Hill States of India
The Hill States of India were princely states lying in the northern border regions of the British Indian Empire. The historic terms Punjab Hills and Pahari Hills were used to describe the foothills of the Western Himalayan-range prior to the independence of India in 1947.
History
Punjab Hills
Prior to the late 1940s, the region that is now classified as Jammu and Himachal Pradesh was termed the "Punjab Hills". The Punjab Hills are around 483 kilometres long and 161 kilometres wide. It consisted of a range of foot-hills, known as the Shivalik Range, meeting the Punjab Plains. The hills of the region are stony and rough. The term "Punjab Hills" is now only generally used in the present era to describe painting styles produced in the courtly settings of Mankot, Guler, Kangra, Kulu, Mandi and Basohli states. The Punjab Hills are not to be confused with the Punjab Plains. There were thirty five states located in the Punjab Hills.Early history
The term Dogra is thought to derive from Durgara, the name of a kingdom mentioned in an eleventh century copper-plate inscription in Chamba. According to Mira Seth, the Durgara region was situated between the outer hills located between the Ravi and Chenab rivers and was derived from a tribal name. In medieval times the term became Dugar, which later turned into Dogra. Kalhana's Rajatarangini makes no mention of a kingdom by this name, but it could have been referred to by its capital. In modern times, the term Dogra turned into an ethnic identity, claimed by all those people that speak the Dogri language.Prior to the arrival of the Dogras in the region, the local inhabitants of the Durgara region were likely Khasas and Kanets, who originally inhabited the Western Himalayan-range. Migrations of Dogri-speaking peoples later followed. The Dogras claim descent from migrants who originated from the present-day regions of Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, and Bengal prior to the Islamic invasions of the Indian subcontinent. Most of the ruling families of the Pahari Hill States traditionally trace their ancestry back to Ayodhya, claiming descent from Sumitra, who was the last descendant of the Suryavanshi lineage of Rama. An ancestor named Jambu Lochan is said to have first moved to the Jammu region, where he established the settlement of Jammu. According to local mythology, Jambu decided to construct a settlement at Jammu after he witnessed a wild goat and lion drinking from the same water-hole in a forest that was located at the site, being impressed by how two species of predator and prey could peacefully co-exist. From there onwards, branches of the family spread-out to conquer the surrounding mountainous areas of the region, establishing their own dynasties.
In around the year 850, the Dogras came to power in Jammu, being established by Raja Bhuj or Bhuj Dev. The centres of power for the Dogra rulers at this era were Bahu, Babbapura, and Jammu. The first historical mention to a Pahari ruler relates to two copper-plate inscription dated to the years 1056 and 1066 that eulogize the feats of Raja Sahilavarman of Chamba State.
The earliest type of administration in the region consisted of reigns by feudal chieftains, referred to as a thakur or rana. This form of government gradually shifted to one that was hereditary based on primogeniture, leading to the formation of dynasties. These states often warred with one another, absorbing or being absorbed by other states, with the winner usually being the stronger state and the loser the smaller one. By the tenth century, the following prominent Dogra states arose in the Pahari Hills region of the Western Himalayas:
- Jammu – ruled by the Jamwal clan
- Mankot – ruled by the Mankotia clan
- Jasrota – ruled by the Jasrotia clan
- Lakhanpur – ruled by the Lakhanpuria clan
- Samba – ruled by the Sambial clan
- Tirikot – ruled by the Tiri Kotia clan
- Akhnur – ruled by the Akhnuria clan
- Riasi – ruled by the Riasial clan
- Dalpatpur – ruled by the Dalpatia clan
- Bhau – ruled by the Bhauwal clan
- Bhoti – ruled by the Bhatial clan
- Chenehni – ruled by the Hantal clan
- Bandralta – ruled by the Bandral clan
- Basholi – ruled by the Balauria clan
- Bhadrawaha – ruled by the Bhadrawahia clan
- Bhadu – ruled by the Bhaduwal clan
- Kashtwar – ruled by the Kashtwaria clan
- Punch – ruled by the Manjwal clan
- Kotli – ruled by the Mangral clan
- Rajauri – ruled by the Jaral clan
Mughal vassalage
The Mughals were aggressive toward the small states of the Western Himalayas, with Akbar declaring himself as their sovereign ruler. The Punjab Hill states became tributaries to the Mughals around the reign of Akbar. With the capture of the Kangra Fort by the Mughal forces under Jahangir, it allowed Mughal-influence to more effectively permeate into the Punjab Hills. The Mughals maintained regional influence through a kilahdar that was stationed at Kangra and hostages from more rebellious hill states were kept at the Mughal court. Twenty-two of the hill states recognized the sovereignty of Akbar and each dispatched a local prince to the Mughal court. The princes would effectively be hostages to ensure that the small hill states would act courteous to the Mughal authority. The Pahari hill states in-reality were de facto quite independent from the Mughals, even with this arrangement. This relative independence allowed the hill states freedom regarding their internal affairs and also allowed them to war against each-other without reference to the Mughal emperor. Usually when two hill states warred with one another, the defeated state often appealed to the regional Mughal viceroy and the Delhi court to assist them against their rival.However, the hill states often resisted the Mughals and rose up in rebellion against them, such is the case with Jammu State, which rose in insurrection against the Mughals on three separate instances during this time: the first between the years 1588–9, the second between 1594–5, and the third from 1616–17. During the reign of Akbar between the years 1594–95, the Jammu ruler Raja Parasram Dev teamed-up with fellow Pahari rulers Rai Pratap of Jasrota and Rai Balbhadra of Lakhanpur in a rebellion against the Mughals, which raged from Kangra to the Jammu Hills.
According to Sikh legend, the sixth Sikh guru, Guru Hargobind, helped secure the release of fifty-two "Rajput rajas" of the Hill region who were jailed in Gwalior Fort. This event is celebrated as Bandi Chhor Divas by Sikhs.