire to study. So he joined Hindi M.A.class after returning from Baroda. But had to leave University of Kashmir half way to fend for some livelihood.

'The job was more important than the studies as it guaranteed our sustenance, says he. It was 1958'. Kemmu moved from one department to another. Starting from a monthly salary of 60 odd rupees he earned about 250 per month within a span of two years.

A regular salary could not kill his passion for Dance and drama . With this inner haunt, he felt incomplete. Till he ultimately got a national scholarship and landed again at Baroda. 'The national scholarship changed the course of my life', says Kemmu with some satisfaction, looking back today.

Having studied drama and dance at Baroda with the legendary Gujarati playwright Chandravadan Mehta, he returned to Kashmir to study and experiment with the popular folk form of Kashmiri drama called 'Band Pather'.

Kemmu made 'band pather' ( Folk drama)his medium of narrative, where he combined the folk technique with the modern art form and used this synthesis to reflect the contemporary issues.

In the initial period Moti Lal Kemmu wrote in Hindi. "I wrote my first Drama at Baroda in the year 1962. It was called 'Darpan Antpur Ka.'" My second drama was titled 'Sandhya beeti'. My third play, that I wrote while I was at Baroda University was titled 'Nangee'. The Play 'Nangee' was staged and presented by the department of Drama in the early part of 1964."

'Back in Kashmir he shifted to kashmiri language and wrote his first Kashmiri plays 'Trinov' and then wrote 'Tshay' in the year 1965.In 1968 he wrote 'Manzil Nike' (Toddler in the cradle).Upto 1975, Kemmu had published four Drama collections. These are 'three one act plays', 'Trinov' , 'Lal be drayas lo-lare' and 'Tshay.'(Shadow).

Tshay (Shadow) written in 1972 was probably the first play that reputed him as a dramatist. The drama is based on human tragedy where in a human being loses his faith and all that he believes in. Kemmu sahib told me in an interview some time back that the idea of this drama occurred to him from the closure of Jammu Srinagar national highway. The passengers stranded at Banihal during winters gradually lose faith in the state administration and the Beacon that is unable to keep to keep the road open. Finally they even stop praying to God as they lose faith in the entire system.Kemmu synchronized this idea with the historical plot where the Kashmir king Lalitaditya met a horrible end.

He interlaced Lalitaditya's tragedy with the difficulties being faced by a common man in today's times. He depicted how faith is lost. When the king could just not do anything to save his soldiers, who while praising their master had termed his toe nails as the mirrors.

From history Kemmu moved to folk and wrote another drama woven through the thread of folk tale Hemaal Naegrai and Band Duhai. In Band Duhai the contemporary issue of militancy is tackled with sensitivity. This play is based on folk tale Aknandun. The drama depicts the helplessness of a common man is Kashmir. The story goes like this. A particular child is killed by militants . The mother does not mourn the killing, as she believes that the father who plays the character of a Jogi in the play Akanandun and brings back to life the killed Akanandun, will resurrect his own child as well. But the Jogi(The husband) explains to the lady that what he does in the drama is a piece of fiction. It is not possible in real life. The lady is shattered and becomes hysterical.She lectures the audience to convey how downtrodden people like the folk performers in Kashmir have suffered during militancy.

Other than writing dramas Kemmu sahib also contributed in establishing folk theatres Kashmir. In 1964, he along with Late Mohmad Subhan Bhagat established the Bhagat Theatre Akingam and Arnimal theatre, that is dedicated to the memory of great poetess Arnimal in her native village Palhalan .

With 18 full length drama books to his credit and the coveted Sangeet Natak Academy award and many state awards in his kitty, other than the just announced coveted Padma shree award, Sh. Kemmu today is a living legend.

This octogenarian dramatist has dedicated his entire life to folk theatre in Kashmir, both its writing as well as staging. His greatest contribution is that he writes in his native language Kashmiri that not only enriches the language and drama in it and preserves a tradition but also brings esteem for other writers of Kashmiri prose and poetry.

