Tourism & J&K ::: Bhaderwa in Doda sub region could be 2nd Kashmir Valley of India
Daya Sagar Sharma
January 16, 2009
A Look through the mist
About 120 kilometers from Patnitop is Kishtwar . Another 85 kilometers from Patnitop is Bhaderwah. But it has been so unfortunate that even after 16 years since the tourist traffic to Kashmir Valley was adversely affected by the misdeeds of Pakistan sponsored agencies, nothing has been done to develop the commercial tourism potential in the District of Doda of J&K State. We could not carry the tourist to Bhaderwah even with a speed of just 5 kilometers per year.
Jammu Province finds no place worth taking note in Tourism Promotional literature of J&K Same is the case with Kishtwar Saffron and the beauties of Valleys and Forests of Bhaderwah and Kishtwar. JK Assembly was informed by Mr. A.R Zargar on 11-03-2005 during question hour that Kashtwar Saffron ( kesar) sells in the market for over Rs.400/450 per tola (10.7 grams) as against Rs. 200 per tola (10.7 grams) for Kashmir Saffron for the reasons of superiority. But no one outside knows that Kishtwar also produces Kesar. Similarly locally all say Bhadherwah is mini Kashmir but no effort is made to make it worth selling in the tourist market outside J&K. Treatment given to Kesar of Kishtwar is no different than the tourism potential that exists in the Doda district of J&K. Those who simply blame Kashmiri leadership for the short fall are not fully justified in doing so. The local leaders and the official machinery too has not come up with sound proposals.
District Doda has lot of attractive/ scenic/ resort tourism potential. But it remained neglected even during British rule in India. Even over last nearly 6 decades in Independent India also it has remained neglected. Neither the local leadership of the District nor those who were at the National scene cared for this side of the Jawahar Tunnel. The State Governments always remained deficit of finances to create infrastructure in these areas from zero level. Infrastructure in these areas is no where near the requirement of commercial tourism.
Doda District has and had the bulk of forest wealth of J&K State . The timber industry of J&K has survived only on Doda District. Even if only the revenue extracted from timber and high quality Deodar would have been pumped backed to this District the economy of the District could out beat any other District. But this day the district is the poorest.
Even after 1990 militancy when the tourist traffic to Valley fell down we have only talked of tourism potential in Jammu Province. But have done nothing. Himachal Pradesh has taken full advantage of turmoil in J&K and developed even their unknown spots for tourism.
Rather after 1990 this district has suffered the most due to the bad deeds of the militants. Development works have remained incomplete. The school education has fallen back. The militants have killed the poor backward people living in farflung areas. The local agriculture and horticulture industry has badly suffered.
Doda district has very poor communication infrastructure. The militants and anti India elements have found easy hide outs. The security of the locals has been left to the local village defence committees in view of the area being vast. The argument given is that State is short of local police and security personnel.
A little good that has emerged in recent times is that Ghulam Nabi Azad has talked of the backward areas. He has also talked of additional funds to so far neglected areas. And in case he is to be believed then Doda District could hope for some speedy development. It is over seven months since he took over reins in the State. But as is evident no special task force has been put on the job to work out special development projects for Doda District. This job need be taken in hand immediately. And if it has been already taken up , it must be made known to people so that any possible useful inputs could also be made by the local people.
The District has a number of Historic Shrines, Temples, Zeearats, ancient Hindu places of Pilgrimage and centuries old monuments. The valleys, mountains, snows, springs, rivers, lakes, forests , fruits , Guchchi ( a very superior quality rare mushroom) and kesar have enough for the Commercial tourism. The pilgrim tourism could supplement the efforts of the government for development of local infrastructure. But isolated projects and proposals valuing small amounts of Rs. 5 or 10 crore rupees will do no good. The road infrastructure quality will have to improved a lot. The approach roads will have to be constructed. There is enough potential to hold back the tourist in Bhaderwah and areas around Kishtwar for atleast a fortnight. Imagine how much good it could do to the local economy. Places of pilgrimage if promoted will help bringing the tourist to these areas even while the infrastructure is being developed. Ofcourse the projects required have to be of hundreds of crores and not just a few crores.
