The Chenab Valley, also known as the Chenab Region, is the river valley of the Chenab River flowing through the Doda, Kishtwar and Ramban districts of Jammu Division in Jammu and Kashmir, India. This name refers to the erstwhile Doda district.
Name
The term Chenab valley was used by Erik Norin in a 1926 journal article “The Relief Chronology of Chenab Valley”. Later, the term was popularised by various social activists and politicians referring to the erstwhile Doda district formed in 1948. The term is used as identity by residents of Doda, Ramban, Kishtwar districts who have unique identity and culture distinct from neighbouring Pir Panjal and Jammu regions.
The Chenab valley is termed as the DKR Range (Doda-Kishtwar-Ramban Range) by police or military officials, while a separate Deputy Inspector General is posted for this range by J&K Police.
Geography
The Chenab Valley lies between the middle and outer Himalayan range in the Jammu region of Jammu and Kashmir, India. It is currently divided into three districts: Doda, Ramban, and Kishtwar. The valley touches the Anantnag district of J&K to the north, the Chamba district of Himachal Pradesh, and Kathua district to the South, the Udhampur district to the southwest, and Salal Reasi Subdivision to the West, with Doda in its middle. It consists of six Assembly seats.
Chenab Valley has mostly hilly terrain. The Chenab River flows through all the districts of this region including Doda, Kishtwar, Ramban. The area is an active seismic zone.
History
The demography of Chenab valley which is referred to erstwhile Doda district is complex as compared to its neighbouring districts primarily because of the wide diversity in its population. In the past, Doda was largely inhabited by Sarazi population before people started settling here from Kashmir and other adjoining areas. The reasons for this migration in the 17th and 18th centuries is a matter of ambiguity among historians. However Sumantra Bose says it was repression by feudal class that drew people to the district of Doda, Ramban and Kishtwar.
The Chenab valley consists of areas drawn from the principalities of Kishtwar and Bhadarwah, both of which were part of Udhampur district in the princely state of Jammu and Kashmir.
People
Kashmiris form the largest group in Chenab Valley and Gujjars, Paharis & Bhaderwahis have significant population. Chenab Valley is rich in cultural heritage and ethical values, but also has age-old traditions of secularism and tolerance. During the rise of insurgency in Kashmir in the early 1990s, this place was the second most affected place in the state of Jammu and Kashmir, after Kashmir valley. The main occupations of the people of the valley are farming and cattle rearing.
Controversy
The term ‘Chenab Valley’ is a widely used term for identifying the three districts of the erstwhile Doda district by all political parties except the Bhartiya Janata Party, which doesn’t recognise this term. The BJP’s stand on this name is that ‘there is no Chenab valley and it is only the Jammu division for representation of the region’. While other parties including JKNC party’s stand on this name is based on developmental negligence and wants separate divisions from Jammu division for Chenab valley and Pir Panjal.
Demographics
Religion
Religion in Chenab Valley (2011)
Muslims form a majority in the three districts constituting Chenab Valley. About 60% of the population was Muslim according to the 2011 census, and the rest 40% are mostly Hindus.
Language
Languages of Chenab Valley (2011)
Chenab Valley is home to a variety of ethnic groups. Officially, Urdu and English are used, but the Chenab Valley is home to a variety of languages, including Kashmiri, which is the most widely spoken language in the region, Gojri, Kishtwari, Bhaderwahi, Sarazi, Dogri, Rambani, Pogali, Pahari, Bhalessi, and Padri.
Tourist destinations
Chenab valley is also the hub of hilly tourist attractions after Kashmir, some of them are as follows;
- Bimal Nag, is a meadow located in Drabshalla tehsil (subdistrict) of Kishtwar district.
- Dal Draman, An unexplored meadow of unexplored valley, Gundna of Doda
- Bhaderwah Valley, located in Doda district is a famous tourist destination of Chenab Valley.
- Bhal Padri, a beautiful meadow located in Gandoh (Bhalessa).
- Chatroo, famous for it small lake, is a tourist destination in Kishtwar district.
- Chinta Valley, also located in Bhaderwah, Jammu and Kashmir.
- Chowgan, a large public park and tourist attraction in Kishtwar town.
- Dagantop, located in Gool area of Ramban District.
- Dessa Valley, located in Doda district.
- Hansrajtop, located in Pogal Paristan, Jammu and Kashmir.
- Jai Valley, located in Bhaderwah, Jammu and Kashmir.
- Jantroon Dhar, are the large meadows, located in Thathri subdivision of Doda district.
- Lal Draman, a scenic tourist destination in Doda district.
- Mughal Maidan, a tourist destination in Kishtwar district.
- Padri Top, is the group of meadows, located in Bhaderwah.
- Sanasar, located in Ramban district.
- Sinthan Pass, located in the higher reaches of Kishtwar district on Kishtwar-Anantnag road.
Chenab valley Divisional Status
There has been a movement demanding divisional for the Chenab valley by various social and political activists for a long time. The demand rose in 2018 and 2019 when Ladakh got divisional status and the former Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir, Omar Abdullah added “Two Separate Divisional Status for Chenab Valley and Pir Panjal Region” to his party’s political agenda.
As of 2021, the movement for divisional status again increased after rumours of second bifurcation of J&K and demand for a separate state of Jammu.
There is a common reason for this demand. People allege negligence in terms of developmental issues by the government if the Chenab valley remains linked to the Jammu division.
Hill Development Council
In 1996, Dr. Farooq Abdullah as Chief minister promised administrative autonomy to Chenab. Later in 2000, a bill demanding a Hill Development Council for Chenab valley was presented in the legislative assembly by the Sheikh Abdul Rehman (then MLA Bhaderwah).
Natural disasters
2013 Earthquake in Chenab valley
- A 5.8 earthquake hit the Erstwhile Doda on 1 May, 2013, killing two and injuring 69. Seismic activity continued in the valley throughout 2013, prompting teams of seismologists to study the area. A local belief states that the earthquakes were being caused by hydroelectric construction projects in the area.
2017 Thathri flash floods
- Flash floods wreaked havoc in Thathri town of Doda district of J&K, inundating vast areas along the Batote- Kishtwar National Highway and washing away half a dozen houses. Six persons were killed in the flash floods.
2021 Hunzar Kishtwar Cloudburst
- Cloudburst hits Hunzar hamlet in Dachhan area of Kishtwar district resulting into death of 26 persons and 17 injured on 28 July, 2021. As per reports, only 7 dead bodies were recovered while 19 dead bodies were not found. As of October 5, 2021, one out of 19 missing persons’ dead bodies was found after more than 70 days, while 18 others remain missing.