A trained graduate from the Baroda University, Sh Kemmu , who is in his late seventies, has dedicated his entire life to folk theater in Kashmir, both its writing.

chilla kalan in Kashmir

‘CHILLA BACHA’ and ‘Chilla Khurd’ are freakishly cold. The two are muddy and filthy but not Siberian. Blood curdling, 24*40 ‘Chilla Kalan’, cold as witch, is unstirring and still as death.  Glaciating night, with the stars and the full moon above shinning bright is kind of beautiful ‘Chilla Kalan’ night (oxymoron). The scraggy shoots and offshootsof poplar, chinar and willow here and there formed with icicles all around, spread their shadows on the ground. Witching hours that freeze the tails(and balls of a brass monkey) let animal life go invisible. No single creature dares to settle down on the denuded icy branches of the trees for the night. Once in a coon’s age when the monstrous ‘Chilla Kalan’ goes nuts everything goes ‘ulta-pulta’. The sudden outburst of chilly winds and the overcast sky usher in the heavy snow fall, kind of whiteout…….blow, blow,thou winter wind; thou art not so unkind, as man’s ingratitude. The deluge that follows the un-interrupting rains fills the drains and ditches to the overflowing. 

Somewhere in the middle of the night when the witches are active the pitter pattering of raindrops suddenly comes to grinding halt. At cock crow next day when the children roll out of  the bed to peer out of the window, they shout with shock and  surprise. Snow bearded Santa Claus dressed in red (children are told) seemed to have come down chimneys along with the Christmas gift,and brought with him the pure and grandfather moss ……white petals from flowers that grow in the cold. Whitening showers in hand he’s painted roof tops,trees and branches, electric wires, vast expanses of fields and gardens, roads and lanes carving out contours,bulges, and projections. During the next several hours snowdrops fall softly to the ground nipping at the children’s noses that frolic about in the snowfields and make Sheena mohnevs. Snowflakes are one of the God’s most fragile things, but just look what they do when they stick together. Nights peek through the frosted window at the softly falling snow, so do the footprints from the frosted windows track the new fallen snow; such a cool, cool winter scene so peaceful and serene. Snow falls, snow on snow, snow on snow in the eerie silence with all it serenity.

The precipitating winter with its ‘biting’ and whining’ wind has had all the land mantled with snow. The hard dull bitterness of ‘Chilla Kalan’ that gets one's hair stand on end and makes teeth to chatter, is now on to destroy the frolic architecture of the corn snow. The softness of the snow gets frozen into the hardness of marble as ‘Kot-kosh’ freezes the damp moisture to produce icicles, the tapering formation by freezing the successive drops that trickle from point of attachment. Frosty wind makes moan, earth stands hard as iron and slippery as eel and water like a stone. Walking and driving in suchlike conditions is deadly; you lurch, lose footing and break a bone or two. As if the cold is so intense that words freeze as soon as they’re uttered, and after some time then thaw and become audible, so that words spoken in winter go unheard until the next summer. Taps burst and water pipes that blast freeze in the congealing temperatures force men, women and children to tumble out in droves to fetch a pail or two of drinking water. He who’s kind of tinker plays with the water pipes using every possible trick to melt the frozen insides of the pipes. Pipes burst but the stubborn ice never melts. Geysers, septic tanks and flush systems go phut (rather go for six) and the ‘naked ape’ switches over to cave man’s way of fecal disposal. ‘Chilla Kalan’ is an ensemble of phobias whether it is the hodophobia (travel), kopophobia (fatigue), scotophobia (darkness), claustrophobia (enclosed places), thaasophobia (being idle), phobophobia (fear) or panophobia (everything). As the great Sun keeps turning its face away, the earth goes down into a vale of grief, and fasts and weeps and shrouds her in sables. The load-shed ‘Chilla Kalan’ nights bring nightmarish visions of the ‘hunting apes’ living in caves, dark as wolf’s mouth. In the howling ilderness that brings deep gloom, cuddled up in the corners  of the dark cells are the scores of gloomy eyes that gaze into the ghostly shadows cast on the walls and roofs. In the company of dazzling icicles that hang by the walls of the dark congealing graves,Pheran clad grave dwellers snuggle together as snug as a bug (clung to kangri) in a rug. From a distance in the pitch  darkness to ‘alien’ lofty multi-storied houses stand dead and desolate as if deprived of inhabitants. It is the flickering flames of the lanterns/candles or the fireplaces shinning with the subdued brightness’s here and here that suggests human habitation.

