Jammu: history - Revision history

Pdewan: /* The 1940s, till Oct 1947: By Sorayya Khurshid */

2021-11-17T20:15:05Z

‎The 1940s, till Oct 1947: By Sorayya Khurshid

Pdewan: /* Sorayya Khurshid’s Jammu of the 1940s: till Oct 1947 */

2021-11-17T19:00:25Z

‎Sorayya Khurshid’s Jammu of the 1940s: till Oct 1947

Pdewan: Pdewan moved page Jammu: historical to Jammu: history without leaving a redirect

2021-11-17T18:58:50Z

Pdewan moved page Jammu: historical to Jammu: history without leaving a redirect

Pdewan: /* Jammu of the 1950s */

2021-11-17T18:55:48Z

‎Jammu of the 1950s

Show changes

Pdewan: /* Pre-historic footprints */

2017-04-19T00:56:12Z

‎Pre-historic footprints

Pdewan at 00:55, 19 April 2017

2017-04-19T00:55:43Z

Pdewan: /* Bloodbath at Mirpur */

2017-04-19T00:54:11Z

‎Bloodbath at Mirpur

Pdewan: /* Jammu of the fifties */

2017-04-18T13:57:01Z

‎Jammu of the fifties

Pdewan: /* Bloodbath at Mirpur */

2017-04-02T07:49:05Z

‎Bloodbath at Mirpur

Pdewan: /* Jammu of the fifties */

2017-04-02T07:28:02Z

‎Jammu of the fifties

@@ Line 324: / Line 324: @@
 (Excerpted from Rehmatullah Rad and Khalid Hasan (eds), '' Memory Lane to Jammû '' (Lahore: Sang-e-Meel Publications 2004)
-Sorayya was married to Mr Khurshid H Khurshid, the private secretary of Mr [[Mohammad Ali Jinnah, Quaid-i-Azam]]. He became the President of the so-called 'Azad' Jammu & Kashmir (POK) on 1 May 1959
+Sorayya married  Mr Khurshid H Khurshid, the private secretary of Mr [[Mohammad Ali Jinnah, Quaid-i-Azam]]. Mr Khurshid was appointed President of the so-called 'Azad' Jammu & Kashmir (POK) on 1 May 1959
 [[Category:History|J JAMMU: HISTORICAL

@@ Line 89: / Line 89: @@
-=Sorayya Khurshid’s Jammu of the 1940s: till Oct 1947=
+=The 1940s, till Oct 1947: By Sorayya Khurshid=
 '' Sorayya Khurshid has written a very moving and affectionate chapter about the Jammu of the 1940s.  ''
@@ Line 324: / Line 324: @@
 (Excerpted from Rehmatullah Rad and Khalid Hasan (eds), '' Memory Lane to Jammû '' (Lahore: Sang-e-Meel Publications 2004)
 Sorayya was married to Mr Khurshid H Khurshid, the private secretary of Mr [[Mohammad Ali Jinnah, Quaid-i-Azam]]. He became the President of the so-called 'Azad' Jammu & Kashmir (POK) on 1 May 1959
-−
-−
 = Jammu of the 1950s =

← Older revision		Revision as of 00:56, 19 April 2017
Line 110:		Line 110:

