3 day Dador festival which held every year in January month, at a village (Dador) located near Jammu –Delhi Highway at around 15 Km away from Kathua town, concluded here today with cultural performances at main ground of the area. The Festival was started with celebrations Urs of Peer Baba -a most revered saint among nomads Gujjars residing in Jammu, Kathua , Samba and those who left Jammu and Kashmir due to various pressures and presently residing in adjoining states.
The festival was organised by 5th generation of ‘Sawan Gujjar’ a nomad Banhara Gujjar who started this event decades ago to remember his ‘Peer’ (saint) whom he met once in his entire life.
The festival which includes Bhandara of Peer, Cultural shows besides Dangal /folk games popular among Gujjars. The festival was attended by hundreds of tribal people hailing from Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pardesh ,Punjab and Haryana states who assembled here for this annual cultural extravaganza held after the gap of one year.
Noted tribal researcher Dr. Javaid Rahi , who was special invities in the programme , in his address stated that this annual festival not only reflects rich cultural tradition of Gujjars but also highlights communal harmony , brotherhood and a since of co-existence in the area. He appreciated the efforts of Ram Chand Sarpanch Katheda and Sardar Satwant Singh for providing local support to this festival.
He said the Dodar festival also reflects centuries long tradition of Dogar-Gujjar unity who are collectively upholding the tradition of cohabitation and togetherness in the region. He said “Let us not allow any force to divide us on religious lines. He further stated that this is a rare tribal event which held every year without the interference of government machinery.
On the occasion , the President of Tribal Research and Cultural Foundation, Ghulam Sarwar Chouhan stated that keeping in view the cultural importance of this annual event our organisation has started documentation of this event from this year onwards to preserve the rich Gujjar Culture audio-visual form.
Foundation asked Ch Karam Din Chopra- eminent Gojri writer to document a full commentary on the event for publication, he said.
The other members of organising committee , Haji Kreem Ali Chichi of Jathana Kathua , Ch Niaz Ali Kassana of Kumri –Kathua , Molvi Abdullah Cheihi of Bhohra, Kathua , Haji Raheem Din Bokan and Ch Gashaan lodha of Kathua also thanked the tribals and locals for coordination.