The stereotypical behavior of the cannibalistic Jammu-Srinagar highway is that it remains closed for days together during winter….aali saetti chus gatsan daakur. The knee jerk reaction is that chicken, mutton, eggs, LPG, kerosene, petrol and etceteras leave not a track behind. To the black marketeers and flyby night operators these are the days of wine and roses (piss and vinegar). They rake in megabucks (heaps of gold). ‘Chilla Kalan’ kind of bulldozes Kashmiris. Deaths, diseases and funerals are common as dirt. But then hope sustains life. Vanda tsalle sheen gallei beii yeii bahaar; winter dies and snowmelt for spring to be born again. Greenery and verdure shall return on the naked land masses and delicate buds sprout on the scraggy dry trees to blossom into colourful flowers. Birds will hum and miseries and afflictions caused by ‘Chilla Kalan’ forgiven and forgotten. Spring, summer, and fall fill us with hope; winter alone reminds us of the human condition. If we’d no winter, the spring won’t be so pleasant: if we didn’t sometimes taste of adversity, prosperity won’t be so welcome. Winter’s chill blankets the earth and brings with it a new birth of a season that fills us with hope and prosperity.

Kargil needs developement

"Development is not so much a matter of how much one has as it is of how much one can do with whatever one has".Kargil, a district in the state of Jammu and Kashmir, was carved out from Ladakh district in 1979. This was an unheard forgotten land in the Himalayan plateau. It was only during the Kargil War that the region shot into prominence. Prior to the war, the district was not even known to the rest of the country and the world at large. Although Kargil received much attention as a battlefield, the problems and issues of the local population remain unnoticed under the sheen of Kargil victory.

Kargil with an area of 14000 sq km is remote, inaccessible and high altitude area in the western Himalayas. The climatic condition of the region is harsh with extreme cold, dryness, high radiation, low humidity, low oxygen, desert landscape and limited water sources. These exert deleterious effects on the inhabitants like low fertility, high mortality, retardation of mental growth and development and alteration in physiology. Drass, a small town in the west of Kargil, is reputed to be the second coldest inhabited place, with the temperature dipping down below -45 °C. The district is home to a population of few lakhs and they carry out their day to day life under these severe environmental stresses. The baltis, purigpas, dards and brokpas form the different ethnic groups of the population. The Muslims are the majority whereas the Buddhists form the second largest population. The main occupation of the population is cultivation, horticulture, animal husbandry and into government services, trade and commerce. The district is low developed and ranks at the bottom in infrastructural facilities and overall socio-economic development. This adds to the hardship of the local population and hence the survival is on the mercy of nature.

Poor Connectivity

Gone are the days when Kargil used to be an important trade centre in the Pan-Asian trade network. With the closure of silk route and creation of India and Pakistan, the region has become totally isolated from rest of the world. Mohammad Ashraf, former Director General, J&K Tourism, points out, 'this border area was never really cut off even during most brutal winter'. He adds, 'Kargil-Skardu has been an all weather route of great importance, which further connects with Gilgit and thence to Central Asia'. It is only after the emergence of borders that the area got totally blocked during winter. Thus, the people of Kargil are virtually imprisoned in a frozen prison. The only link which connects Kargil to the outer world is the Zojila pass, which becomes inaccessible at least for six months in winters due to heavy snowfall and hence begins a period of isolation for the people of Kargil. This isolation results in great losses in terms of education, health, rural infrastructure development and most importantly sustainability. It badly impacts the young people's education and growth. Tourism, crucial to its economy, is dependent on the Srinagar-Leh highway. There exists a huge potential for winter sports and winter tourism, but tourism gets badly affected due to the six-month inaccessibility. During summers, the people and the government become more involved in stocking basic amenities for the winters. Thus, energy and time are invested into it and other major development issues in different sectors get ignored. The people of the region have little choice but to consume stocked stale food items. Under such situation year after year human life in this part of the world is always at stake. For years, the people of Kargil have been demanding the opening of the Kargil-Skardu road and construction of a tunnel through the Zojila pass but so far there hasn't been any significant development on both the demands.

The state of air connectivity is not in a good shape and still Kargil doesn't exist on the air map of the country. The only airport in Kargil is yet to be used for commercial flights. It requires upgradation which has been pending for a long time. Due to the hilly terrain, the runway needs to be extended by 3,000 feet for normal commercial flights. The current length is merely 6,000 feet, inadequate for flight service in hilly areas.

Energy dependence 

Life in Kargil is completely dependent on energy sources like fuel wood to survive the winters. Due to desert landscape and negligible forest cover, the locals are wholly dependent on Kashmir valley and across for fuelwood to sustain life during the freezing winters. The same holds true for petroleum products and other essential commodities. One can imagine the state of living conditions under shortage of these basic requirements. There are no alternate energy sources to address the crises situation. The issue of energy is of paramount importance for this region. With energy being crucial to human survival, long-term plans need to be developed to tide over the crisis-like situation that crop up year after year.