	When it was pack up time in 1959, after almost four continuous years in the City of Temples, none of us were happy to leave. Jammu had grown on us and we had grown used to Jammu. Ram Singh’s ‘tanga’, Kwality’s ice creams, Presentation Convent’s annual days, Division sports of the Tiger Division, the RS Pura Canal (our ever present refrigerator), long journeys by bus and back of Army trucks; all this is a maze of memories which gives Jammu a special place in my heart and the head.		When it was pack up time in 1959, after almost four continuous years in the City of Temples, none of us were happy to leave. Jammu had grown on us and we had grown used to Jammu. Ram Singh’s ‘tanga’, Kwality’s ice creams, Presentation Convent’s annual days, Division sports of the Tiger Division, the RS Pura Canal (our ever present refrigerator), long journeys by bus and back of Army trucks; all this is a maze of memories which gives Jammu a special place in my heart and the head.
−
−	~~= Pre-historic footprints =~~
−	~~[http://www.dailyexcelsior.com/footprints-of-history-in-jammu-region/ Prof(Dr) P K Koul , Footprints of history in Jammu region "Daily Excelsior" 5/3/2017]~~
−
−	Human feet are the symbols of human movement, of life, advancement from the hoary past to the wonderful present, achievements, progress and learning. We try to follow the lifestyle and achievements of those greatmen who had lived ahead of us. We try to copy them and get inspiration from their life style.
−
−	A sence of respect and admiration is generated in our mind which makes us to bow before them. All greatmen, the world over, have struggled hard, in their life times, to follow the path of progress, goodness and humanity. We follow them on their path and foot prints to acquire similar results that they had achieved. And thus, foot prints, the symbols of one’s journey and progress of a celebrity become the objects of respect and reverence for others. Lord Rama’s younger brother, Bharat carried Ramas wooden sleepers (Charan Paduka) on his head, placed them on the throne of Ayodhya and ruled in his name for 14 years. Such is the respect for those foot prints in the common man, for the greatness of the great souls. The reasons for this devotion of people for footprints is thus simple to understand.
−
−	The journey of life, like the journey to a station or destination has always been covered on foot and therefore, glorified, praised and symbolised with life. There is hardly any life without movement, without journey or foot. All the greatman have worked for the goodness of humanity, and therefore their life journey symbols, their footprints have also been compared and symbolised with the goodness, beauty, charm and fragrance that of a flower, especially of Lotus. In Indian literature and carvings, we find extensive use of this comparison of feet of greatmen with Lotus flower, as in Padkamal, Charan Kamal, Pad Pankaj Padambuj etc mentioned in Puranic literature, devotional prayers, rock and slab carvings, care roofings, temple floorings at various religious or historic places and hermitages. These can be seen throughout Indian subcontinent, right from ancient times to the present day and includes foot print traditions of Jains, Buddhists, Shavites, Vaishanavites and Shakti traditions, as also of smaller local or regional deities.
−
−	In Indian tradition, the reverence to and worship of footprints, goes back to much earlier times than Christian era (B.C) We have the carved footprint marks on slabs and rocks, at various places in Gujarat, Maharashtra, and Karnataka. Lord Buddha’s footprints are worshiped in ceylon monastry, (Perhaps Anuradhapuram), Nagarajun Konda Monastry, and in Bihar and many other places of Buddhist World. In Indian devotional and Bhakti literature, pertaining to Lord Rama and Krishana and also in Kashmiri Shakti worship (Sharika, Durga, Ragnaya etc) We find extensive foot worship in literature (Sanskrit and Kashmiri) in the words as Padambuj, Pad Kamal, Padpankaj etc etc.
