Paddar

Little concrete material is currently available about the early history of civilization in Paddar. However, it is said that there were no humans in Paddar until the 8th century. Eventually, people living in nearby areas such as Bhaderwah, Lahaul, and Ladakh were attracted to the ample grazing lands in the vallye.[3] At first, the valley was used to graze cattle, but eventually people settled there permanently.[3] The area was inhabited mostly by the Thakur community.[3]

Paddar was under Guge rule from the 10th to 14th centuries.[3] After the 14th century, Guge rule in the area collapse and civilization in Paddar divided into smaller areas.[3] These areas were ruled by Petty Ranas (Rana is an Old Hindi word for a ruler who is less in Power than a Raja).[3] The Ranas of Paddar were Rajputs. Each Rana usually controlled one to three villages, often fighting with other Ranas for control of land.[3]

Residents of ancient Paddar were primarily serpent worshipers. However, they observed other Hindu rites and rituals as well. Temples of different Nagdevtas or Serpent Gods are still visible and are adorned with wood carvings of snakes of all kinds.[3] Besides Hindus, Muslims and Buddhists also settled in the valley. The Buddhists were spread in the upper reaches of the Machail, Kaban, and Gandhari valleys and in the town of Gulabgarh. The first Muslims came to Paddar during the period of the Raja Shantar Kantar from Chamba. The descendants of those Muslims still live in Atholi and Kijai.[3]

In the middle of the 17th century, Chattar Singh, the king of Chamba, attacked Paddar.[3] He first conquered Pangi, from where he advanced with around 200 men, eventually annexing Paddar.[3] He constructed a fort named after him in the valley. The local Ranas could not face the onslaught of Raja Chattar Singh. They accepted his suzerainty, became his tributaries, and began to work as his Kardars.[3] The impacts of Chattar Singh's conquest were long lasting; the Paddar area was a part of Chamba up until 1836, or for five to six generations of Chattar-line Rajas.[3]

Under the leadership of Ratnu Thakur, the people of Paddar attacked Zanskar in 1820 or 1825 (Zanskar was with a Bhot Raja in Ladakh). Thakur made the region his tributary. The Bhot Raja agreed to pay Rs. 1000, musk bags, and other precious items annually to the Chamba Raja as Nazar (tribute).[3]

As soon as General Zorawar Singh reached Kishtwar, he heard of an uprising in Ladakh.[3] He immediately left for Ladakh via Zanskar. From this route, Leh was 275 miles from Kishtwar, which is the shortest route between these two places.[3] The army of Gen. Zorawar Singh entered Zanskar (Ladakh) through Paddar.[3] This time, wazir Lakhpat Rai Padyar, who was a trusted officer of Gulab Singh, also joined Zorawar Singh in the second attack on Ladakh.[3]

After conquering Ladakh, a part of the army was sent to Kargil and Zanskar under the command of Wazir Lakhpat Rai and Col. Mehta Basti Ram.[3] After conquering Zanskar, the army returned to Jammu through Paddar.[3] 30 soldiers of the Dogra army were kept in the Chattar Garh fort to keep in touch with the soldiers fortified in Zanskar.[3] During this period, a rebellion broke out in Zánskar, and the Dogra soldiers present there were massacred. Upon hearing the news, Ratnu Thakur interrogated people and caught hold of the killers.[3] Some of them were made prisoners and sent to Chamba. This angered Zorawar Singh, and he made plans to attack Paddar.[3]

In 1836, General Zorawar Singh, along with 3000 soldiers, attacked Paddar from Zanskar through the Bhot Nullah route.[3] To escape this force, Ratnu demolished the bridge on the Chenab.[3] As a result, the Dogra army had to wait three months to cross the river.[3] With the help of some local peasants, they eventually made a ropeway bridge, crossed the Bhot Nullah and attacked Chattar Garh, razing the town.[3] Many people were hanged and some were disfigured.[3] A new fort was built in place of Chattar Garh, making Paddar a part of the Dogra state.[3] Along with a few soldiers, an officer was stationed in the valley to watch the fort. Ratnu was arrested and sent to Jammu, where he remained under detention for three to four years.[3] After his release, he was granted an estate in Kishtwar.[3] Paddar eventually fell under the control of Tehsildar of Bhardarwah.[3]

After conquering Paddar, Gen, Zorawar Singh went to Zanskar via Umasi La (Dharlang), climbing 17,370 feet up from sea-level to quell the rebellion there.[3] He succeeded in establishing peace.[3] In 1837, a fierce rebellion broke out in Leh. Gen. Zorawar Singh covered the journey from Kishtwar to Leh in about ten days.[3] In May 1838, Zorawar Singh built a fort at Chisoti (Paddar) on his way back to Kishtwar.[3]

In 1845, during the rule of Maharaja Gulab Singh, both Paddar and Zanskar were given the status of tehsil.[3] During the period of Maharaja Ranbir Singh, when Leh got district status, Zanskar was merged with Leh and Paddar was merged with Kishtwar tehsil.[3] In 1963, Paddar was given the status of block by the government of Jammu and Kashmir. Now, it is categorized as a sub-division with two tehsils, Atholi and Machail.