Lack of employment and entrepreneurship development opportunities

Unemployment is a social issue of serious concern in the present times, both at national as well as state level. In the past few years the problem of unemployment in Kargil has increased at an alarming rate. Lack of entrepreneurship skills of the local youth adds to the problem of unemployment as there is no such institution in the district. The entrepreneurship development initiatives can be used as a tool to provide opportunities to the unemployed. Thus to cope up with the unemployment crisis in the district, there is a greater need to establish entrepreneurship development platform so as to infuse entrepreneurship spirit in youth.

Lack of research activities and facilities 

Kargil bestowed with different geology has huge mineral resources and precious rocks. The region also homes many important medicinal plants and economically important bio diversity. There is no research activity and institution in operation to explore these reserves. It is imperative to establish research facilities to undertake studies to explore the hidden reserves for the economic upliftment of the region. Such facilities will also provide prospects of employment for the local skilled and unskilled youths.

No access to external market

The district produces world's best apricot and indigenous fruit varieties. There is no access to external markets for these fruit crops. This adds to the economic backwardness of the district as compared to the other districts of the state. In view of this state of affairs, it is highly essential to create avenues to market the indigenous fruits in national and international markets so that the socio-economic conditions of the district are improved. It will not only play a significant role in improving the state of the local economy but also help in providing livelihood sources to a large number of educated youth.

Inadequate Electricity

The state of electricity in far flung villages is very poor with mere 3-4 hrs of supply in a day. The villagers have to resort to use of mostly kerosene lamps to meet their extra energy demand. This results in high recurring expenses as well as adverse affects on health. There is great potential of hydro power in the region due to good presence of springs and fast flowing glacier rivers. This can provide efficient electricity for lighting and micro-enterprises. This can have positive impact in terms of social, economic and environmental aspects which in turn can improve the living conditions of the region as a whole. The students in the villages will be able to contribute more time to studies. It'll replace the harmful kerosene lamps that emit harmful fumes.

Poor means of communication

Today without adequate communication means the socio-economic and educational development is impossible. It has been augmented by the technological advancement in communication and the advent of internet was a landmark. Living and day to day operation is not possible without internet. In this age of internet, the region lacks proper basic communication means. Internet is out of question, the state of mobile and telephone services are miserable. The absence of private service providers makes the situation the worst. BSNL is the only one which is in operation and out of service most of the time. The low transmitting power radio station tunes for few hours in the evening and the DD station still waits for upgradation since its inception. As a result the rich cultural heritage of region remains obscure in the eyes of the outer world. The issue of communication needs a greater focus and radical improvement.

Poor Health Facilities

The district lacks the state of art medical facilities and health specialists. Most of the time, the locals have to travel to the valley and other states for health tests and major operations. There is an acute shortage of proper health infrastructure in villages. The people remain hapless in case of health emergency during the winter when the region is cut off from the rest of the country. Under these circumstances the survival of the local always remains at threat.

One of the prime factors of socio-economic backwardness of the region is lack of local representation in any decision making platform in the state as well as at centre. The people of Kargil are always ignored on this front and hence they don't have any say in policy and decision making.

Poor Tourism and Sports infrastructure

Kargil has a huge potential for winter sports and winter tourism. Unfortunately both these sectors are in shambles due to sheer negligence. The district lacks proper and adequate infrastructure to accommodate the visitors. We don't see any efforts to promote and publicize Kargil tourism through print and electronic media. Kargilites are great winter sports lovers and players from the region have played and represented India at international level. Due to favourable conditions the region can host international events but it falls back on promotion and upgradation of winter sports at par with international standards. The state of affair is dismal to the extent that more recently skating players in Kargil had to contribute money to prepare an ice skating ring in Kargil town at the bank of Suru river. 

The list of issues and concerns of the population is long and cannot be scribbled down on few pieces of paper. These issues need response on war footing to support the sustainability of the people in this frozen land. The socio-economic development of the region demands for radical development strategy, a strategy built on new technologies taking into consideration the natural constraints and available resources of the region. Efforts should be made to replicate successful model of development from those parts of the world with similar conditions.

Buddhist Pilgrimage in Jammu

Buddhist Pilgrimage at Ambaran Akhnoor in Jammu 

Rivers, lakes and streams are elixir of life; provide water for drinking, bathing, washing of clothes, cooking of meals, irrigation and what not. In ancient good olden days water was the cheapest and quickest means of transport of man and material. The water mills and water wheels and now turbines are harnessed to yield vast quantities of power to light our homes and sustain the Industry and digital life. The river, lake and stream banks made possible the birth and growth of human life on the earth. The rivers and various sources of water have been worshipped since time immemorial. In the most ancient text of the World, the Rig-Veda, the rivers were regarded as deities having power to purifying the worshipper physically and spiritually. Many of these sources of water continue to be worshipped by the people to this day.

