PEOPLE OF JAMMU

PEOPLE OF JAMMU DOGRA'S The Jammu region, which is one of the three regions of Jammu and Kashmir state (the other two being the Kashmir Valley and Ladakh), is bounded on the North by the Pir Panjal Range of the middle Himalayas, in the south by Punjab, to the East by Ladakh and close to the West inPakistan. Jammu province is inhabited by diverse castes and sects. The Dogras inhabiting the hilly tract bounding the mountains of the Kashmir valley on the south and extending to the plains of the Punjab, are descended from Aryan stock. They speak the Dogri language - a mixture of Sanskrit, Punjabi and Persian - whose origin goes back to the Indo-Aryan branch of Sanskrit. The Dogras traditionally inhabited the area between the slopes of Shivalik range of mountains, the sacred lakes of Saroien sar and Mannsar. Saroieen sar is located 30 km west of Jammu. They speak the Dogri language and the majority are followers of Hinduism. In the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, some Dogras embraced Sikhism and some embraced Islam; these factors, together with the effects of immigration into the region, have resulted in the current population including members of all three religions. staple food consists of rice, wheat, and pulses. In Jammu Dogras have very simple dress that include the long kurtas and pajamas with tight fitting at ankles. Womens wear tight bodice or jumpers over pajams that resemble that of men folk. Turban and Kamarband are the added features of elderly males. The Dogra Rajputs, who have traditionally made the Army their profession are not big build, their average height being 5'4" (160 cm). The men's complexion is light brown, the women's lighter still. The dishes are delicious, with abundant nutritional value. One of the dainties of Dogra dishes is auria, made from yoghurt and potatoes. Other Dogra specialities are ghiwar, a sort of bread fried in ghee; thothru, well-kneaded fermented balls cooked in dried wheat flour pieces, also fried in ghee. Distinct and remarkable, Dogra cuisine complements the people's achievements as soldiers, painters and builders of temples and forts. Through the Basohli school and other paintings, Dogras have made a notable contribution to the development of painting in India. Basohli emerged as a great centre of painting early in the 18th century. Outstanding paintings of this school depict Krishna's frolics, scenes from the Ramayana, the Mahabharata etc. Basohli paintings have been characterised as ' poems in colour ' for their extraordinary lyrical quality. The Dogras are deeply attached to their land. Much of their folklore - myths and legends - relates to their shrines. Religion also contribute to the mass entertainment of the people in the form of Ras dances.