−
−	~~In Jammu region also we find extensive presence of carved footprints of gods and godly persons, saint, hermits, historic identities, local deities, goddesses, throughout the region.~~
−
−	The ancient most and historic footprint, of one, literate shephard (Gop Pasha) is found from the ancient cave temple (Buddhist) of Gupt Ganga on the bank of river Neeru, in Bhadarwah. This carved footprint on the cave roof, along with a carved cisterm on the floor, also carries a few letters in Brahmi script on the roof top, which reads “Gop Pash Dev Dham Yam Ketu’’ indicating thereby the visited place, was a religious place as well as a crematory, which it is even today after some 1500 years. The Brahmi script of the site is of 4th-5th century A.D, and thus this carved footprint in Jammu region is perhaps the oldest one found in the region.
−
−	Next mention can be made of the ancient region of Sudhmahadev, from where footprint marks have been reported from some places, Buddi Sudhi etc Sudh Mahadev Shrine in Chenani tehsil is an ancient as Gupt Ganga of Bhadarwah, of 4th-5th century A.D, with an eight mettled alloy (Ashat Dhatu) Trishul (Trident), carrying carving in Brahmi letters of 4th, 5th century AD. The trident is said to have been offered by a king of Padamavati (Gwalior) indicative of the sacredness of the place as Shivas abode as early as 4th/5th century AD and the offering was made by a King (Vibhu Nag) from the Nav Nag dynasty, son of Gampati Nag various foot prints reported from this ancient sacred Tirtha have not been investigated and evaluated so far. Sudh Mahadev region in ancient times had been considered a sacred Shavite pilgrimage and religious site, on account of many religious traditions, associated with this place, and its name associated with Shiva legends, and local place names, i.e Rudra Dhar, Shiv Garh, Sudh Mahadev, Gauri Kund Kailash, as also a very long tradition of Shaivite peers, jogis whose samadhis can be seen at the sites of Veni Sangam, Gauri Kund and Sudh Mahadev Shrine. The footprints from this region need to be properly evaluated.
−
−	Next comes the footprints relics, available from the rich archaeological site of Devika stream, bowlis, temple site near Udhampur town itself. Here we come across a finely carved footprint slab of some important celebrity of his times un-identified so far. Devika near Udhampur town is an important site of rich antiquity of Jammu of an unspecified period, and has many statues and icons of traditional and local deities which need technical and specialised attention and protection. But the negative side of the preservation effort is that some very enthusiatic persons with, political, religious and casteist affiliation do a great harm to this great regional heritage by interfering with it, in their own ignorant and non technical way, by painting and cementing them and placing them at the wrong places or in an unscientific way.
−
−	Another carved footprint slab has recently been acquired by State Archives Department Jammu from somewhere in Pancheri block of Udhampur Distt close to historic Krimchi temple site, perhaps not evaluted and identified so far but in a very good condition.
−
−	These few but very important foot prints carvings of the region are indicative of a great living tradition of respect and reverence of the common folk for the enlightened elders, religious and saintly people, and others who always, in their own way or capacity tried to help the people in need or in difficulty of pain.