The two great Rivers - Chenab and Ravi pass through parts of Jammu province of Jammu and Kashmir in Northern Part of India. The confluence of Chenab or Chandrabhaga with Marwa River while coming about ten km north of Kishtwar town further runs towards Ramban, then to Reasi. It largely passes through inhabited and inaccessible territory, mountains and gorges leaving its huge water mostly un-utilized. After traveling in mountains and land locked passages it debauches into plains of the Akhnoor town and finally enters into the plains of Pakistan. Akhnoor town is located on the right bank of River Chenab, about 32 Km west of Jammu city. About 10 meters, above the water level, before Akhnoor town, a small hamlet Pambarawan the Ancient Buddhist site namely Ambaran is situated where rich traces of Buddhist monastic establishment were discovered a decades ago. The site is famous for earlier yields of the so called Akhnoor Buddhist terracotta heads with Greeco-Roman influence that now find their place in a number of museums throughout the world.

Buddhism had prominence in the Kashmir valley till 12th century A.D. The remains of Buddhist settlement in the vicinity of Jammu are not suppressing. Ancient Sakala (now Sialkot, Pakistan) hardly 50 Km away from Akhnoor town, then the capital of Indo-Greek King Meander who won over to the Buddhist faith by the celebrated Buddhist monk Nagesena in 2nd century B.C being a proof. The name still survives as Nagaseni region of Paddar (Kishtwar Distt.) bears striking resemblance to the great Buddhist teacher Nagesena.

The British art historian and curator of Lahore Museum Charles Fabari collected few pieces of famous Akhnoor terracotta’s fired clay as surface find from the site. The terracotta comprise of Lord Buddha’s head (figure), torso of bodies and pieces of drapery belonging to Lord Buddha figures or figures of monks and lay men and lay women profusely decorated or embellished on the walls of Buddhist monastery and a Stupa at Ambaran. These terracotta’s are closely related to the terracotta’s unearth at Ushkura (Ancient Haviskapura) near Baramulla and Harwan in Kashmir valley. The beautifully smiling face of a child with curly hair a Greek facial expression was a famous discovery of Charles Fabari.

Buddhism witnessed its Golden period during the Kushan rulers Hushka, Jushka and Kanishka. King Kanishka who convened the Fourth Great Buddhist Council in Kansipura in Baramulla district in Kashmir probably built the monastery. He has also been credited for the excavation of the two colossal images of Lord Buddha at Bamiyan Valley in Afghanistan which were destroyed by the Taliban during 2000 A.D.

The Buddhist establishment at Ambaran seems to have been established during Kushan period (1st to third Century A.D.) a formative age of Buddhism in Kashmir valley. One stupa, four votive stupas and walls of a monastery (living quarters for monks) all built in burnt bricks were found in excavations during 1999-2001. The cientific clearance work was carried out in year 2009 also. The Saririka Stupa has a base of 6 x 6m measuring approximately 1.50 x 1.50 m. Four votive stupas were exposed on the western side of the main stupa. The pottery of the Kushan period comprised of bowls, basins, vases, sprinklers, lids including ink pot type of lids, lamps and spout pots are important characteristic finds of Kushan Period. The most important among the antiquities recovered of the second period include the reliquary (relic casket) and its contents with associated objects found along with it in the main stupa. The charred bones along with a piece of tooth suggesting its conception as a Saririka Stupa was also.

The Ancient Buddhist Stupa site of Ambaran locally known as “Pambaran” (Lat 300 54` N and Long. 740 46` E) is located near Akhnoor about 30 kms north west of Jammu on the right bank of river Chenab (Ancient Asikis or Chanderabhaga). The top river terraces of River Chenab, in between two rivulets, which come down from the hills join the river. The site is about 100 m in width from north south. On either side of the river, there are middle Pleistocene boulder conglomerate deposits over which there are loose boulders and pebbles mixed with sand, silt and clay belonging to the late Pleistocene period, which is the natural soil below the cultural deposits.

