| Total population | |
|---|---|
| 2.5 million (2011)[1] | |
| Regions with significant populations | |
| Majority:Jammu Minority:Punjab,Himachal Pradesh,Delhi,Haryana | |
| Languages | |
| Dogri | |
| Religion | |
Predominantly: HinduismMinority:  Islam and Sikhism | |
| Related ethnic groups | |
| Punjabis,Kangris and otherIndo-Aryans |
TheDogras, orDogra people, are anIndo-Aryan ethno-linguistic group living primarily in the Indianunion territory ofJammu and Kashmir. They speak their nativeDogri language. They live predominantly in theDuggar region of theJammu Division ofJammu and Kashmir,[2] and in adjoining areas of thestates ofPunjab andHimachal Pradesh. Some also live in northeasternPakistan.[3][4]
DograRajputs of theJamwal clan ruled Jammu from the 19th century, whenGulab Singh was made a hereditary Raja of Jammu byRanjit Singh, while his brotherDhian Singh was theSikh Empire's prime minister of Punjab, until September 1843. Through theTreaty of Amritsar (1846), they acquired Kashmir as well. TheDogra Regiment of theIndian Army primarily consists of Dogras from theHimachal Pradesh,Punjab andJammu region.[5]
The term Dogra is thought to derive fromDurgara, the name of a kingdom mentioned in an eleventh century copper-plate inscription inChamba. The inscription mentions the Raja of Chamba facing an attack by Kiras aided by the Lord of Durgara (durgāreśwara). In medieval times the termDurgara is believed to have turned intoDuggar, eventually transforming to 'Dogra'.Kalhana'sRajatarangini makes no mention of a kingdom by any of these names, but the kingdoms could have been referred to by their capital cities (such asVallapura, modernBillawar, orBabbapura, modern Babor). In modern times, the term Dogra has become an ethnic identity, referring to all who speak theDogri language, irrespective of their religion.[6]
Omachanda Handa believes that the Durgara people were originally migrants fromRajasthan. The allusion todurg (fort) in their name indicates that they may have remained a warrior people, eventually founding powerful kingdoms betweenChenab andRavi, and possibly dominating up to theSutluj river.[7]
According to archaeologistM. A. Stein, there were some eleven Dogra states in the region, all of them eventually absorbed into theJammu state, which emerged as the most powerful.[8] Prior to the rise of Jammu, Babbapura (Babor) is believed to have been the chief state of Dogras. Lying 45 km east of Jammu, Babor contains the ruins of six magnificent temples representing a "thriving artistic activity".[9][10] TheRajatarangini mentions Raja Vajradhara of Babbapura vowing allegiance to Bhikshachara of Kashmir in 1120 AD, along with the chiefs of neighbouring kingdoms.[11]
The Jammu Dogras traditionally inhabited the area between the slopes of theShivalik range of mountains and the sacredSurinsar Lake andMansar Lake, but later spread over whole of the Jammu region. Many of the dogras immigrated from the state ofPunjab, specifically fromSialkot region. They generally speak Dogri and other dialects similar to Dogri or westernPahadi-influenced languages. The majority of the Dogra are followers ofHinduism, but many in Jammu and Kashmir believe in other religions. In the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, some Dogras embracedIslam andSikhism. These factors, together with the effects of immigration into the region, have resulted in the Dogra population of Jammu and Kashmir including members of all three religions.[3]
TheDogra dynasty emerged as a regional power, particularly after Rajput MaharajaGulab Singh emerged as a warrior and his subjects received special martial recognition from theBritish Raj. The rule of Gulab Singh's Raj extended over the whole of the Jammu region, a large part of the Ladakh region as early as March 1846, and a large part of the Indian Punjab (nowHimachal Pradesh). TheKashmir Valley was handed over to Gulab Singh by the British government, as part of the territories ceded to the British government by Lahore State according to the provisions of Article IV of theTreaty of Lahore dated 9 March 1846. Under theTreaty of Amritsar in the same year, the Dogra king of Jammu and the state was thereafter known as the Maharaja of Jammu and Kashmir State (Raj), also thereafter referred as Kashmir State. The term Dogra hence is more akin to the subjects of Himachal Pradesh, some areas of Punjab and the whole region of Jammu that was ruled by Raja Gulab Singh as part of the Dogra Raj irrespective of the religion of the inhabitants.[12]
TheDogra dynasty was a dynasty ofHinduRajputs who ruledJammu and Kashmir from 1846 to 1947.
