Culture
Bhadarwah is a cultural epicenter. You can find a blend of cultures, making it distinct
from the rest parts of the country and not only from the different cultural forms,
but from geographical,demogeographically,ethical,social entities,forming a distinct
spectrum of diversity.Its different cultural forms like art and architecture,
fair and festivals,rites and rituals,seer and sagas, language and mountains, embedded
in ageless period of history,speak volume of unity and diversity with unparalled
cultural cohesion and cultural service.
Bhadarwah is rightly
said to be Switzerland of India. It is nature's grand finale of beauty. In this
unexplored paradise of earth's seasons is in strong individuality vie with one another
in putting up exquisite patterns of charm and loveliness. Nature has left an indelible
mark on the folk performances of Bhadarwah as they are intimately interlined with
the moods and movements of the seasons.
This place has been the seat of Rajas and Maharajas
whivh has cemented and enriched the cultural,historical and social bonds of
all these diverse etthnic and linguistic division. The ancient archeological monuments
and remnants speak volume of the cultural traditions of the region. There is a team
for every religious activity to be performed. The Leader of the team is Guru ji,
he is the most important person of this team.
Some of the popular traditions:-
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Dheku or Kudd:
In the town of Bhadarwah and its hilly roads, there are number of holy places and memorials of pious religious priests. Their doors are closed on the eve of Dussehra and opened on the day of Shivratri. Then devotees start their pilgrimage to these deities and perform 'Dheku' folk dance.Before commencing the pilgrimage the folk dancers worship the big drum called 'Dhol' with flowers,fragrance,Nazva etc. This folk dance is performed in two ways, somewhere it is performed around the bonfire and at some places in the light of the three burning 'Mashals'. The folk dancers stand around 'Ransingha','Dhonsa','flute' and many other musical instruments. With the music of 'Ransingha' the folk dance starts, the dancers dance with artistic movements of their long steps and with loud roaring sound "Oh-ho Oh-ho". They dance waving their arms artistically in the air as if the high trees are moving in the wind.Some-times they keep their hands on their waiste, the women folk dancers move the upper part of their body like men to the right and then to the left and give movement to their feet on the musical sound of the instruments.
Musadhe:-is basically songs with rythm and tune.These are religious and historical
songs that mostly picturize some historical event in the form of a song. It is sung
on the rythms of Kindhri and Dhapli.These songs describes the pride and truthfulness
of Ramyana,Mahabharata,Raja Harish Chandra that are loved by the listeners.
Ghurai:-
In the east of bhadarwah there is a town named "Bhalesa".The women folk dancers
of this area are known as 'Ghurai'. It is on of the distributery of folk dances
of Bhadarwah. It is sung by a group of married women on the occasion of Kunchouth. These are
religious songs which are sung to worship 'Gori Godess'.The verse of these songs
tells the story of marriage of Lord Shiva and Parvati Mata. All the married women
except widows in colourful dressess sits in a circle and then sing Ghurai / Churaian and dances along
the circle. These songs contains prayers for
the long life of their life partner.
Gujjar Folk Dance:-
Gujjar
and Bakarwals are nomads.Like the Guddies they come down to plain and barren areas
of Jammu during winter.During summer they go deep in the mountaineous valley including
Bhadarwah with their cattle.Some Gujjars have become wealthy and they carry out
business of milk,cheese and ghee. On the occasion of marriage and'Khatna' the Gujjars
perform their folk dances.
Sohari:-
It is a harvesting
folk dance of the hilly area in the remote area of Kishtwar,Bhadarwah and Doda.
There are peculiar way to get grains of Wheat,Joe etc. they make small bundkes of
harvested crop, by keeping then in the centre five or six men stand on one side
while five or six women stand opposite to them. they sticks in their hands tied
with "Ghungurus". These sticks are called "Chhini".In this dance the only musical
instrument is the"Ghungrus". First party takes a step ahead and beats the bundle
of Harvesting crops with "Chhini" then the group standing opposite to them
do the same. This movement of folk dance continues, there is a same movement of
every folk dancer's feet. The people standing near by sings song.
Dharam Dhees:-
The first day of the month chaitar
according to Panchang is celebrated as a new year in Bhadarwah..The prepration begins
at night before this day. After dinner, rice is filled in a huge pot, and this heap
of rice is decorated with silver coins,gud,flowers and fruits and kept in the kitchen.It
is called "Sheehkatta" or "Kamrath" in Bhadarwahi language.This day is called the
day of Dharm or Punya.On this day before the sunrise,a male member of the family
goes to the source of water, after bathing there he take water in a pot and bring
it home.On the main door of his home he says to the head of the family "Pumav Bhoy"
and the head replies "Nich punav". The male member then goes in the kitchen
where the Kamrath is kept,he looks at each thing kept there and prays to get
all those things in life,then he took a little gud and eat it.After him every member
of the family do the same.On this day farmers starts working in their fields,all
the family members together worships the Dharti Mata(Eatth),their Ox and all the
instruments used in farming.It has same importance as Baisakhi has.
Patter Puja:-
In this
ritual food is prepared in the name of Lord Shiva. This is a special type of food
made of Wheat flour, Ghee and sugar and are called "Rott". After the worship of
Patter and Gur, on the permission of guru ji food grains are filled in a copper
pot called patter.this ritual is performed by the head of the family.after filling
the pot every family member do the same.In this ritual only Guru ji and the
Family takes part.
Roshera:-
Roshera is a holy
place of Mata Shitla. people continuously thronged the spot from Chamba,Bani Bilowar,District
Kathua for paying obseience and had the hair of their children cut in full musical
sounds. The largest and biggest Mela is observed in 'Nav Roshera' an the Navratras(Ashtami)
nad people in thousands join this yatra.
Naag Puja:-
The culture of Bhadarwah has a great effect of 'Nag kalt'.
Along with Shiv-Shakti People adore Naag devta equally.In the month of March Naag
pujan begins with prayers of Subar Nag.The doors of Subar Nag temple are opened
after the passage of Sharad month of hindu calander. On this day people in different
groups from various villages of Bhadarwah (like Chinta,Manva,Sherora,Bhalara etc.)
meets at the Temple
Yuddha or Leela of Ram-Raavan-Naach:-
This dance is performed
mainly in the eastern parts of Bhadarwah in Bhalesa area during the month of November
and December. It is the only folk dance in Jammu Province which is performed by
weaving masks.People call this dance as 'Yudh or Mehrekha' dance on the musical
rythm of 'Dhol' the two groups of the folk dancers come running and they stand
opposite to each other. They have Masks on their faces made out of wood.One group
have black woolen robes whereas the other group have white woolen robes.They have
heavy 'Ghungroo' tied arround their ankles.They have bow-arrows in action in their
hands. The musical group have a big bronze bowl,a dhouns and flutes. On the rythm
of music one-group steps ahead with bow and arrow while other group steps back.Victory
loud sound is made.The folk dancers narrate the epic of Ram Na Raavan through their
songs in their own mother tongue.
Dhundhu-Kundhu:-
It is a festival of children. On this night all children
collects woods at a place called Dhundhu-Kundhu,and on next morning before
the sunlight appears they collect at that place,burns the woods and
enjoy singing and dancing arround it.It view like a camp fire.On this day, before
sun rise children in different groups goes to every house of the village and the
villagers have already prepared special food for them like Poi,Ghee and Honey.Then
all the children recollects at the place of Dhundhu-Kundhu,they give the first bit
of the collected food in the name of a witch Dhandha,then enjoy their food happily