The Archaeological Survey of India, Srinagar Circle has carried out Archaeological excavation for two seasons (1999 — 2000 and 2000 — 2001) to know the association and startographic position of the famous Akhnoor terracotta heads in the Buddhist Monastic establishment at Ambaran. In addition, it was to study the layout and planning of the site believed to be the only early Buddhist site in the Jammu Region outside the Kashmir Valley. During the excavation, burnt brick structures of various phases encountered. The site seems to have been abandoned sometimes around the seventh century A. D. as attested by two flash floods in the river, which this led to the abandonment of the Buddhism establishment of Ambaran. The excavation revealed the cultural sequence of the following periods:

Period I: Pre-Kushan period (circa second first century B. C.)

Period II: Kushan period (circa first to third century B. C.)

Period III: Post-Kushan (Gupta) period (circa forth fifth century A. D.)

Period IV: Post Gupta period (circa sixth seventh century A. D.)

Period I: No structural remains of period I found. The thin deposit contained grey ware shreds of bowls and red ware vases.

Period II: Buddhist monastic establishment was founded at the site in period II. A stupa votive stupas and walls of a monastery were exposed which was built of burnt brick masonry with bricks usually measuring 36 to 38 x 24 x 6 to 7 cm

Period III: Two distinct structural phases of period II were noticed, the first having structures with bricks measuring 27 x 22 x 7 cm in general and a second phase with bricks and brickbats of earlier structures reused. Remains of an entrance of some important complex, stone pitched pathway were also found. A 2 x 2 m square base of a votive stupa along with evidence of its circular shape structure was found.

Period IV: The large complex, possibly a monastery, partly survived during the period IV when additions and alterations were made in its original structures and repairs were also carried out after the flash flood. Pottery of period II to IV does not have much difference in shape, except that in the last period rims of bowls become sharp and straight. Important shapes are basins, bowls, sprinklers, vases lids, lamps, spouts and storage jars. Stamped designs have also been found. Amongst the spout with grotesque animal head and the pot lugs, an interesting piece bears head of a lion.

Among important antiquities a large number of decorative terracotta figurines, terracotta moulds of human figurines, leaves and ornaments, terracotta skin rubber, beads and gamesmen, iron nails, hooks and rings, copper objects, semiprecious stone beads have been found. A small stone sculpture in Gupta style showing a male attendant holding some object in his right raised hand and the left resting on his thigh. Copper coins belonging to the Kushan rulers Soter Megas, Kanishka and Huvishka were found during the excavations. The unique discovery of relic caskets during the excavations has opened a new chapter in the study of history and culture of the Jammu region discovered for the first time. Significant Buddhist remains have been found in the form of reliquary alongwith three containers copper, silver and gold caskets which could fit into one another was found to be 2.4 cm high with its diameter being 5.6 cm, which comprise 30 circular thin sheets of gold, 2 silver and 130 micro beads of pearl, 12 coral and 2 metallic in the oval shaped silver caskets, a circular gold casket, a bead of amethyst and 3 encrusted copper coins.

Similar Stupas belonging to Saka- Parthian period in Taxila including those as Dharmajika, Kalwan and Jandial (now in Pakistan) Buddhist monastic establishment provide similar structural pattern in their elevation and plan. The Saririka Stupa and votive probably belong to the name architecture feature as found at above sites now in Pakistan which was then in the same political boundary of the empire.

The famous terracotta objects found at Ambaran like busts of women with typical Greek or Gandhara influence or facial features and Greek hair styles this collection formed part of Punjab Museum collection at Lahore. After partition it was transferred to State Museum at Chandigarh from where it was brought to Dogra Art Gallery, Mubarak Mandi at Jammu. There are also a few pieces of Akhnoor terracotta male heads in National Museum Collection New Delhi. 

Shiv Khori Tourist Circuit

Yatra to Shiv-Khori has become an important component of the religious tourist circuit in Jammu province. Annual yatra to this holy cave located in Reasi District is around one million or so at present and it is increasing. Based on the lines of Vaishno Deviji(where the Shrine Board has brought about marvelous changes by undertaking massive development works from public offerings at the holy Shrine in last 25years),Board for managing Shiv-Khori Shrine has also been constituted. Lot of facilities are being developed on the entire 3.5km long pedestrian route from Ransoo town to the holy cave.