A fair is held at Chandi Mata Temple Bhaderwah in August and Vasuki Naag/ Patta fair of Bhaderwah has its own history. Kailash Kund is just over 15 kilometers from Bhaderwah town and nearly 218 kilometer from Jammu. Even under present conditions the Journey to Kailashkund 7 kilometer by road and 8 kilometer on foot could fascinate many. KailashKund , a 2.5 km circumference sweet water lake is claimed to be the origin of Tawi River. Gupt Ganga near Bhadherwah town and the Neeru river has much to tell. As per local belief Pandavas went to Kashmir Valley from here .It is believed that there is a tunnel under it leading to Kashmir.
Asha Pati Mountains are near Bhaderwah is just 45 km from Pul Doda . It is large a large Glacier. It is south east of Bhaderwah. A the foot hills of Asha Patti glacier is SONE ( deep) BAWBLI( bain). This Bawbli (spring) becomes visible only once in a year around 15 Asu. It is so near to Bhadherwah that some people bring snow in summer from Ashpati Galacier/ Sone Bawli. Local vendors make ice candy and even sell the same to children.
Holy places could be promoted to conduct the tourists to historical places like Bhaderwah Fort. Sheikh Mohmmed Andullah was detained here in 1947 by converting the fort into a jail.
Nalthi village 9 Km from Bhaderwah presents a beautiful local river/ nallah as well as attractive paddy fields on way to Padri Top. Padhri Dhaar is a large large meadow just about 50 kilometers from Nalthi. Padhri Dhar could be promoted as a health resort as well as a picnic spot.
Bal Padri in Bhadherwah area is another evelasting Glacier. Bal Padri is just 15 Km from Padri Top/ Dhaar/ Khanni Top on foot/ horse back. It is on huge heights and one could find large snow field here even in the month of June. Bal Padri touches Tehsil Gandoh.
From Sone Bawbli/ Padri Top/ Dhaar a tourist can even go to Chamba Himachal Pradesh vis Bhaderwah Ghot. Between J&K and HP Bhaderwah Ghot is boundary point.
It is not over yet. Chinta Valley awaits the tourist about 15 Km from Bhaderwah with its meadows/ valley/ forests. Just 6 Kilometer from Chinta is Jaai Nallah with large meadow. Jaai Valley is another tourist attraction and could be developed into a heavenly resort. Just about 13 kilometers from Bhaderwah on the otherside is SEUJ DHAR enroute Kailash Kund. High mountains and large snow fields are waiting for the torist there. Gujjars shuttle between Bhaderwah and Suej Dhaar daily. From Suez Dhar one could go to Udhampur via Dudoo and Ramnagar.
Beauties alaround. Road side spots available even with so much poor infrastructure. We have tracking opportunities available on way to temples and resorts. Bhagan is a road side spot near Chinta. Subher Nag temple is on the trecking route beyond Chinta Valley. Raushira Mata Temple too is beyond Chinta on a tracking rout. Kailash Kund road side spots could be Hairru and Thathera . Satsar Spring on way to Thubba Temple has many attractions.
Enough scope exist for Gandola rope ways. Bhadherwah to Kansar could be a good Gandola venture with Khanni Top, Padri Dhaar , Nagni MataTemple and Jaai Valley are around.
Bhaderwah Sarthal Chamba ( Sarthal to Chamba and Sarthal to Bani ) road links could be improved so that people visit from HP for religious purposes also. Tourist from Dalhauji, Khajiar and Chamba side could enter Doda District from this side bypassing the warm planes during the summer.
Next time if possible I would discuss other areas of Doda district. Kishtwar tehsil and its surroundings have much to offer. Doda deserves special attention for tourism to undo the injustice done to this district so far.