TheSikh Empire rule extended beyond the Jammu region and theKashmir Valley to the Tibetan Buddhist Kingdom ofLadakh and the Emirates ofHunza,Gilgit andNagar. After theFirst Anglo-Sikh War in 1846, the British gave Kashmir and the title of 'Maharaja' toGulab Singh –.[13]
TheDogra Regiment was among the regiments of theBritish Indian Army, which made significant contributions in both the world wars on all fronts fromEast Asia toEurope andNorth Africa. At Independence, it became an infantry regiment of theIndian Army composed largely but not exclusively of the Dogra people. TheJammu and Kashmir Rifles, another regiment of the Indian Army, consisting of mainly Dogras was formed out of the former army of the Kingdom of Jammu & Kashmir after it was absorbed into the Indian Army.[14] Prior to India's partition, the erstwhile10th Baluch Regiment of the British Indian Army had had a company of Dogra Brahmins, which fought with great distinction in theBurma campaign. Post independence, the company was drafted to the 17th Dogra Regiment.[15]
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Wheat,maize andbajra are staple foods, in addition to rice, cereals and a tangy preparation of mango or tamarind popularly known asambal (अम्बल) ormaani (म्हाणी)/ambal (अंबल). The dish is calleddal patt maani (दाल भत्त म्हाणी) and is savoured as a combination.[19]Mittha madra (मिट्ठा मदरा) is a favourite and is made with milk, dry fruit, and semolina.
Especially in ceremonial cooking, the following are favourites:[20]
InDogra Dhaam (community feasts and banquets), cooking is specially supervised by expert family chefs belonging toDogra Brahmin community and are known asSiyans.[21] They are assisted by Dogra jheers in cooking.Kalari is milk preserved by the coagulation of proteins, then fried in a pan.
Non-vegetarian food was limited to Rajputs and Vaish (Mahajans).Khatta meat is mutton cooked with sour pomegranate seeds (anardana) or lime juice and flavoured with fumes of a burning charcoal soaked in mustard oil.Keyur (घ्यूर) is a well-known Dogra food. It is prepared by frying flour ormaida batter, and served with sugar and curd. Mostly, it is served to bridegrooms at the time of marriage by his in-laws.Kalari is a favourite food of Dogras in the rainy season. It is prepared by mixing flour, cottage cheese and milk cream (malai) with water with help of a small cup-shaped pot.Kalari is served with milk.Kalari cheese is popular in the Jammu region and in Jammu and Kashmir state more generally.Babbru/pathoru are prepared with flour and fried in oil.Babbru is served with maani/potato dish/kheer/curd etc.
Kheer is a dish prepared from milk by adding rice and dry fruit. It is served at all special occasions and festivals. Another popular exotic dish isguchiyyan (dried blackmorel), usually added as an ingredient in pulao. As it grows naturally in forests and cannot be cultivated, it is a priced commodity (approx 500 Rs. per 100 g) and makes an excelled dish with mountain potatoes (pahadi aloo).Saffron or kesar is extensively used to flavour sweet dishes and for its anti-oxidant benefits.[14] Many types of pickles are prepared withKasrod (fiddlehead fern), mango,tyaoo,lasoode andgirgle.[20][22]
The community meals of other Hindu groups were prepared mostly by the Brahmans who were called siyans. Before engaging themselves for the duties of siyans, they have a bath and then put on clean dhoti and kurta.
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