Like Katra occupies a prominent place for Vaishno Deviji yatra as a base town, Ransoo is the base town of Shiv-Khori yatra. Unlike orderly development of facilities on the entire 13km route by the Shrine Board, Katra town presents a dismal urban picture because of its haphazard growth in last 3-4 decades. This town of about 15000 souls is perhaps the wealthiest town in our state through which about 90 lakhs yatries pass annually thus opening enormous opportunities for local population. Many good hotels have come up in Katra but the town as a whole hardly offers any attraction to pilgrims to extend their stay there even for a day. Narrow roads, congested Bus stand, poor municipal services, polluted water body, etc. offer hardly any interest to visitors who mostly confine themselves in their hotel rooms during their brief stay in Katra. Visionary efforts are required from all concerned to ensure that Katra model of growth does not get repeated in Ransoo town. Presently this town is a small settlement with a lot of vacant land but signs of haphazard development especially along its only main road are already visible.

Realizing the opportunity to develop Ransoo as an attractive pilgrim town in future, the State Govt. has notified this town under the provision of state Town Planning Act of 1963. A Development Board has been constituted to prepare a Master Plan which probably is ready by now. But experience of other towns in our state point out that Master Plans even after their approval by Govt. are hardly effective. Mainly it is because the measures to implement Master Plans particularly the urban land management tools are not spelt out clearly in our state urban development laws. We understand that necessary amendments through various urban reforms in this behalf are on the anvil but the same is taking a long time to mature. As such strategy to develop Ransoo town within the best possible existing framework needs to be chalked out.

How can Ransoo be developed as an attractive halt town? At present, excepting for the roadside lands which have developed under commercial use, most of the land in Ransoo town (spread over a sloping plateau of about 900 kanals) is still under agriculture use. But now pressure for conversion of these lands into commercial urban use are building up with each passing year due to increasing yatra traffic. The rural face of Ransoo town is changing fast. Wealthy & influential people (mostly hoteliers from Katra) are buying vacant undeveloped lands in this town. The resultant exorbitant land prices in Ransoo are testimony to these land transactions. These investors shall play a big role in shaping the growth of this town in near future. If regulated properly, they can do wonders. But if left to themselves by a loose Govt. response, Ransoo town too shall be another Katra in making. Thus the state govt. is required to play a proactive role. Perhaps the most appropriate option could be that all developable lands in Ransoo are acquired through negotiations and an attractive compensation (both economic & financial) is paid to land owners. Acquired land ,after development, can then be used as a resource to generate funds (through auction of commercial sites)required to provide quality infrastructure like a good Bus Stand, wide roads, proper water supply/electricity/sewerage systems, green spaces, development of Dudh Ganga rivulet, etc. This approach, however, is not likely to be acceptable to the local people as well as local politicians as they eye only short term gains. Awareness to motivate and educate them that a planned Ransoo town shall ultimately benefit their economic development in the long term perspective, need to be undertaken by the Shrine Board/other concerned. It is to be realized that network of wide roads not only spreads economic activities in all parts of any developing town more evenly but it is also very essential to efficiently lay the distribution networks of all infrastructural services required to ensure quality living in any town.

Another option could be a Land Pooling scheme under which land parcels of all land owners are pooled, reconstituted and then 50% of the same land is returned to the same owners for their use as per an approved layout plan. 50% of the land acquired from the farmers is utilized for laying roads, parks and other public facilities. This method known as Town Planning scheme has been a very popular & effective urban management tool in Gujarat and Maharashtra state. In fact it is an important provision in their urban planning & development laws & is generally referred to as Land Acquisition without tears. But since relevant Acts in our state do not have this provision and land owners are not likely to agree to this cooperative concept very easily in Ransoo, best course is perhaps acquisition of all vacant lands by any nominated Authority to be entrusted with development of Ransoo town. Funds for acquisition can be partly taken as a loan and partly State Govt./Vaishno Devi Shrine Board could help in this venture. No doubt it looks harsh for the poor farming land owners but if the land acquisition costs to be paid to them are attractive and their economic rehabilitation is addressed humanely, it sounds to be the best option keeping in view the long term interest of this upcoming town.

Besides, Ransoo town should be atleast notified under the Municipal Act so that a Municipal Committee comes into existence to look after its day to day civic needs.

In a nutshell, Ransoo town deserves priority. Opportunity to develop it( which may not be easily available later on) as an attractive town developed on planned lines should not be lost. This town, most likely will grow whether the State Govt. intervenes effectively or not. The choice is whether it should grow as a pilgrim friendly base town for Shiv-Khori yatra or it should follow the unpleasant growth model of Katra Town. Shiv-Khori Shrine Board needs to own and play a vital role in framing and translating this perspective (of developing a planned Ransoo town) into reality unlike Vaishno -Devi Shrine Board which kept a distance from investing in the infrastructural development in Katra town may be for some compelling reasons.