(*( Daya Sagar is social activist and leading scribe on Kashmir affairs dayasagr@yahoo.co.uk)
About 120 kilometers from Patnitop is Kishtwar . Another 85 kilometers from Patnitop is Bhaderwah. But it has been so unfortunate that even after 16 years since the tourist traffic to Kashmir Valley was adversely affected by the misdeeds of Pakistan sponsored agencies, nothing has been done to develop the commercial tourism potential in the District of Doda of J&K State. We could not carry the tourist to Bhaderwah even with a speed of just 5 kilometers per year.
Jammu Province finds no place worth taking note in Tourism Promotional literature of J&K Same is the case with Kishtwar Saffron and the beauties of Valleys and Forests of Bhaderwah and Kishtwar. JK Assembly was informed by Mr. A.R Zargar on 11-03-2005 during question hour that Kashtwar Saffron ( kesar) sells in the market for over Rs.400/450 per tola (10.7 grams) as against Rs. 200 per tola (10.7 grams) for Kashmir Saffron for the reasons of superiority. But no one outside knows that Kishtwar also produces Kesar. Similarly locally all say Bhadherwah is mini Kashmir but no effort is made to make it worth selling in the tourist market outside J&K. Treatment given to Kesar of Kishtwar is no different than the tourism potential that exists in the Doda district of J&K. Those who simply blame Kashmiri leadership for the short fall are not fully justified in doing so. The local leaders and the official machinery too has not come up with sound proposals.
District Doda has lot of attractive/ scenic/ resort tourism potential. But it remained neglected even during British rule in India. Even over last nearly 6 decades in Independent India also it has remained neglected. Neither the local leadership of the District nor those who were at the National scene cared for this side of the Jawahar Tunnel. The State Governments always remained deficit of finances to create infrastructure in these areas from zero level. Infrastructure in these areas is no where near the requirement of commercial tourism.
Doda District has and had the bulk of forest wealth of J&K State . The timber industry of J&K has survived only on Doda District. Even if only the revenue extracted from timber and high quality Deodar would have been pumped backed to this District the economy of the District could out beat any other District. But this day the district is the poorest.
Even after 1990 militancy when the tourist traffic to Valley fell down we have only talked of tourism potential in Jammu Province. But have done nothing. Himachal Pradesh has taken full advantage of turmoil in J&K and developed even their unknown spots for tourism.
Rather after 1990 this district has suffered the most due to the bad deeds of the militants. Development works have remained incomplete. The school education has fallen back. The militants have killed the poor backward people living in farflung areas. The local agriculture and horticulture industry has badly suffered.
Doda district has very poor communication infrastructure. The militants and anti India elements have found easy hide outs. The security of the locals has been left to the local village defence committees in view of the area being vast. The argument given is that State is short of local police and security personnel.
A little good that has emerged in recent times is that Ghulam Nabi Azad has talked of the backward areas. He has also talked of additional funds to so far neglected areas. And in case he is to be believed then Doda District could hope for some speedy development. It is over seven months since he took over reins in the State. But as is evident no special task force has been put on the job to work out special development projects for Doda District. This job need be taken in hand immediately. And if it has been already taken up , it must be made known to people so that any possible useful inputs could also be made by the local people.
The District has a number of Historic Shrines, Temples, Zeearats, ancient Hindu places of Pilgrimage and centuries old monuments. The valleys, mountains, snows, springs, rivers, lakes, forests , fruits , Guchchi ( a very superior quality rare mushroom) and kesar have enough for the Commercial tourism. The pilgrim tourism could supplement the efforts of the government for development of local infrastructure. But isolated projects and proposals valuing small amounts of Rs. 5 or 10 crore rupees will do no good. The road infrastructure quality will have to improved a lot. The approach roads will have to be constructed. There is enough potential to hold back the tourist in Bhaderwah and areas around Kishtwar for atleast a fortnight. Imagine how much good it could do to the local economy. Places of pilgrimage if promoted will help bringing the tourist to these areas even while the infrastructure is being developed. Ofcourse the projects required have to be of hundreds of crores and not just a few crores.