@@ Line 15: / Line 15: @@
 [[Category:History |J ]]
 [[Category:Jammu & Kashmir |J ]]
 = Jammu of 1880 =

← Older revision		Revision as of 00:54, 19 April 2017
Line 88:		Line 88:

	When it was pack up time in 1959, after almost four continuous years in the City of Temples, none of us were happy to leave. Jammu had grown on us and we had grown used to Jammu. Ram Singh’s ‘tanga’, Kwality’s ice creams, Presentation Convent’s annual days, Division sports of the Tiger Division, the RS Pura Canal (our ever present refrigerator), long journeys by bus and back of Army trucks; all this is a maze of memories which gives Jammu a special place in my heart and the head.		When it was pack up time in 1959, after almost four continuous years in the City of Temples, none of us were happy to leave. Jammu had grown on us and we had grown used to Jammu. Ram Singh’s ‘tanga’, Kwality’s ice creams, Presentation Convent’s annual days, Division sports of the Tiger Division, the RS Pura Canal (our ever present refrigerator), long journeys by bus and back of Army trucks; all this is a maze of memories which gives Jammu a special place in my heart and the head.
−
−	~~= Bloodbath at Mirpur =~~
−	~~[http://www.dailyexcelsior.com/bloodbath-at-mirpur/ C P Gupta , Bloodbath at Mirpur "Daily Excelsior" 5/3/2017]~~
−
−	What a terrible and heart rending scene it was! which the author witnessed at the age of sixteen, when Pakistan with its fully armed Battalion, like a hungry wolf, pounced upon the innocent and unarmed population of Mirpur city now in P.O.K. when out of the total population of 25,000 souls including men, women and children of tender ages, more than 18,000 persons were brutally killed in three days Carnage on 25, 26th and 27th November, 1947.
−
−	~~The only fault of the people of Mirpur, was that they had unitedly vowed to protect Mirpur their birth land, from the Pakistani raiders even at the cost of their own lives.~~
−
−	The trouble started when on 26th October, 1947 the Maharaja Hari Singh the then Ruler of Jammu and Kashmir State ,signed the Instrument of Accession after which the State of Jammu and Kashmir became an integral part of India. This could not be digested by the Pakistan Government. They planned a nefarious design in connivance with the Pathans. This led to a secret agreement between Pakistan Government and Pathan mercenaries according to which if Mirpur city was forcibly occupied, the captured women would be taken by the Pathans and the immovable land of Mirpur and movable property viz gold, cash etc. would be the share of Pakistan Government. This was named as Zan and Zar Agreement.
−
−	Before conducting the army attack, the Pakistan Government in the first week of November 1947 managed in secret manner, to send a bag of Pamphlets written in Urdu language, in the city of Mirpur , in which it was written that Pakistan Government would assign a special status to Mirpur in Pakistan Government if the citizens of Mirpur amicably surrender themselves and allow the Pakistan army to occupy the territory of Mirpur without any hindrance. The literate and the elderly persons of the city met in the evening and decided out rightly to reject the proposal of the Pakistan Government and the refusal was conveyed through the shower of bullets from each defense picket of the city. This brought a terrible attack on Mirpur from the enemy.
−
−	The small and ill equipped state Police force stationed at that time at Mirpur was fully assisted by the young civil population of the city. At the midnight of November 24, 1947, under a thick cover of artillery shelling and bursting of grenades which are normally used during an openly declared war, the Pakistan army launched a major attack on the southern side of the city, which was spiritedly resisted by the depleting garrison force for six hours. Although the pickets held tough resistance, the enemy came in wave after wave and after six hours of ceaseless fighting, the defense line of the city was run over by seven pathans. Alarmed by the most critical situation, the Flying Death Squads of the city engaged themselves madly in hand to hand fight with the infiltrators and killed all the seven pathans at the cost of life of many young men of the Mirpur community. Though the people of Mirpur displayed tremendous grit and tenacity but the end seemed gloomy and dreadful because that operation brought the city stock of ammunition to nearly zero level. Further, due to the irony of fate, the old modeled wireless set installed in the police camp at Mirpur suddenly developed some technical defect and went out of order which led to disruption in radio link with the State Police Headquarters at Jammu and Government of India. Despite war like situation created by Pakistan, the Government of India due to political rivalry between the then Prime Minister of India and the Maharaja of Jammu and Kashmir State, did not send army though at that time the Indian army was stationed at Jhanghar which was at a distance of only 20 miles from Mirpur.
−
−	In that critical situation, the State Administration headed by Wazir Wazarat of Mirpur decided clandestinely to retreat to Jammu leaving behind the hapless civil population of the city to face the wrath of the marauders . In fact, at that time it was the moral duty of the State Administration to ask the citizens of Mirpur to vacate the city and march towards Jammu under their protection but contrary to it, the Wazir Wazarat and his Police Officers galloped their horses and left the city in the wee hours on November 25, even leaving behind their own wounded soldiers who were crying in pain of their wounds in the Police Line Hospital. This coward departure of the State Administration from Mirpur city, gave a jubilant signal to the enemy. At that time, the whole population of the city of Mirpur felt themselves as hanging breathlessly in between the tight jaws of the enemy which was very eager to swallow the flesh and even the bones of the people of Mirpur who had refused out rightly to give shelter to the Pakistani soldiers in the city of Mirpur.