Hinduism is the most popular religion in Paddar. It is followed by over 83% of the population. Buddhism is the second-largest religion, with 9.46% of the population being Buddhist. Islam and Sikhism form 6.8% and 0.05% of the population, respectively.[2]

• Kirthai is the among the most accessible villages in Paddar. The village lies in green paddy fields, with the river Chenab on one side and dense forest on the other. It is 58 km from the district capital and is a cultural centre.
• Gulabgarh is the sub-divisional commercial center of Paddar and a hub for the area's economic activities. It has a sizeable market area and a TRC (Tourist Reception Area). Transport services run from here to Kishtwar town and Pangi. It also hosts local cricket tournaments. Besides for its economy and recreational opportunities, Gulabgarh also hosts many government offices, J&K Bank,[5] a police station and rest houses.[6]
• If Gulabgarh is the commercial capital of Paddar, Atholi is the administrative capital. It contains many sub-district level offices including the Atholi Tehsildar's office, Munsiff Camp Atholi, the Paddar Forest Range Office, the Paddar ZEO office, the Atholi Tehsil Library, the Atholi fire station and post office, and the Paddar sub-district hospital. It is also known for a scenic spot called Pathaal and a water mill (known locally as Ghiraat) run by a waterfall in the village.,[6] AEE office Jal Shakti Vibhaag, Higher Secondary School, Girl's High School and Degree college are other significant establishments in the town.
• Tatta Paani is known for its natural hot springs[6]
• Sohal is used by off-roaders and as a base camp when travelling to Chitto, Kannan and Ongayee villages.
• Gandhari is visited by mountaineers, hikers, and climbers, and is known for green pastures. Its first village, Bhatwas, is about 30 km from Gulabgarh, with 25 km accesible with motor vehicles. The rest can only be travelled by foot. The trek route from here continues to Machail in Paddar, Zanskar in Ladakh,and Pangi.[6] As per Sanskrit language, Gandhari means "girl from Gandhara", and is a prominent character in the Mahabharata, an Indian epic. Gandhari was a princess in Gandhara and the wife of Dhritrashtra, the blind king of Hastinapura. She was the mother of a hundred sons, the Kauravas. The town also contains the holy shrine of Maa Chandi, Shiva temple, Nag temple, and Gompa Monastery of Buddhists. It is a popular spot for picnicking, touring and adventuring, and is situated at a height of around 9000 ft above sea level. Gandhari valley consists of six villages, on which three are Hindu one and three are Buddhist.
• Haloti and Hangoo are the nearest revenue villages to the Machail Mata shrine. The majority of the residents in these two villages are Buddhists. This villages are known for yaks, which are found only in this area after Ladakh. These domesticated yaks are raised to provide milk and to plough fields for agriculture. Many Buddhist monasteries are also found here.[6]
• Machail is known for the Chandi Mata Temple and the annual Machail Yatra festival, during which lakhs of pilgrims visit the temple. Machail has recently been granted the status of tehsil.
• Lossani is the second closest revenue village to Machail's Chandi Mata Mandir. The majority of the settlements here are part of the Buddhist community. They are known for yaks and horses, which are used for the same purposes as in Haloti and Hangoo. Lossani is the second largest village in Paddar.

Some notable festivals celebrated in Paddar are :

• Mela Magh is an annual celebration lasting three days in the village of Ligri. Thousands of people from villages in the surrounding area take part. The disciples (chelas) of gods and goddesses, wearing local woollen (pattu) dresses and locally made grass shoes, perform specific religious dances. The third day of the celebration is marked by a visit to the holy lack in the upper reaches of Munhal Dhaar.[7]
• Zaagra is a celebration where a huge fire is lit in front of a temple of god/goddess during the night and the chelas (disciples), along with the other locals, dance around the fire to the music of dhols and flutes.[7]
• Losar is the Tibetan New Year, which is celebrated mostly by the Buddhist communities. Households observe Losar together. People drink the local brew Chhaang and celebrate for weeks. Losar generally occurs in the months of January and February.
• Naghoi Mela is celebrated in Gandhari in the middle of August every year. People across Paddar and Pangi (Himachal Pradesh) come here to celebrate the festival at the Chandi Mata Mandir Gandhari.[7]
• Mithyaag is celebrated to mark the onset of spring and to pray to Mother Earth for better crop yields. People gather at a holy sites and dance around the sacred weapons of the gods.[7]
• Yatra is a shrine dedicated to the goddess Durga, popularly known as Machail Mata. is located in the village of Machel, in the Kishtwar district of the Jammu region. It may be noted that Durga is also known as Kaali and Chandi. Thousands of people, mainly from the Jammu region, visit the shrine every August. In 1981, the shrine was visited by Thakur Kulveer Singh of Bhaderwah, Jammu. In 1987, Thakur Kulveer Singh began an annual tradition called 'Chhadi Yatra'. Thousands of people visit the shrine every year during 'Chhadi Yatra'. Many pilgrims report supernatural occurrences while at the shrine. To reach the shrine, one may take a bus from Jammu, Udhampur, Ramnagar, or Bhaderwah or hire a cab. It takes approximately ten hours to travel from Jammu to the base camp Gulabgarh by road, after which a 32 km foot journey begins. It usually takes two days to reach the shrine on foot. There are many villages on the way where one can stay for the night. The chaddi takes three days to reach Machail. Many people organize roadside 'langars' (free food points) on the way to the Gulabgarh. The government of Jammu and Kashmir also arranges basic amenities for the pilgrims. Another means for reaching the shrine is to take a helicopter from Jammu and Gulabgarh. The helipad is located 100 meters from the shrine.
• Awaans is a festival in which a huge fire is lit in front of a temple in Karthie. All the religious pujaris (priests) from nearby villages come wearing traditional dress and are welcomed by local villagers. The festival happens once every three years, attracting people from across Paddar. Participants enjoy group dances and singing. This festival is a symbol of the rich and diverse culture of Paddar, which embraces love and respect for people irrespective of caste or colour.