Duggar (region)

Duggar
State
Country	India
Region	North India
Capital and largest city	Jammu
Area
• Total	9,235 km2 (3,566 sq mi)
Population  (2011)
• Total	3,171,142
• Density	345/km2 (890/sq mi)
Language
• Official	Dogri
• Official script	Devnagri
Time zone	UTC+05:30 (IST)

Duggar (Dogri pronunciation: [ɖʊɡːəɾ]) is a cultural region and a proposed state in the northern part of India, comprising the districts of Jammu, Samba, Udhampur, Kathua along with Reasi, Pouni and Katra tehsils of Reasi district of Jammu & Kashmir. It is the historical homeland of the Dogra people. Main language spoken here is Dogri. It is also commonly referred to as Jammu by many.

The linguist George Grierson connected the term Duggar with the Rajasthani word Doonger which means 'hill', and Dogra with Donger.^[1] This opinion has lacked support because of the inconsistency of the ostensible changes from Rajasthani to Dogri (essentially the question of how Doonger became Duggar while Donger became Dogra), and has been contradicted by some scholars.^[2]

Yet another proposal stems from the word Durgara, the name of a kingdom mentioned in an eleventh century copper-plate inscription in the Bhuri Singh Museum in Chamba, Himachal Pradesh.^{[citation needed]} The word Durgara means 'invincible' in several Northern Indo-Aryan languages, and could be an allusion to the ruggedness of the terrain of Duggar and the historically militarised and autonomous Dogra societies.^{[citation needed]}

An article by Dharam Chand Prashant in the literary magazine Shiraza Dogri suggested that "the opinion that the word Duggar is a form of the word Duggarh sounds appropriate."^[3]

The most spoken languages in the proposed state will be Dogri followed by Hindi and Urdu and most common surnames of Duggar people include Jamwal , Gupta , Sharma, Khajuria, Magotra, Sambyal, etc .^[4][5]

Hinduism will be the most followed religion in the state followed by Islam and Sikhism. The largest ethnic group will be of Dogra people.

Jammu city will be largest city of the proposed state followed by Udhampur and Kathua.

Many Duggar based politicians, activists and organizations have supported the creation of Duggar state. Choudhary Lal Singh. a prominent leader from Duggar has started demanding statehood for Duggar after abrogation of Article 370 and bifurcation of Jammu & Kashmir. ^[6][7]

"Kashmir-based rulers have not only diminished Dogra culture but also taken away job opportunities. They have exploited the Dogra community for the past 60 years, holding resentment against us. They ignored Jammu’s tourism potential and deprived its people of their rightful entitlements," he said.^[8]

Ikkjutt Jammu, a organization based in Jammu launched their campaign for the creation of a separate state of Duggar or Jammu (political groups and individuals use both 'Duggar' and 'Jammu' when referring to the Dogri-speaking region).^[9] Ikkjut Jammu chairman, Advocate Ankur Sharma, informed The New Indian Express that the party has initiated a signature campaign advocating for separate statehood for the Jammu or Duggar. ^[10]

According to Ikkjut General Secretary Vijay Shastri, over 1.50 lakh people have signed for separate statehood to Jammu during the ongoing signature campaign.^[10]

Many prominent leaders like Balwant Singh Mankotia, Harsh Dev Singh, Pawan Gupta have also supported the idea of having separate state for dogras.^[11][12][13]

Shiv Sena have also supported the creation of separate Duggar or Jammu state.^[14]

The demand for a separate Jammu state stems from a long-standing perception of political and economic marginalization. Jammu, with its distinct Dogra culture, language, and traditions, has often felt overshadowed by the Kashmir-centric policies of the erstwhile state. Advocates argue that the unique identity of Jammu has been diluted under the broader Jammu and Kashmir governance structure. By becoming a separate state, Jammu would have the autonomy to preserve and promote its cultural heritage, while also addressing its own regional aspirations.^[15][10][16]

Economically, many believe that Jammu’s development has been stunted due to an imbalance in resource distribution, with a disproportionate focus on Kashmir. The region's tourism potential, natural resources, and infrastructure needs have been overlooked, leaving Jammu’s economy underdeveloped. Separate statehood would allow Jammu to prioritize its own growth and development, giving it control over its resources, governance, and future. This would enable more effective administration and provide opportunities for the region to flourish independently.^[15][10][16]

Politically, many in Jammu feel that they have been underrepresented in the power structures of the region. Decisions made by a predominantly Kashmir-focused leadership have left Jammu residents feeling disconnected from governance. This political marginalization has resulted in frustration, as Jammu’s issues often receive less attention and resources. By achieving separate statehood, Jammu could gain greater political representation, with governance focused on its specific challenges and priorities, ensuring that the voices of its people are heard and their needs addressed.^[15][10][16]

• Dogras
• Dogri language
• Jammu division
• Name Dogra Akkhar