Shiv Chander Sharma
There is a famous market in walled Jammu city which always has heavy rush and a part of it has many utensils shops just at the entry point when one enters this market from Parade side.
This is Moti Bazar. On one side of it is Sabzi Mandi of old city and other other side is Rani Park or once the Rani Talab. The Moti Bazar starts from Parade and joins Pacca Danga locality, the main market of stationary and text books in the city.
This Bazar has been named on Raja Moti Singh of Poonch and once it was part of his Jagir. This is the fact which the present generations might not be knowing, said 70 year old Dr Ved Raj. He said that remnants of an ancient building of the Jagir can still be seen in the backside of Rani Park while most of the bazar and the area has changed a lot with the passage of time.
The Dogra king Gulab Singh (1846 to 1857 AD) had given this area to Raja Moti Singh of Poonch in the shape of Jagir in late 19th century AD. Moti Singh had also built a building in the area of Jagir just at the start of the Moti Bazar which was frequently visited by Raja and his family members as well close aides
Even in those times it was a Basti of Thathiars (Metallic utensil makers) some of whom can still be seen living in Moti Bazar near Hanuman temple adjoining the Kashyap Rajput Sabha building. After the death of Raja Moti Singh, this area was named as Moti Bazar in memory of him and still known by this name while at the same time names of many localities and markets have been changed in recent times in Jammu city.
The Thathiars used to make utensil and sell those in the same market as well as in other markets. Only few of those families live there at present and still are related to their old profession while others have shifted from the place and adopted other professions. But still this market is known as utensil market. The concept of Jagir has changed after 1947.
Recalling ths old days when this area was the Jagir of Moti Singh, Madan Lal of adjoining Kali Jani locality said that the spot on the side of Moti Bazar which is now Sabzi Mandi was used by Dogra kings to keep their elephants while on the opposite side there was a huge pond from where people used to take water for their daily use.
However, the look has been changed now and the spot of the pond has taken a look of a beautiful park which was earlier known as Rani Talab. This is among the most congested parts of the city and it is difficult to drive a two-wheeler in the Moti Bazar road where once royal elephants roamed, Madan Lal commented. He said during the royal times this was a spacious bazaar due to far less population.
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