Historic Settlements of Jammu Gurah Slathia, Hiranagar, Jaganoo

Lalit Gupta
lalitguptajammu@gmail.com
Gurha Slathia: A Cradle of Courage and Culture
Nestled in the heart of the Samba district, some five kilometres from the highway town of Vijaypur, the historic kandi village of Gurha Slathia stands as a living testament to Jammu’s valorous past and vibrant cultural legacy. Known for its proud martial tradition and deep-rooted heritage, this village has produced some of the bravest soldiers and most creative minds of the region.
Gurha Slathia traces its roots to descendants of Hasil Dev, the second son of Raja Hamir Dev, who ruled the Jammu kingdom between 1400 and 1423 CE. Hasil Dev served as wazir (minister) to his elder brother, Raja Ajaib Dev, and after Ajaib Dev died in 1454, he took charge of guiding the young prince Raja Beeram Dev in state affairs.
Local lore recounts an episode that reflects the deep loyalty and sacrifice associated with this lineage. When the Lodhi Sultan of Delhi sought to marry his daughter to Raja Beeram Dev-on the condition that the young ruler embrace Islam-Beeram Dev’s refusal led to his imprisonment. To save his protégé, Hasil Dev cleverly persuaded the Sultan to release Beeram Dev to his custody, promising to convince him to convert. Instead, under the cover of night, Hasil Dev sent the prince safely back to Jammu. His bravery cost him dearly: Hasil Dev was executed, and Beeram Dev was later slain by the Sultan’s forces. Their courage and faith remain immortal in local memory.
The village is divided into several mandis-Grota Mandi, Ugh Mandi, Garh Mandi, Sani Mandi, Rajgarh Mandi, Paddar Mandi, Dabbar Mandi, and Andrarh Mandi-but its people are united by a shared pride in their martial and artistic heritage.
From the colonial era to modern times, Gurha Slathia has earned a unique distinction in India’s military history, producing the highest number of gallantry awardees from any single village. Among them are recipients of the Victoria Cross, Mahavir Chakra, Vir Chakra, and Shaurya Chakra-a remarkable feat that has earned the village the nickname “The Land of Heroes.” Almost every household has a member who has served, or continues to serve, in the armed forces.
Gurha Slathia’s contribution is not confined to the battlefield. The village has also given to Jammu and Kashmir some of its finest literary and artistic talents, including Dogri’s Kavi Samrat Kehri Singh Madhukar, his gifted pupil Padamshree Mohan Singh, whose poetry has enriched the Dogri language, and Vidya Rattan Khajuria, a renowned sculptor celebrated for his modern artistic vision. Today, Gurha Slathia stands tall-a small village but with an extraordinary legacy of valour and creativity.
Hiranagar
Hiranagar (32° 27? 0? N, 75° 16? 12?): Situated some 65 kilometres in the south-east of Jammu, and 24 kilometres south-west of Kathua, the historic town of Hiranagar was founded by the Jasrotia Rajputs in the 12th century CE., who also built a fort here called Jasmergarh.
Raja Suchet Singh, younger brother of Gulab Singh, on behalf of the Sikh overlord Maharaja Ranjit Singh, ousted Jasrotias from their ancestral seat of power. In 1833, Raja Hira Singh, son of Raja Dhian Singh (brother of Gulab Singh), was conferred the Jagir of Jasrota by Sikh Maharaja Ranjit Singh.
Raja Hira Singh (born 1816), like his father Raja Dhian Singh was also the Prime Minister of the Sikh kingdom of Lahore from 17th September 1843 to 21st December 1844. A favourite of Sikh Maharaja Ranjit Singh, who conferred upon him the rajaship of Jasrota in 1834, as well as proclaiming him Farzandi-Khas, i.e. the favoured son.
After the breakdown of the Sikh empire and increasing hostilities between warring factions of contenders to the throne of Lahore, Sikh forces had attacked the Jasrota Kingdom in January 1845 and plundered the wealth of the Jasmergarh fort. The invading Sikhs used heavy force and artillery to demolish the Fort. Giving details of the Sikh attack, British agent Broadfoot, who had camped at Ludhiana writes, “Sikh forces plundered the wealth of Jasrota Kingdom and looted the ornaments and clothes from the bodies of the queens of Raja Hira Singh while they were sitting on the pyre of deceased Raja for performing sati.” The young Hira Singh died on 21st December 1844 after remaining Raja of Jasrota for ten years. During his 10-years rule, he spent most of his time at Jasmergarh fort. Later, the Hiranagar town was named after the Raja Hira Singh.
After the death of Raja Hira Singh, uncertainty loomed large over the Jagir. Following the treaty of Amritsar of 1846, Jasrtoa Jagir was made as a part of the Jammu and Kashmir State and was granted the status of a district. Through the years, the fort served as a district headquarters, a jail, and now houses a Central Paramilitary Force sub-station. Its heart, however, remains the Mahakali Temple, revived in the 1980s by Swami Krishna Nand Ji Maharaj. During Navaratras, thousands of devotees gather to worship the goddess amid the ancient brick walls that once echoed with the sounds of royal drums.
Jaganoo
Jaganu/Jaganoo (32.34 latitude and 39.30 longitudes): The historical town of Jaganoo is situated near the bank of Tawi, at a distance of 12 kilometres form Udhampur distirct headquarters. From the olden days, Jaganoo was an inland trade hub linking Traders from Jammu, Samba and Amritsar with Doda, Kishtwar, and the Kashmir Valley. Before 1920, Jaganoo was largest and prosperous town of town of Udhampur district boasting more than a hundred shops. However, the ancient settlement lost its importance after the construction of the Banihal Cart Road (B. C. Road) in 1920 and which shifted trade to Udhampur.
Jaganoo Fort: Perched on a hill to the east of Tawi River, the Jaganoo fort stands as a silent witness to the fading grandeur of Dogra history. Built in 1828 by Raja Suchet Singh, brother of Maharaja Gulab Singh, the fort’s entry designed with a series of arched doors, the main door measuring about 2.5m in height and 1.35m in width. After a small open courtyard, another door of similar proportions leads inward. Flanking the entry are the idols of Lord Hanuman and Goddess Durga, symbolizing the traditional Dogra reverence for divine protectors.
In its heyday, the fort featured a large pond called ‘Duryodhan da Talab’, a 100 ×100 meters water reservoir surrounded by bathing ghats on all four sides. The pond was central to the settlement’s life, serving both practical and ritual purposes. Over the decades, however, the pond has been filled up, erasing a distinctive feature of the site. The tunnel that once linked the fort to the Tawi River-possibly for emergency access or water supply-has also been sealed, with a modern structure now occupying its outlet.
Today, the fort’s interior is dominated by a government school, whose brick and concrete classrooms have almost entirely replaced the original architecture. While the fort has officially been declared a protected monument, the state government has failed to remove the school and other encroachments, leaving the heritage structure in a state of decay and neglect. The Jaganoo Fort, once a proud symbol of Dogra past, now stands caught between history and modernity-a heritage site struggling to survive amid apathy and overuse. Unless immediate conservation efforts are undertaken, this relic of the 19th-century may soon fade into memory, taking with it an irreplaceable chapter of the region’s past.

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