Jammu

One of the three distinct cultural areas
in the modern Indian state of Jammu
and Kashmir; the other two are
western Kashmir and Ladakh. Jammu
and Kashmir is a former princely state
once ruled by the Dogras, a small
regional dynasty. Although the Dogra
kings were Hindus, they ruled over
the minority populations of the
mostly Muslim Kashmiris and the
mostly Buddhist Ladakhis; this ethnic
and religious division continues in
modern times. The Jammu region is
geographically part of the northern
Indian plain, and the surrounding
regions south of the Shiwalik Hills are
Hindu majority regions. However,
Jammu is also in close proximity to the
Punjab, the center of Sikhism, a
monotheistic religion that combines
elements of Hinduism and Islam; consequently Jammu is also home to a significant Sikh population. By far the most
celebrated shrine in the Jammu region
is the one dedicated to Vaishno Devi,
a goddess who is reputed to grant all
of one’s wishes. In the eighteenth
and nineteenth centuries, Jammu was
also one of the centers for the Pahari
school of miniature painting. Aside
from being the name of this region,
Jammu is also the name of the region’s
largest city, the state’s traditional
winter capital. For general information
about Jammu and all the regions of
India, an accessible reference is
Christine Nivin et al., India. 8th ed.,
Lonely Planet, 1998.