Living history

Perched on a hilltop beside the Tawi and facing the city of Jammu, Bahu fort, with its sprawling buildings, containing royal mansions, has been a mute witness to the culture and life of people, writes Suraj Saraf 

The fort and town of Bahu stand on the eastern side of Jammu city on the left bank of the Tawi, overlooking the river. The fort still bears appearance of great strength and was famous in former times, as we learn from authors, say renowned archaeologist and ideologist J. Ph. Vogel and Hutchison in their History of the Punjab Hill States.

A view of Jammu city and the Mubarak Mandi heritage complex from Bahu fort

Perched imposingly on a hilltop beside the river and facing the capital city of Jammu, on the other side of the Tawi, this fort, with its strong and sturdy walls and sprawling buildings, containing also royal mansions, has been a mute witness to the hoary and eventful history of the twin habitations of Jammu city and Bahu town. Forts, indeed, have been a living history, culture and life of the people inhabiting these priceless fortifications everywhere.

From the earliest period, the capital of the Jammu-ruling dynasty was at Bahu, and the rajas remained in this strong fort, according to History of the Punjab Hill States.

It says Jammu was much more open to attacks, being on the very edge of the plains, and lying right in the way of advancing and retreating armies.

History highlights quite a few such invasions in pre/post-Christian era during which Bahu fort also finds a mention. Apart from the reason mentioned above for invasions on Jammu, it is certain that the prosperity of the area attracted invaders from distant places. This prosperity is much reflected in the account of his invasion by Timur in Malfuzat-i-Timuri, wherein he mentions tremendous loot in Jammu and its surrounding villages. He also refers to the strong Bahu fort.

Even Ferishta mentions (as referred to in Elliot’s history) an invasion of the Jammu hills by Kanauj ruler Ram Dev Rathore. It says: "Confident in the valour of his army, the strength of his fortress (Bahu), the difficulty of access, the denseness of jungle and abundance of his supplies, the raja of Jammu refused to surrender but was defeated in the fight and forced to make peace with the invader."

According to the genealogical tree or Vansavali of the erstwhile Dogra ruling dynasty of Jammu and Kashmir, it belonged to the Suryabansi clan of the Kashatriyas and was founded by one Agnibaran (descended from Rama’s son Kush) migrating from Ayodhya. He settled at Parol, now in Kathua district of Jammu province. His descendants, off and on, began conquering the areas around.

In the seventh generation Bahu Lochan seized the Bahu area (previous name perhaps Dhara Dagri but later named after him as Bahu) and started ruling there.

He got the Bahu fort-cum-palace constructed. His younger brother Jambu Lochan was one day on a hunting spree across the Tawi and saw a lion and a goat drinking water from the same pond. He later settled there, naming the area after himself — Jambu (known that way till late the 17th century), which later turned into Jammu.

Bahu rulers and Madra Desh (Sialkot and adjoining areas, now in Pakistan), being neighbours, often encroached on each other’s territories. In the account of those battles, Bahu fort is often mentioned.

Salim Shah Sur of Sur dynasty of India is also said to have seized Bahu fort in the mid 16^th century for some years.

It is curious that despite the long existence of Bahu fort, history tells once only its having been attacked (by Salim Sur). Was it so because Jammu city had become more important and the fort had become merely its adjunct? The rulers had settled down in Jammu city, first at Purani Mandi and then at Mubarak Mandi (which is now being developed as a grand heritage complex by the Centre).

As mentioned in the history book, Duggar (Jammu) state is ancient but no mention of it is found in any document prior to the 11^th century. It is a matter of considerable surprise that no mention of Jammu is found in Rajatrangani, and the explanation probably is that Jammu did not become the capital of the state till at a later period. The original capital was at Bahu but it seems to have been changed for a time in the 11th century to Babbapur.