Stepping into a world of charm
By Roshni Johar

AS you drive 22 km from Shimla towards Mandi, just turn right from Solah-Meel - Ka-Mor to enter the former princely hill state of Dhami. Driving 4 km further amidst pines, pears and pomegranates, maize and mist, you are in its old capital Halog. A quiet serenity envelops the place.

Its sheer isolation, captivating beauty, history, folklore and the charming simplicity of its people have all combined to make Halog — popularly called Dhami — a mysterious yet an irresistible place.

Travelling a few centuries back in time,one finds that Dhami was founded sometime in the end of the 12th century or the early 13th century by one of the descendants of Prithviraj Chauhan, who was driven away from the neighbourhood of Delhi to Raipur (Ambala district) by the repeated attacks of Muhammad Ghori. Ultimately the Chauhan adventurer found refuge in the Himalayan foothills and later shifted to Dhami. The new state, covering 28 square miles, remained more or less a feudatory of Kahlur (Bilaspur) for a long time.

However, Dhami’s history took a new turn with the advent of the British, who promised the rulers of Dhami as well as 19 other hill states restoration of their territories if they assisted them in defeating the Gurkhas in the Anglo-Gurkha War. The Gurkhas were expelled. Eventually the British granted Dhami with a "Sanad" in September, 1815, recognising it as an independent state by conferring lands upon its legitimate chief "from generation to generation and with all internal rights" provided Dhami fulfilled certain conditions.

Dhami proved its loyalty to the British in 1857 when the Gurkhas’ held a mutiny against the British at Jutogh.

Soon the small hill state of Dhami acquired a big chapter in Himachal’s history. Coming under British paramountcy, Dhami had to fulfil certain conditions which upset the traditional economy and lives of the hill folk.

Being near the summer capital of Shimla, demands on Dhami were increasing for the supply of free and forced labour, fuel especially of the prized oak wood, fruits and vegetables, recruits to the British army, expenses for routine shikar expeditions, enhanced revenue, etc. — all for the upkeep of the British bara log at Shimla.

The brewing discontent due to such atrocities led to resentment against the autocratic Rana, and demand for social reform, under the banner of praja mandals. The Dhami Praja Mandal led a crowd of more than 2,000 at Halog on July 16, 1939, to represent their demands to the Dhami Rana. In the melee that ensued, guns were fired by Dhami state leaving two dead in the incident called Dhami goli kand.

Historians feel this ended the "artificial isolation" of Shimla (though the British planned the stopping of entry of nationalist elements into the town), and the hill states’ struggle for social and political reforms resulted in their merger into a single unit.

The British loved Dhami’s rich forests which were virtually a hunter’s paradise. No wonder it was called "Viceroy’s Shooting Box". Out of a total area of 28 sq. miles, 2,355 acres were reserved as shooting and entertainment ground for the Viceroy and his entourage. Rule 14 of the then Shikar Rules of Simla Hill States and Simla District stated, "Shooting in Dhami state near Ghanna-ki-Hatti is prohibited. All forests here are preserved for the use of His Excellency the Viceroy."

Come autumn and it was shikar time in Dhami, though officially the shooting season began from September 16 every year. The British laat sahibs complete with their bandobast of Pahari shikaris, beaters and coolies with their "collection of canines" usually named "Tippoos, Whiskeys, Poppys and Sodas" (as described by Edward J. Buck) and khidmatgars et al would pitch their tambus in the oak and chir forests of Dhami to hunt for deer, barking deer, pheasants, etc. The Rana of Dhami, the perpetual host, would offer the bara Angrez log trays laden with gold, silver, fruit, honey and "a ram dragged by its horns."

Lady Dufferin in her Viceregal Life in India, written in 1885, gives a vivid account, "Our destination is called Dhamin, and we are to be the guests of the Rana of that place, whose privilege it is to spend a certain sum yearly in entertaining the Viceroy at a shoot. Honour and glory above his fellows is all he gets by it.... There were, I suppose, a thousand beaters employed and only 24 birds were killed. A big umbrella was held over D (Lord Dufferin) while he did shooting.... The Raja always kept at a distance under another umbrella and did not shoot."

Today Dhami presents a different picture. As one walks towards the end of Halog, a crumbling palace, ravaged by time and history, comes into view. Built probably about 250 years ago, its jail khana can still be seen. The palace houses a temple with an ancient idol of Nara Singh Devta installed in it. Opposite to it lies a more recent palace with a hardy creeper trailing around it. Perhaps Himachal’s Tourism Department should make plans for saving the palace and also make arrangements for providing a day’s outing for tourists bored with Shimla.

Patharon-ka-mela (festival of stones) held after Divali is a unique feature of Dhami’s cultural life. Centuries ago, narbali i.e. human sacrifice, was offered to appease Kali Devi. A rani of Dhami put an end to this cruel custom. In lieu of the human sacrifice, stones were thrown at each other, and the blood of a wounded person was applied as a tilak to the devi. At the recent Patharon-ka-mela, about 2,000 villagers in their colourful best thronged to see the two groups of Halogis and Jamogis throw a virtual shower of stones at each other, over a circular structure, where a rani had long ago committed sati.

Who will give Dhami a new lease of life?