Maj Gen S K Sharma
Title: DOGRA CULTURE: A Framework for Revival of Endangered Cultures and Languages Globally
Authors of Book: Deepti, Aarti, Krishna and Shiv Kumar
Pages: 248
Price: Rs 399/-
Publisher: Notion Press, Chennai
Available online through amazon.in, flipkart.com and notionpress.com
Written by authors with hardcore Dogra background, the book brings about the fall of Dogra culture in Jammu region immediately after 1947. The efforts put in by the social organizations and the actions taken by the government of J&K that brought the culture back to sound footing, have been beautifully covered in this book.
A Unique Dogra Template
The template of the spectacular revival of Dogra culture has been recommended to be used by the governments of all the countries as well as the social organizations all over the world where the cultures are in the endangered list and likely to die down. It is worthwhile mentioning that UNESCO has got one study carried for the7,000 prominent languages in the world and found that over 43% of these are in the endangered category. Each language represents a distinct culture. Once a language becomes extinct, the world loses the complete treasure of the knowledge, heritage and traditions of that culture accumulated over the centuries.This loss is not acceptable in the current times.
UNESCO’s Efforts
The reasons of any culture coming in the endangered list are the modernization and the natural tendency of the dominant languages to swallow the minor languages. As per UNESCO, one culture is becoming extinct every two weeks. UNO and its organizations are trying hard to save and preserve these cultures. To generate awareness among the nations, they had declared the year 2019 as the International Year of Indigenous Languages (IYIL). Even 21st February of each year is celebrated as the International Mother Language Day. The current decade (2022-2032) has been declared as the International Decade of Indigenous Languages (IDIL)
In a very systematic way, the book covers details of the endangered cultures all over the world, and the actions being taken by UNESCO and national governments to save these.
Endangered Scene in India
In India, the Bo language of Andaman became extinct in 2010 while the Sikkim’s Majhi language vanished in 2015. Madhika, a language spoken in Kerala has only two speakers left now. Currently, there are 197 cultures in India which are in the endangered list. 42 of these have become critically endangered and if suitable actions are not taken by the govt., these will also become extinct shortly.
Actions initiated by the Govt. of India, the State governments as well as the social organizations to save these are elaborated in this book in a very systematic way.
Dogra Dynasties
Dogra culture was also moving towards the endangered category. A great effort has been put in by the authors to research and come out with the probable causes that made Dogra culture to decline after 1947. Book also covers the origin of the word Dogra, giving references to various literary documents like Rajtarangini by Kalhana and an 11th century copper-plate inscription found in Chamba region. Link of Dogras with Suryavanshi dynasty, as per the folklore, starts with Agnivir, the Dogra king who is believed to be the 21st descendant of Bhagwan Shri Ram.
Various Dogra dynasties like Rai dynasty (50 BCE to 430 ADE), Dhar dynasty (430-840 ADE), Dev dynasty (920-1780 ADE), rulers during 1780-1820 ADE are covered in detail. History of Maharaja(earlier Raja) Gulab Singh including his campaigns as a military commander will make the Dogra readers proud of their king.
An elaborate account has been given of the last four rulers viz. Maharaj Gulab Singh, Maharaja Ranbir Singh, Maharaja Pratap Singh and Maharaja Hari Singh. How the Dogra culture declined after the end of the Dogra rule in 1947 is covered?
Dogra rituals, customs, dresses, ornaments, fairs, festivals, cuisine and martial race acumenhave been explained. Special mention has been made of the Chamliyal festival, Jhiri ka Mela and otherBiradari Mels in the Dogra region. Heritage places, temples, museums, forts, palaces including the GI (Geographical Indication) tagged items of Dogra land have also been described well.
Landscape of languages in J&K region including the Takri script are described well. This script was used to write Dogri language besides many dialects of Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand. Its extinct and revival efforts are explained well
Contribution of Dogra NGOs& Universities
Contributions of Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board, J&K Dharmarth Trust, Dogri Sanstha, Dogra Sadar Sabha etc. in preserving the Dogra culture is beautifully explained. Even the organizations which became very active during 2024-25 like Senior Citizens Club Chowadi, Parmeshwari CCC Trust, Duggar Manch, Team Jammu, MIET Dogra Cultural Club, Nami Dogri Sanstha have also been brought out. Contribution of one of the authors Shiv Kumar has also been covered.
Besides NGOs, the Jammu-based universities are also putting their best in preserving Dogra culture. Authors have personally noticed the commendable efforts of the Vice Chancellors of Central University of Jammu, Cluster University of Jammu and the University of Jammu in promoting Dogra culture.
Useful Book for Dogras
This book is beautifully written with lot of pictorial references. Though the readers will refresh their knowledge of Dogra history, they will also know the realities as to how their language and culture were declining immediately after 1948. Recorded Dogra population came down to just a little over 8 lakhs in 1961. Had the corrective actions not been taken by the society and government, this culture would have gone down the drain within a century.
This blueprint of Dogra revival has been recommended to all the countries where the languages and cultures are in the endangered list.
(The author is former Member Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board)
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