−
−	Immediately after the departure of the State Administration from the city a fully armed Battalion of the Pakistan army assisted by Pathan raiders entered the city from all the sides at the stroke of 8.30 A.M. and by creating terrible sounds from the war instruments, pushed the city population into one corner of the city. The terrified men, women and children in utter chaos and confusion in the midst of heavy firing from all the sides and in choking atmosphere due to smoke coming out of the burning houses of the city, scattered and marched in caravan in different directions without knowing where they were going. They were intercepted by the enemy at various places and like hungry wolves they unleashed terror and brutal savagery which made the whole area an open grave yard of dead bodies and many uncounted seriously wounded uncared persons were battling for life in the whirl pool of their own blood. By the time of sunset, the whole area from Mirpur city to a hill-foot was fully covered with dead bodies and critically injured persons. Ultimately, in the depleting evening, the Nature by force had to display a signal through the darkness that the grave yard was full and no more entry of any dead body was possible. That brought the temporary stay in the day atrocity.
−
−	This was not the end of the misery of the people of Mirpur. At night of the same day an ill-fated group of about 2,000 captured persons was brought at a place known as “Kas Guma” a colony of retired Muslim soldiers. The enemy encircled the captives and asked them to surrender all the cash and jewellery which they had with them. Thereafter, the male persons were asked to remove their clothes and lie down in a row. They were tortured brutally and killed in batches during the whole night. The women and girls were taken to unknown places by the Pathans as per their “Zen and Zar “Agreement with the Pakistan Government. Next day, the enemy drove another group of about 2000 persons and brought them at a village known as “Thathal”. They also met the same brutal treatment as at “Kas Guma”during the day. Finally there was a massacre at Alibeg where, about 5,000 captives were huddled up in an old deserted and unhygienic ruined Gurdwara building. In the beginning about 50 to 100 young men were daily taken on pick and choose basis to kill them in the open fields. Besides, on average basis about 15 to 20 aged captives died every day due to severe cold weather condition, starvation, illness and mental shock.
−
−	On December 1, a young Muslim Attorney named Mohammad Ibrahim being very soft in tongue and well known to many Hindu Officers of Mirpur, visited the Alibeg prison and showed his lip sympathy to the intelligentsia who were brought there as captives and also shed his crocodile tears on their pitiable condition and assured them that he would do his best to talk with the concerned authorities of the Government of Pakistan to get them employed in the factories on daily wage basis till they were at Alibeg camp as captives. He distributed Muslim caps and mufflers to some of them as a token of friendship, but those gestures were in fact subtle signals and indications to the Pakistani soldiers to kill those persons first. The next morning, the enemy soldiers drove a group of educated people of the prison on the pretext that they would be taken back in the evening with earning after utilizing their services in the factories during the day. Those wearing caps and mufflers proudly occupied the front line to get priority in getting job in the factories but they never came back as they all were slaughtered on the bank of Jhelum canal.
−
−	In the mid January, 1948 a team of ICRC (International Committee of Red Cross) arrived there and took charge of the camp and supplied the needed food and medicines to the captives. On March 18, they managed to get the captives liberated in exchange of the same number of Muslims who were in India and willing to go to Pakistan. The liberated captives, at that time, were not more than about 1600 as the rest were either killed/died or kidnapped. The liberated persons were mostly aged and even unable to walk. They reached Amritsar where they were given a tearful and touching reception by their relatives and the general public.
−
−	In the memory of Mirpur Martyrs of 1947, a Shaheedi Samark has been constructed by the Government of Jammu and Kashmir at a conspicuous place in front of the main entry gate of the Government Medical College at Mahespura Chowk Bakshinagar Jammu. The Jammu Development Authority dedicated the said Samark to Mirpur Community which was unveiled by Miss Sushma Choudhary I.A.S. the then Financial Commissioner on 25th November, 1998.The said Samark is also the starting point of “Mirpur Road” which was named so, on the same day viz 25th November, 1998 to pay tributes to the martyrs of Mirpur, under the patronage of late S. Harsajan Singh who at that time, was the Chairman of the Legislative Council of the Jammu and Kashmir State.
−
−	On 25th November every year, thousands of Mirpuris residing in Jammu city and its peripheral colonies, march in Prabhat Pheries coming from different Sectors of Jammu city and all assemble at the said MIRPUR SHAHEEDI SMARAK to pay jointly, the rich tributes to the Martyrs of Mirpur who sacrificed their lives for the sake of their mother land as a result of which the Jammu and Kashmir State remained an integral part of India.
−
−	~~(The author is retired Deputy Secretary J&K Govt)~~