A fair is held at Chandi Mata Temple Bhaderwah in August and Vasuki Naag/ Patta fair of Bhaderwah has its own history. Kailash Kund is just over 15 kilometers from Bhaderwah town and nearly 218 kilometer from Jammu. Even under present conditions the Journey to Kailashkund 7 kilometer by road and 8 kilometer on foot could fascinate many. KailashKund , a 2.5 km circumference sweet water lake is claimed to be the origin of Tawi River. Gupt Ganga near Bhadherwah town and the Neeru river has much to tell. As per local belief Pandavas went to Kashmir Valley from here .It is believed that there is a tunnel under it leading to Kashmir.
Asha Pati Mountains are near Bhaderwah is just 45 km from Pul Doda . It is large a large Glacier. It is south east of Bhaderwah. A the foot hills of Asha Patti glacier is SONE ( deep) BAWBLI( bain). This Bawbli (spring) becomes visible only once in a year around 15 Asu. It is so near to Bhadherwah that some people bring snow in summer from Ashpati Galacier/ Sone Bawli. Local vendors make ice candy and even sell the same to children.
Holy places could be promoted to conduct the tourists to historical places like Bhaderwah Fort. Sheikh Mohmmed Andullah was detained here in 1947 by converting the fort into a jail.
Nalthi village 9 Km from Bhaderwah presents a beautiful local river/ nallah as well as attractive paddy fields on way to Padri Top. Padhri Dhaar is a large large meadow just about 50 kilometers from Nalthi. Padhri Dhar could be promoted as a health resort as well as a picnic spot.
Bal Padri in Bhadherwah area is another evelasting Glacier. Bal Padri is just 15 Km from Padri Top/ Dhaar/ Khanni Top on foot/ horse back. It is on huge heights and one could find large snow field here even in the month of June. Bal Padri touches Tehsil Gandoh.
From Sone Bawbli/ Padri Top/ Dhaar a tourist can even go to Chamba Himachal Pradesh vis Bhaderwah Ghot. Between J&K and HP Bhaderwah Ghot is boundary point.
It is not over yet. Chinta Valley awaits the tourist about 15 Km from Bhaderwah with its meadows/ valley/ forests. Just 6 Kilometer from Chinta is Jaai Nallah with large meadow. Jaai Valley is another tourist attraction and could be developed into a heavenly resort. Just about 13 kilometers from Bhaderwah on the otherside is SEUJ DHAR enroute Kailash Kund. High mountains and large snow fields are waiting for the torist there. Gujjars shuttle between Bhaderwah and Suej Dhaar daily. From Suez Dhar one could go to Udhampur via Dudoo and Ramnagar.
Beauties alaround. Road side spots available even with so much poor infrastructure. We have tracking opportunities available on way to temples and resorts. Bhagan is a road side spot near Chinta. Subher Nag temple is on the trecking route beyond Chinta Valley. Raushira Mata Temple too is beyond Chinta on a tracking rout. Kailash Kund road side spots could be Hairru and Thathera . Satsar Spring on way to Thubba Temple has many attractions.
Enough scope exist for Gandola rope ways. Bhadherwah to Kansar could be a good Gandola venture with Khanni Top, Padri Dhaar , Nagni MataTemple and Jaai Valley are around.
Bhaderwah Sarthal Chamba ( Sarthal to Chamba and Sarthal to Bani ) road links could be improved so that people visit from HP for religious purposes also. Tourist from Dalhauji, Khajiar and Chamba side could enter Doda District from this side bypassing the warm planes during the summer.
Next time if possible I would discuss other areas of Doda district. Kishtwar tehsil and its surroundings have much to offer. Doda deserves special attention for tourism to undo the injustice done to this district so far.
(*( Daya Sagar is social activist and leading scribe on Kashmir affairs dayasagr@yahoo.co.uk)
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