G.L. Khajuria
Jhiri is a small village or hamlet situated around 20 kms near Kalyanpur on Jammu-Akhnoor road. It is a prominent pilgrims spot lying near Indo-Pak border (LOC). This sacred spot becomes lively for a couple of days when people from far flung areas irrespective of caste colour, creed and that of religion assemble over here to pay homage and obtain blessings from saint Martyr Bawa Jitto who scarified himself for the justice as a toiling farmer and left an indelible print in the minds of farming community for the generations to come.
Saint Bawa Jitto lived more than 600 years back in a small village namely Aghar Jitto lying around 6 kms away on Katra- Reashi road at the foot of trikuta hills of Shiri Mata Vaishno Devi- a world reknowed diety. Jit Mal or locally named as Bawa Jitto was from Brahman family and was an ardous devotee of Shri Mata Vaishno Mata Ji . ill luck had it that he was deprived of wife in his early part of life and as such was living with his little girl child by name Bua Kori, and a pet dog Kalu. His collaterials were always hard of him and was deprived of all his patrimony. He was thus depriveved of everything and so such circumstanced him to relinquished his ancestral villageand proceeded Sharma chak where his close friend Iso Megh lived. Shama Chak is also a small village nearby Jhiri which in that remote past was a barren bushy land and was under the control of a feudal Jagirdar Mehta Bir Singh. As such, Jit Mal approached him and requested him for tilling a piece of the barren track. He obtained permission on the stipulation that one-forth of out turn crop will be shared by the owner Mehta Bir Singh and three -Fourth will go the teller Bawa Jitto.
With utmost faith, dedication and devotion, Bawa Jitto dreamt of turning that barren bushy track into a flourishing and smiling crop.
With untiring efforts coupled with dedication devotion of Bawa Jitto alongwith his attendants turned this barren bushy track into a fertile piece of land. And good luck had it that there was a well flourishing crop to which everyone was wonderstruck as it was a miracle as it was quite unimaginative that such a barren bushy track of the land could ever yield such a flourishing crop.
And when came the moment of sharing of the out-turn crop, Bawa Jitto approached the land lord for the distribution of harvested crop on the lines of stipulated agreement as was earlier decided upon . But Mehta Bir singh became lusty and so as such he insisted to take three fourth share of grains for which Jitto protested as it was against the stipulated agreement. But the owner ordered his men to carry off three-fourth of grains by force.
Bawa Jitto became anguished and could not tolerate the injustice meted out to him and in protest struck his sickle into his chest which started bleeding profusely and he felled unconsciously over the heap of grains declaring, oh Bir Singh, together with these grains you too find my blood to fend yourself and your all kith and kins. This Sad suicide of Bawa Jitto spreaded like wild fire in the entire vicinity. It is said that a calamitous storm engulfed the sky with thunders, rains and whirlwind and all grains were washed town from that spot.
Hearing the unbearable suicide by Baba Jitto, the little girl Bua Kori and other attendants rushed to the spot and in a fit of anger they too committed suicide alongwith little girl of Bawa Jitto. All this created chaos and confusion which loomed over the area and amongst the inhabitants of the village. Later, on a Samadhi of Bawa Jitto was constructed in the memory of martyred Bawa Jitto who was later addressed as Saint Mataryed Bawa Jitto most reverentially.
Out of fear, Mehta Bir Singh , the land lord and all his family members left home. Bawa Jitto’s self sacrifice against feudal landlordship for poor farmers exploitation. Connonised Bir Singh in the eyes of all locals. And with the passage of time, the local inhabitants started visting this spot on every Kartika Purnima to pay homage to the martyred Bawa Jitto and obtain blessings. Astonishingly enough, it is also reported that even the progeny of birds who had taken those grains of maize do flock over here on the day of Kartika Purnima.
A big fair (Mela) is most magnanimously held at Jhiri on Kartika Purnima every year where devotees irrespective of caste, creed, assemble over here to pay homage an obtain blessing . This fair affords an appropriate chance of intermingly and getting together in boosting love, affection and brotherhood amongst all those who assemble over here. The emotional songs are being sung apart from danceing which are also performed on this occasion. This , de facto, enlivened the occasion . The most prominent dogra Karks in the revered memorary of Saint Bawa Jitto are also echoed as a part of reminiscence of the sacrifice made by the saint martyre farmer Bawa Jitto.
There is a beautiful Payout of stalls and shops of all hues apart from display of recreations and entertainments for the children and little kids viz. Jhullas , merry-go-round. There is great hustle and bustle with multihued gatherings of people of all shades . Apart from , big Bhandaras and langers are also arranged by locals and other social activists which gives an enchanting and colourful view.
This write up would be incomplete without the mention that all the descendent of those who were responsible for this terrible tragedy come over here with all sorts of offerings to pay homage to Martyre Saint Bawa Jitto who fought for the rights of farmers community.
The Jhiri fair (Mela ) provides a platform all members of all castes to assemble over here revering Bawa Jitto for the sake of tillers against feudal land lordship. He was as well a contemporary of Guru Nanak Dev Ji, the founder-father of Sikhism. This tragic incident is a living legend of revolt against the land lords or jagirdars under Maharajas which epitomise the precedent of farmers of erstwhile ages.
There are many more unflinching memorials or white-doomed samadies (small temples) magnifying the tribute to revered Bawa Jitto by each family generation who owns them and pass on these Deveris to the next generations. The entire spiritual spot is fullest with them. Deveris which symbolises the temples contributed by each nuclear family as the devotees who happen to come to his spot each year on ‘Kartika Purnima give facelift of ambience in planned and meticulous manner.
However, apart from all these, there is one beautiful park not so well fore-closed which warrants invigoration by the concerned department. However, the part is well maintained by the floriculture deptt. Which still need to be upgraded for boosting and beautification- cum-a glorification byway of the more flowering plants, bushes shrubs, climbers and creepers.
The department of Garden and floriculture of the state should make all efforts in making this spiritual spot a beautiful one. Jammu region demands for the promotion, propagation and up-gradation of such religious and spiritual spots as a part of over old heritage culture and history of over gone period .
(The writer is former Dy. Conservator of Forest, J&K).