	= Pre-historic footprints =		= Pre-historic footprints =

@@ Line 66: / Line 66: @@
 [[Category:Jammu & Kashmir |J ]]
-= Jammu of the fifties =
+= Jammu of the 1950s =
 [http://www.dailyexcelsior.com/jammu-of-the-fifties/ Lt Gen Syed Ata Hasnain (Veteran) , Jammu of the fifties "Daily Excelsior" 13/9/2015]

← Older revision		Revision as of 07:49, 2 April 2017
Line 117:		Line 117:

	(The author is retired Deputy Secretary J&K Govt)		(The author is retired Deputy Secretary J&K Govt)
		+
		+	= Pre-historic footprints =
		+	[http://www.dailyexcelsior.com/footprints-of-history-in-jammu-region/ Prof(Dr) P K Koul , Footprints of history in Jammu region "Daily Excelsior" 5/3/2017]
		+
		+	Human feet are the symbols of human movement, of life, advancement from the hoary past to the wonderful present, achievements, progress and learning. We try to follow the lifestyle and achievements of those greatmen who had lived ahead of us. We try to copy them and get inspiration from their life style.
		+
		+	A sence of respect and admiration is generated in our mind which makes us to bow before them. All greatmen, the world over, have struggled hard, in their life times, to follow the path of progress, goodness and humanity. We follow them on their path and foot prints to acquire similar results that they had achieved. And thus, foot prints, the symbols of one’s journey and progress of a celebrity become the objects of respect and reverence for others. Lord Rama’s younger brother, Bharat carried Ramas wooden sleepers (Charan Paduka) on his head, placed them on the throne of Ayodhya and ruled in his name for 14 years. Such is the respect for those foot prints in the common man, for the greatness of the great souls. The reasons for this devotion of people for footprints is thus simple to understand.
		+
		+	The journey of life, like the journey to a station or destination has always been covered on foot and therefore, glorified, praised and symbolised with life. There is hardly any life without movement, without journey or foot. All the greatman have worked for the goodness of humanity, and therefore their life journey symbols, their footprints have also been compared and symbolised with the goodness, beauty, charm and fragrance that of a flower, especially of Lotus. In Indian literature and carvings, we find extensive use of this comparison of feet of greatmen with Lotus flower, as in Padkamal, Charan Kamal, Pad Pankaj Padambuj etc mentioned in Puranic literature, devotional prayers, rock and slab carvings, care roofings, temple floorings at various religious or historic places and hermitages. These can be seen throughout Indian subcontinent, right from ancient times to the present day and includes foot print traditions of Jains, Buddhists, Shavites, Vaishanavites and Shakti traditions, as also of smaller local or regional deities.
		+
		+	In Indian tradition, the reverence to and worship of footprints, goes back to much earlier times than Christian era (B.C) We have the carved footprint marks on slabs and rocks, at various places in Gujarat, Maharashtra, and Karnataka. Lord Buddha’s footprints are worshiped in ceylon monastry, (Perhaps Anuradhapuram), Nagarajun Konda Monastry, and in Bihar and many other places of Buddhist World. In Indian devotional and Bhakti literature, pertaining to Lord Rama and Krishana and also in Kashmiri Shakti worship (Sharika, Durga, Ragnaya etc) We find extensive foot worship in literature (Sanskrit and Kashmiri) in the words as Padambuj, Pad Kamal, Padpankaj etc etc.
		+
		+	In Jammu region also we find extensive presence of carved footprints of gods and godly persons, saint, hermits, historic identities, local deities, goddesses, throughout the region.
		+
		+	The ancient most and historic footprint, of one, literate shephard (Gop Pasha) is found from the ancient cave temple (Buddhist) of Gupt Ganga on the bank of river Neeru, in Bhadarwah. This carved footprint on the cave roof, along with a carved cisterm on the floor, also carries a few letters in Brahmi script on the roof top, which reads “Gop Pash Dev Dham Yam Ketu’’ indicating thereby the visited place, was a religious place as well as a crematory, which it is even today after some 1500 years. The Brahmi script of the site is of 4th-5th century A.D, and thus this carved footprint in Jammu region is perhaps the oldest one found in the region.
		+
		+	Next mention can be made of the ancient region of Sudhmahadev, from where footprint marks have been reported from some places, Buddi Sudhi etc Sudh Mahadev Shrine in Chenani tehsil is an ancient as Gupt Ganga of Bhadarwah, of 4th-5th century A.D, with an eight mettled alloy (Ashat Dhatu) Trishul (Trident), carrying carving in Brahmi letters of 4th, 5th century AD. The trident is said to have been offered by a king of Padamavati (Gwalior) indicative of the sacredness of the place as Shivas abode as early as 4th/5th century AD and the offering was made by a King (Vibhu Nag) from the Nav Nag dynasty, son of Gampati Nag various foot prints reported from this ancient sacred Tirtha have not been investigated and evaluated so far. Sudh Mahadev region in ancient times had been considered a sacred Shavite pilgrimage and religious site, on account of many religious traditions, associated with this place, and its name associated with Shiva legends, and local place names, i.e Rudra Dhar, Shiv Garh, Sudh Mahadev, Gauri Kund Kailash, as also a very long tradition of Shaivite peers, jogis whose samadhis can be seen at the sites of Veni Sangam, Gauri Kund and Sudh Mahadev Shrine. The footprints from this region need to be properly evaluated.
		+
		+	Next comes the footprints relics, available from the rich archaeological site of Devika stream, bowlis, temple site near Udhampur town itself. Here we come across a finely carved footprint slab of some important celebrity of his times un-identified so far. Devika near Udhampur town is an important site of rich antiquity of Jammu of an unspecified period, and has many statues and icons of traditional and local deities which need technical and specialised attention and protection. But the negative side of the preservation effort is that some very enthusiatic persons with, political, religious and casteist affiliation do a great harm to this great regional heritage by interfering with it, in their own ignorant and non technical way, by painting and cementing them and placing them at the wrong places or in an unscientific way.
		+
		+	Another carved footprint slab has recently been acquired by State Archives Department Jammu from somewhere in Pancheri block of Udhampur Distt close to historic Krimchi temple site, perhaps not evaluted and identified so far but in a very good condition.
		+
		+	These few but very important foot prints carvings of the region are indicative of a great living tradition of respect and reverence of the common folk for the enlightened elders, religious and saintly people, and others who always, in their own way or capacity tried to help the people in need or in difficulty of pain.

← Older revision		Revision as of 07:28, 2 April 2017
Line 88:		Line 88:

