Duggarpedia

In rural Jammu before 1947 were the Shapaya, Muslim artisan families skilled in the batik dyeing tradition, who lived alongside local weavers a craft that has all but vanished. Origins & Craftsmanship In rural Dogra villages, before the partition in 1947, there once thrived modest batik dyeing traditions served by Shapaya weaver families mostly Muslim artisans living side by side with Dogra communities. Their craft involved resist batik, These Shapaya families practiced resist-dye batik, using wax to create designs before dyeing cloth most often on local cotton. Brought into Jammu to work after cotton harvests, they temporarily set up dyeing hubs/industry in villages accustomed to handloom culture. A story of a Women from the weaver family In village Bhaddu before partition, a Shapaya woman a Muslim artisan skilled in batik dyeing worked beside her Dogra neighbors as seasons passed. Every harvest, she set up her dye pit behind the courtyard, transforming cotton into vibrant cloth f...

What is Rut Raade? Rut Raade is a beautiful agrarian festival celebrated by Dogra women in Jammu from Aashada Sankranti to Shravana Sankranti (roughly from mid-June to mid-July in the Bikrami calendar). It’s a season-long celebration of life, soil, seeds, and sisterhood. Rituals & Meaning •Unmarried girls insert the necks of broken clay pitchers (called Raade) into freshly cleaned earth and sow seeds of Kharif crops like maize, millet, or sesame creating one Raade per brother, plus a central Dhamma Raada that symbolizes the eldest family member. •Every Sunday, women gather to decorate these Raade with intricate rangoli like designs using natural materials like turmeric, brick dust, charcoal, leaves, and flour. They share traditional dishes like Rutt (a wheat-jaggery cake), Babru, Keur, Khamires, and more. Folk songs and bhajans are sung in praise of growth, protection, and community. Raade Parvana On Shravana Sankranti, the Raade are uprooted and carried in procession to nearby str...

What is Parola? A traditional folk art using Mitti (Mud), Parola ( white clay),Goti ( mud plus cowdung) to embellish outer walls with bright motif Particulalry done on mud houses ( Kachi Kothi). This folk-art is created using Mitti (Mud) and Parola ( White Clay) on the outer side of mud-house, on the Danga ( Boundary wall) or Khutti (sitting benches made of mud). These give the mud house a beautiful look. After smearing walls of mud house these art creations are drawn over them with Parola. These are made from Mitti, Goti and Parola and are called Guddian (Dolls).  These art creations are painted by females of the family with a Koochi (straw-brush ). First of all the mud house is given a hand plastering with wet clay mixed with husk of dry wheat-plant and cowdung.  Then it is given a coating of Goti ( a plaster made of cow-dung and mud) when dry, Guddian are painted over this area using Parola (White clay). These art creations are not painted inside house. Only a thick...

Traditional Veterinary Wisdom of Jammu’s Gujjar Bakarwal Tribes Who are Gujjar Bakarwal? The Gujjar Bakarwal are a major nomadic tribe in Jammu & Kashmir, tending goats, sheep, buffalo all year round. They migrate seasonally summering in high altitude meadows, wintering in foothills while also maintaining thier rich cultural traditions. A Treasure Trove of Medicinal Plants A landmark ethnobotanical survey from Poonch documented 31 medicinal plant species used by shepherds(bakarwals) to treat diverse livestock ailments like wounds, digestive issues, reproductive problems, fever, and more, of these 71 % were herbs and 35% were roots and 32% leaves. Herbal Remidies  1)Rumex nepalensis : Antiseptic and anti‑wound care, applied as paste or decoction to clean and heal cuts. 2)Allium cepa : Employed to prevent  snakebites. 3)Smoke smudging ritual :Burned powders (e.g., Rumex, Juniperus, Morus) are smoked around livestock pens to ward off illness,old yet effective quarantine metho...

Nested in the hills of Shivalik hills between Naaz and Bhini nallah,lies the erstwhile capital of Duggar. A royal legacy Founded by Raja Bhog Pal, Billawar then called Vallapura was the capital of house of Balouria a branch of Chandravanshi Rajputs, ruling hills region before basholi took over by 11th century. Mentions of Vallpura can be found in Rajatarangini(Rivers of Kings). Reference from the Devi-ri-Kothi Inscription The Devi-ri-Kothi inscription from Chamba (11th century CE) it reflects a feudal and hierarchical system that shaped governance across the region. Feudal Relations: Local rulers like Naga-pala were granted titles (e.g., Rajanka) by higher monarchs, creating a network of vassalage and tribute. Administrative Practices: Such structures influenced how regions like Billawar were governed, ensuring loyalty while maintaining relative autonomy. Cultural Influence: Religious scholars (Rajagurus) played key roles in administration, an influence that extended to Billawar’s loca...