Lalit Gupta
In these columns, the historical settlement of Duggar, presented in alphabetical order, shall be highlighted for the readers to explore the rich and layered historical geography of Duggar.
Known in Puranas as Darva-Abhisara, Duggar, as a region, boasts a cultural continuum that stretches back to prehistoric times. From early archaeological sites like Manda (Akhnoor), which links the Jammu region to the Saraswati-Sindhu culture, and later urban and religious centres under various dynasties, the settlements of Duggar reflect a continuity of life, culture and governance, which unfolded as part of the broader Bharatiya socio-political and religio-spiritual civilizational ethos, deeply rooted in ancient traditions, sacred geography and dynamic historic processes.
The settlement pattern in Duggar is characterised by a blend of natural and human factors. Settlements here are typically seen along river banks, terraces, duns (elongated valleys) and areas with access to water including baolies, wells especially Artesian Wells (deep wells that tap a confined aquifer where water is under pressure, causing it to flow naturally to the surface) in Hiranagar area, and fertile land. While the human factor can be linked to the migrations of people driven by both historical and ecological considerations. Over the centuries, this led to the emergence of a range of settlements: from rural villages, dispersed dwellings to urbanised centres and compact towns that served as nodes of political power, trade and cultural exchange. Most of these towns arose along major roads or trade routes. But with regards to urbanisation in Darva-Abhisara and the nature, pattern and load carrying capacity of settlements, one thing is clear that the pre-colonial towns in the Western Himalayan region often had not many more inhabitants than today’s larger villages.
Akhnoor: An Ancient Riverside Settlement of Duggar
Akhnoor (32° 54′ N; 74° 45′ E) is one of the classic ancient riverside settlements of the Duggar region. Located approximately 28 kilometres south-west of Jammu, it lies at the foothills of the Pir Panjal range, along the right bank of the Chenab River-historically known as Chandarbhaga, and in Vedic times as Asikini.
Akhnoor’s setting marks a significant natural transition point, where the Chenab emerges from its narrow, mountainous gorges and debouches into the North Indian plains. This unique location has rendered Akhnoor an important site throughout history, both geographically and strategically. It served as a crucial entrepôt-a transit and junction point-where the Chenab River acted as a natural boundary, separating the region of Darva (lying between the Ravi and Chenab rivers) from Abhisara, the ancient name for the territories lying between Chenab and Jhelum river, which comprise modern-day Poonch and Rajouri.
The archaeological excavations conducted at Manda at Akhnoor by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) have revealed continuous layers of settlement dating back to the Harappan period of the Sindhu-Saraswati Civilisation. These findings affirm Akhnoor’s deep antiquity and its integration into the cultural and economic networks of early Bharata, especially those passing through the contiguous urban centres like Silakot (ancient ) Sagala/Sakala), the capital of Madra Janpada.
The findings of Mahabharata period pottery from its vicinity, Akhnoor, have continuously enjoyed importance, be it as one of the shipment centres of the quality Himalayan timber for palaces of Persepolis in Persia in the 6th century BCE, or as a witness to the reverberations of Alexander’s tumultuous incursions.
It was the advent of Buddhism in Duggar via Madra Desh during the lifetime of the Buddha, which exposed Akhnoor to a novel process of acculturation that entailed a series of changes in the socio-cultural life of the indigenous communities.
The conversion of the most illustrious Indo-Greek king Menander (Milinda of Pali Literature), who ruled from Sialkot, opened a new chapter of patronage of Buddhism by the local ruling class, social elite and traders’ caravans passing through that particular area. This led to the growth of the monastic complex at Ambaran, which was part of dynamic Buddhist mobility and was also closely linked to trans-regional trade networks extending to the northwestern borderlands and joined to Central Asian Silk Routes by many capillary routes.
Akhnoor enjoyed the fruits of the new religio-cultural renaissance and emerged as an important transit point, also becoming an important Buddhist pilgrimage centre, which is affirmed by the finds of several Shell inscriptions from Akhnoor on small round stones. These Shankhalipi inscriptions, also found in Bhadarwah, are also called “shell characters” because of a fancied resemblance of the letters to a conch shell (Shankha), and are found at a wide range of archaeological sites in and around India. The Shankha Lipi inscriptions, along with Brahmi, seem to have been used mainly for names and signatures by the pilgrims in ancient times.
Akhnoor has remained important all through due to its strategic location. Be it the Gupta period, the post-Huna early medieval political scenario under regional dynasties, the arrival of Islam, the hurricane onslaught by Taimur who passed by Akhnoor, to the rise and formation of Rajput principalities in Duggar, the Moughal supremacy, the Afghan interlude, the rise of Dev dynasty out of the lineage of which Gulab Singh came to be coronated as Raja at its Jiapota Ghat in 1822 Akhnoor has been in lime light. The future excavations and research will surely throw more light on the historic continuum of Akhnoor.
Akhnoor Fort: Perched on a huge rock overlooking the River Chenab, the Akhnoor fort attracts with its majestic aspect and appearance. Maintained by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), the Akhnoor fort, mostly built of bricks with high walls, is said to have been built by Mian Teg Singh some 120 years ago, when the Mian Rajputs of the Shoal family, who were the local ruling house. However, Frederic Drew, Kahan Singh Billoria, Narsingh Das Nargis, and S.D.S. Charak trace the foundation of the fort to 1762 CE by Raja Tegh who was succeeded by his son Alam Singh, who is said to have completed the construction of Akhnoor fort in 1802. The fort was later repaired by Raja Gulab Singh after his coronation as Raja of Jammu Raj in 1822 CE.
Through time, Akhnoor has developed as a sacred landscape for locals and outside pilgrims. In continuation of the age-old practice, the entire stretch of the riverbank of the Chenab remains a place of religious importance. Along with ancient Kameshwar Temple, other religious structures and Jia Pota ghat on the bank of Chenab not only continues to be regarded as sacred but equally holy like the Har-Ki- Pauri of Haridwar for the natives since ages they have been immersing the last remains of dead relatives and near ones and also conduct their last rites here.
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