	When it was pack up time in 1959, after almost four continuous years in the City of Temples, none of us were happy to leave. Jammu had grown on us and we had grown used to Jammu. Ram Singh’s ‘tanga’, Kwality’s ice creams, Presentation Convent’s annual days, Division sports of the Tiger Division, the RS Pura Canal (our ever present refrigerator), long journeys by bus and back of Army trucks; all this is a maze of memories which gives Jammu a special place in my heart and the head.		When it was pack up time in 1959, after almost four continuous years in the City of Temples, none of us were happy to leave. Jammu had grown on us and we had grown used to Jammu. Ram Singh’s ‘tanga’, Kwality’s ice creams, Presentation Convent’s annual days, Division sports of the Tiger Division, the RS Pura Canal (our ever present refrigerator), long journeys by bus and back of Army trucks; all this is a maze of memories which gives Jammu a special place in my heart and the head.
		+
		+	= Bloodbath at Mirpur =
		+	[http://www.dailyexcelsior.com/bloodbath-at-mirpur/ C P Gupta , Bloodbath at Mirpur "Daily Excelsior" 5/3/2017]
		+
		+	What a terrible and heart rending scene it was! which the author witnessed at the age of sixteen, when Pakistan with its fully armed Battalion, like a hungry wolf, pounced upon the innocent and unarmed population of Mirpur city now in P.O.K. when out of the total population of 25,000 souls including men, women and children of tender ages, more than 18,000 persons were brutally killed in three days Carnage on 25, 26th and 27th November, 1947.
		+
		+	The only fault of the people of Mirpur, was that they had unitedly vowed to protect Mirpur their birth land, from the Pakistani raiders even at the cost of their own lives.
		+
		+	The trouble started when on 26th October, 1947 the Maharaja Hari Singh the then Ruler of Jammu and Kashmir State ,signed the Instrument of Accession after which the State of Jammu and Kashmir became an integral part of India. This could not be digested by the Pakistan Government. They planned a nefarious design in connivance with the Pathans. This led to a secret agreement between Pakistan Government and Pathan mercenaries according to which if Mirpur city was forcibly occupied, the captured women would be taken by the Pathans and the immovable land of Mirpur and movable property viz gold, cash etc. would be the share of Pakistan Government. This was named as Zan and Zar Agreement.
		+
		+	Before conducting the army attack, the Pakistan Government in the first week of November 1947 managed in secret manner, to send a bag of Pamphlets written in Urdu language, in the city of Mirpur , in which it was written that Pakistan Government would assign a special status to Mirpur in Pakistan Government if the citizens of Mirpur amicably surrender themselves and allow the Pakistan army to occupy the territory of Mirpur without any hindrance. The literate and the elderly persons of the city met in the evening and decided out rightly to reject the proposal of the Pakistan Government and the refusal was conveyed through the shower of bullets from each defense picket of the city. This brought a terrible attack on Mirpur from the enemy.
		+
		+	The small and ill equipped state Police force stationed at that time at Mirpur was fully assisted by the young civil population of the city. At the midnight of November 24, 1947, under a thick cover of artillery shelling and bursting of grenades which are normally used during an openly declared war, the Pakistan army launched a major attack on the southern side of the city, which was spiritedly resisted by the depleting garrison force for six hours. Although the pickets held tough resistance, the enemy came in wave after wave and after six hours of ceaseless fighting, the defense line of the city was run over by seven pathans. Alarmed by the most critical situation, the Flying Death Squads of the city engaged themselves madly in hand to hand fight with the infiltrators and killed all the seven pathans at the cost of life of many young men of the Mirpur community. Though the people of Mirpur displayed tremendous grit and tenacity but the end seemed gloomy and dreadful because that operation brought the city stock of ammunition to nearly zero level. Further, due to the irony of fate, the old modeled wireless set installed in the police camp at Mirpur suddenly developed some technical defect and went out of order which led to disruption in radio link with the State Police Headquarters at Jammu and Government of India. Despite war like situation created by Pakistan, the Government of India due to political rivalry between the then Prime Minister of India and the Maharaja of Jammu and Kashmir State, did not send army though at that time the Indian army was stationed at Jhanghar which was at a distance of only 20 miles from Mirpur.
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		+	In that critical situation, the State Administration headed by Wazir Wazarat of Mirpur decided clandestinely to retreat to Jammu leaving behind the hapless civil population of the city to face the wrath of the marauders . In fact, at that time it was the moral duty of the State Administration to ask the citizens of Mirpur to vacate the city and march towards Jammu under their protection but contrary to it, the Wazir Wazarat and his Police Officers galloped their horses and left the city in the wee hours on November 25, even leaving behind their own wounded soldiers who were crying in pain of their wounds in the Police Line Hospital. This coward departure of the State Administration from Mirpur city, gave a jubilant signal to the enemy. At that time, the whole population of the city of Mirpur felt themselves as hanging breathlessly in between the tight jaws of the enemy which was very eager to swallow the flesh and even the bones of the people of Mirpur who had refused out rightly to give shelter to the Pakistani soldiers in the city of Mirpur.