Ram Leela Celebrations of Basohli

The preparations to this end are being made at war footing and all those efforts are being made which will go a long way in making the celebrations a complete success so that it may leave a permanent impact on the viewers. Wide publicity is being given to it to attract a good number of the viewers from within and the adjoining states of Punjab and Himachal Pradesh. In order to make it interesting and colorful, the assistance of many state departments is being sought.

According to the information available from the senior most citizens of the town, Ram Leela celebrations in Basohli date back to early twentieth century i.e. from Oct. - Nov. 1911. Before the celebrations reached the present stage it passed through many social, administrative problems and financial constraints. In the beginning years of the celebrations, Ram Leela was celebrated in the open ground amidst a big disciplined crowd surrounding the arena where the artists used to perform their roles attired in very simple costumes. The artists distinguished themselves from the spectators wigs and beard made from the bark of Dhamman tree called saels (used for making strings for weaving cots). The presentation was called Ras Leela which was performed by the artists (Raas Dhari) from the locality and from the villages of the adjoining Punjab and Himachal Pradesh states. The mode of presentation of Ram Leela went on changing with the passage of time and later on the presentation covered the whole chougan. Earlier, the ground was divided into five stages one each for Ram Durbar, Ravan Durbar, and Ashoke Vatika and for Sumeru Parbat where as rest of space is reserved for use of sets for Panch Vati, huts for Saints/ seers and for different battles between various fighting factions of that time. Those days Ram Leela used to start in the afternoon in the broad day light due to the non availability of lighting arrangements. At night hours famous Hindi nataks (dramas) of that time like, Krishan Sudama, Bilvamangal, Rukmaniharn and Shravan Kumar were staged in the bright light of the patromaxs. The pitch of the artists used to be very high which could be heard from half mile distance without PA system as is available these days. Achievements in the celebrations and innovations in the presentation required much money which was very difficult during those days with poor economical conditions of the natives and little or no means of livelihood. The graph of presentation of Ram Leela showed gradual decline year after year till it reached its end.

Before Ram Leela could fade from the village management of the organization came in the able hands of Late Sh. Khushi Ram Padha and his devoted and honest team comprising of S. Sh. Ishwar Dass Padha Nathu Ram Abrol, Pushap Raj Purohit, Hari Krishan Nayyar, Prem Mahajan, Jagan Nath Gulehi, Ram Mehta, Sdershan Mishra/Chouhana, late Sh. Kishori Lal Sharma and many devoted persons who brought the financial condition of Ram Leela on concrete footing.

The present life like scenes pertaining to glowing of Lakshman Rekha, descending of Lord Hanuman from sky with mountain, Dhanush Yagya, felling of seven tar trees with one arrow by Lord Ram and crossing Sarju by boat by Ram, Sita and Lakshman were the brain child of Mulkh Raj Gupta, Govind Ram Kapoor, whereas the management of costumes etc. was taken care by Madan Lal Chang and Dev Raj Raina. Ram Leela feels proud in having a vocal classical musician Sh. Devinder Nath Premi, who has got no match in the whole state, and who had been working as music director of Ram Leela for many years. Krishan Chand Pathania, Sri Ram Kapoor and Nikka ram Achrya had been the extraordinary comedians of Basohli stage. Among the past artists the names of Late Tara chand Pangotra, Nathu Ram Purohit, Chand Kishore Ranadey are worth mentioning.

Ram Leela festival excels in many ways in the matter of its secular character as Muslim brothers have been taking keen interest in making the festival a complete success in the matters of presentations and management. Nazir Ahmed Chouhan, Shuker Din and others had played famous characters of Ram Leela. This is the festival when all the married daughters and employees from all the communities come to their homes and spend few days with their families and friends.

Now-a-days Ram Leela Basohli by dint of its presentation and devotion has carved out a place among the popular festivals of the state and the country. Life like presentation, sanctity and devotion of the people attracts good number of visitors during the celebrations every year. This year, being the year of centenary celebrations has got some special attractions like:

Illuminationof roads and buildings in the town.

Organising cultural shows from different states

Free langar for the persons coming from outside the town.

Organising exhibition and workshop on Basohli painting by NGO Vishavsthali during the festival.

Prize distribution for the outstanding services rendered by the citizens.

Like every year the state government is again requested to declare the Basohli Ram Leela as state festival on the pattern of Sindhu darshan of Leh and Jhiri Mela of Jammu and deploy the information Deptt. And Door Darshan to cover the festival for its telecast on the national network. It is requested to all to turn up in good number and add to its glory.