Glimpses from history: Dhanidhar Fort in Rajouri

Insight on Kashmir // Danidhar fort in Rajouri district of Jammu Kashmir attracts less visitors than any other place of attraction in the area perhaps because of its dilapidated condition. However, its grandeur and loftiness is still worthy to be viewed particularly when one is inside the huge building. The Rajauri government describes that this historic fort was built during the reign of Mian Hathu- the then governor of Rajouri. He ruled this small governorate from 1846-1856 AD under the rule of the Lahore Darbar. In this very period, the governor started the construction of Dhannidhar Fort. The Fort was completed in 1855 AD. The main intention for the construction of the Fort was to keep Dogra Forces in this safer place because from this place, the whole Valley of Rajouri could be viewed. Apart from this during the Dogra regime, the revenue was collected from the farmers in the shape of grains and the grain was dumped in the fort which was sold later on.

Dhanidhar Fort in Rajouri

The fort has been constructed utilizing the remains of the Jarral Rajas buildings. Lt Nawang Kapadia describes that before the advent of the Muslims, Rajouri was ruled by Hindu Kings belonging to the ‘Pal’ dynasty who claimed to be descendants of the Pandavas. Dhanidhar Fort is believed to have been built by one of the kings of this dynasty. The fort commands a complete view of the Rajouri town. The name Dhanidhar was given to this highest elevation of land portion overlooking Rajouri town and the valley below, on the basis of a village called Dhanidhar in its close proximity.

A view from Dhanidhar fort

Rajouri”‘ is situated to the south of the Pir Panjal mountain range. Poonch
is in its” west while Bhimber lies in the south.

Nazakat Hussain, a Ph D scholar of the Aligarh University mentioned in his thesis titled ‘Archeology of Kashmir’ that the fort was originally built by the Mughal emperors.

Being on the Imperial route it was the halting place of Mughal Emperors during their visit to Kashmir. The fort was built by the Mughals with the help of stone blocks and baked bricks. There were mosques, gardens, rooms, assembly halls and hammams. All the structures, except the ruins of a small mosque in the market’ (Gujar Mandi) were once occupied by the cixil Hospital and forest department. Therefore it was not possible to trace out and prepare plans of the structures. Only the fortress wall towards riverside is standing there perhaps due to strong ‘ built of huge
stone blocks and bricks. These could have been part of a riverside summer
palace which used to be a common feature of the Mughal buildings on imperial route leading to Kashmir.

A brutal history of tax collection in Kashmir

By M.I.Mazhar

The history of tax collection in Kashmir is not just thought-provoking; it is a symbolic account of an immoral, brutal, and corrupt revenue collection system that was built hundreds of years ago, and is still functioning in various forms.

The princely state of Jammu and Kashmir came into existence in March 1846 with the signing of the Treaty of Amritsar between the East India Company and the Dogra Raja of Jammu.

The British established their control over the political and economic administration of the state by posting their officials.

In fact, after setting up the residency in 1885, the British directly intervened in the running of the tax and revenue affairs of the princely state.

Before the arrival of the Dogra’s, the people of Kashmir had witnessed various rulers and dynasties as well as undergone numerous phases of state formation and revenue generation.

The practice of land grants to a few families in exchange for loyalty and support continued through the centuries.

The rulers generated resources by levying several taxes besides collecting land revenue from cultivators.

Details about the volume of land revenue collected are not available for the early medieval period.

The current revenue collection system in Kashmir evolved as early as the Mughal period in Kashmir.

To maintain economic and political stability in the state, Emperor Akbar sent a five-member team in 1589 to formulate the pattern of land revenue assessment and to determine the nature and volume of the collection.

Thus, a detailed report about the nature of the land, its classification, production, and appropriation was prepared.

Several revenue collection departments, officials, and agencies established by Mughal emperors about 300 years ago still exist in all parts of modern Kashmir.

For instance, this was the Mughal era when revenue administration was thoroughly reorganized by with the creation of positions such as patwari, tahsildar, amil, fotedar, munsif, qanungo, Chaudhry, dewan, and others.

In today’s revenue collection systems, patwaris and tehsildars work amicably with the database administrators, and there exists no conflict of interest.

The interest of all official revenue collection agencies in Kashmir was linked with the state exchequer in times of Maharaja and it continues to serve the state governments on both sides of the Line of Control today.

Hundreds of years ago, the revenue generation in Kashmir was based on activities related to agriculture, village manufacturing, and wood carving, weaving of woolen cloth, basket making, papier machie, silver and copper work, shawl and carpet making, leather furs.

And the land taxes, both in kind and cash, formed a vital component of the revenue.

After the Mughal period, the Afghan, Sikh, and Dogra rulers retained with minor variations, the practice of land grants and the old system of revenue generation.

Jagirdars imposed various levies and taxes on the farmers as several corrupt practices entered the administration of revenue collection.

In the Sikh rulers’ time, the land was considered the property of the ruler called Khalisa, which was partly given out as grants jagirs and partly assigned to cultivators every year in proportion to the strength of the family.

In times of the Maharajas, Pandits, Sayyids, and Pirzadas charged taxes to people on behalf of the rulers.

During British rule, the advocacy of grain trade and the shift towards payment of land taxes in cash led to far-reaching changes in the economy.

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References:

1. Waltraud Ernst and Biswamoy Pati, Ed. Routledge Studies in the Modern History of Asia, India’s Princely States. People, princes and colonialism, Routledge, 2007
2. 2. Siddiqi, Norman Ahmad. Land revenue administration under the Mughals, 1700-1750. Published for the Centre of Advanced Study, Dept. of History, Aligarh Muslim University [by] Asia Pub. House, 1970.