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		+	Immediately after the departure of the State Administration from the city a fully armed Battalion of the Pakistan army assisted by Pathan raiders entered the city from all the sides at the stroke of 8.30 A.M. and by creating terrible sounds from the war instruments, pushed the city population into one corner of the city. The terrified men, women and children in utter chaos and confusion in the midst of heavy firing from all the sides and in choking atmosphere due to smoke coming out of the burning houses of the city, scattered and marched in caravan in different directions without knowing where they were going. They were intercepted by the enemy at various places and like hungry wolves they unleashed terror and brutal savagery which made the whole area an open grave yard of dead bodies and many uncounted seriously wounded uncared persons were battling for life in the whirl pool of their own blood. By the time of sunset, the whole area from Mirpur city to a hill-foot was fully covered with dead bodies and critically injured persons. Ultimately, in the depleting evening, the Nature by force had to display a signal through the darkness that the grave yard was full and no more entry of any dead body was possible. That brought the temporary stay in the day atrocity.
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		+	This was not the end of the misery of the people of Mirpur. At night of the same day an ill-fated group of about 2,000 captured persons was brought at a place known as “Kas Guma” a colony of retired Muslim soldiers. The enemy encircled the captives and asked them to surrender all the cash and jewellery which they had with them. Thereafter, the male persons were asked to remove their clothes and lie down in a row. They were tortured brutally and killed in batches during the whole night. The women and girls were taken to unknown places by the Pathans as per their “Zen and Zar “Agreement with the Pakistan Government. Next day, the enemy drove another group of about 2000 persons and brought them at a village known as “Thathal”. They also met the same brutal treatment as at “Kas Guma”during the day. Finally there was a massacre at Alibeg where, about 5,000 captives were huddled up in an old deserted and unhygienic ruined Gurdwara building. In the beginning about 50 to 100 young men were daily taken on pick and choose basis to kill them in the open fields. Besides, on average basis about 15 to 20 aged captives died every day due to severe cold weather condition, starvation, illness and mental shock.
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		+	On December 1, a young Muslim Attorney named Mohammad Ibrahim being very soft in tongue and well known to many Hindu Officers of Mirpur, visited the Alibeg prison and showed his lip sympathy to the intelligentsia who were brought there as captives and also shed his crocodile tears on their pitiable condition and assured them that he would do his best to talk with the concerned authorities of the Government of Pakistan to get them employed in the factories on daily wage basis till they were at Alibeg camp as captives. He distributed Muslim caps and mufflers to some of them as a token of friendship, but those gestures were in fact subtle signals and indications to the Pakistani soldiers to kill those persons first. The next morning, the enemy soldiers drove a group of educated people of the prison on the pretext that they would be taken back in the evening with earning after utilizing their services in the factories during the day. Those wearing caps and mufflers proudly occupied the front line to get priority in getting job in the factories but they never came back as they all were slaughtered on the bank of Jhelum canal.
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		+	In the mid January, 1948 a team of ICRC (International Committee of Red Cross) arrived there and took charge of the camp and supplied the needed food and medicines to the captives. On March 18, they managed to get the captives liberated in exchange of the same number of Muslims who were in India and willing to go to Pakistan. The liberated captives, at that time, were not more than about 1600 as the rest were either killed/died or kidnapped. The liberated persons were mostly aged and even unable to walk. They reached Amritsar where they were given a tearful and touching reception by their relatives and the general public.
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		+	In the memory of Mirpur Martyrs of 1947, a Shaheedi Samark has been constructed by the Government of Jammu and Kashmir at a conspicuous place in front of the main entry gate of the Government Medical College at Mahespura Chowk Bakshinagar Jammu. The Jammu Development Authority dedicated the said Samark to Mirpur Community which was unveiled by Miss Sushma Choudhary I.A.S. the then Financial Commissioner on 25th November, 1998.The said Samark is also the starting point of “Mirpur Road” which was named so, on the same day viz 25th November, 1998 to pay tributes to the martyrs of Mirpur, under the patronage of late S. Harsajan Singh who at that time, was the Chairman of the Legislative Council of the Jammu and Kashmir State.
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		+	On 25th November every year, thousands of Mirpuris residing in Jammu city and its peripheral colonies, march in Prabhat Pheries coming from different Sectors of Jammu city and all assemble at the said MIRPUR SHAHEEDI SMARAK to pay jointly, the rich tributes to the Martyrs of Mirpur who sacrificed their lives for the sake of their mother land as a result of which the Jammu and Kashmir State remained an integral part of India.
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		+	(The author is retired Deputy Secretary J&K Govt)