ROMANA ASLAM WANI , DR. SEEMA PARIHAR
DOI: https://doi.org/The former State of Jammu and Kashmir is famous for it’s ordinary beauty and rich history and way of life is known to the world by different names. The valley is often described as India’s crown treasure. The most trendy being, “The Paradise on earth” a name given by Mughal Emperor Jahangir to the valley after being inspired by its scenic beauty. Before Dogras Kashmir was ruled by Mughals, Afghans and Sikhs, all of whom had a significant influence on the valley’s society. The expression of Dogra is more geographical rather than ethnical. It is applied to the people who inhabit the hilly country between the rivers Chenab and Setluj. They are whether Hindus or Muslims, Brahmans, Rajputs, Rathis or Ghirths. The term is said to be derived from the Sanskrit word “Do” and “Girath” meaning “Two lakes.” These two words were afterwards corrupted onto Dogra. It is also worth mentioning here, that, the founder of modern Jammu and Kashmir State Gulab Singh was from Dogra caste and the dynasty ruled Jammu and Kashmir State from 1846 till the independence and accession of Jammu and Kashmir State with the Indian Union in 1947. However, the later Dogra era is regarded as the pinnacle of social modernity and the end of societial ills in Kashmir valley.
This study basically focuses on the main social evils that affected the society under Dogra rule from 1846 to 1947.
