Preserving Dogra heritage while creating new opportunities through rural tourism.
By Ashok Sharma | True Roots Media | 20 October 2026
There is something special about visiting a village in Duggar. A guest may arrive unexpectedly, but someone will offer a place to sit, a cup of tea, and perhaps something freshly prepared in the kitchen. Conversations begin naturally, stories are shared, and strangers can leave feeling like family. This warmth and simplicity are part of our Dogra identity.
When we discuss tourism in Jammu Division, we usually talk about mountains, temples, rivers, and landscapes. But our villages have something equally valuable: traditional food, hospitality, folk music, and a way of life that visitors may never experience in a hotel.
Our Culture Is Already an Attraction
Imagine a visitor spending a day in a Dogra village, enjoying Kaladi, Kulthein di Dal, or Ambal while listening to stories from village elders. Our traditional Kud dance, Dogri folk songs, local festivals, and agricultural practices reflect generations of cultural knowledge.
These traditions are not merely tourist attractions. They represent our identity and deserve preservation. Tourism could provide an opportunity to introduce them to the wider world while creating livelihoods for local families.
But there is a question we must ask: if our villages have so much to offer, why are many still outside established tourism circuits?
Tourism Cannot Succeed Without Roads
Consider Basantgarh and Panchari in Udhampur, Bani and Sarthal in Kathua, or the beautiful villages surrounding Bhaderwah and the Pir Panjal region. These areas offer considerable potential, but connectivity, reliable transport, sanitation, and visitor facilities need careful attention.
A homestay policy may encourage families to welcome tourists, but what happens when visitors struggle to reach their destination? Promotion alone cannot overcome inadequate infrastructure.
Before encouraging rural families to invest their savings in tourism, we should ensure that roads, basic services, and visitor information support these investments.
An Opportunity for Dogra Youth
Young people can help connect our traditions with modern opportunities. Someone skilled in photography, hospitality, or digital marketing could promote village experiences, document traditional recipes, organise cultural walks, or help local families establish homestays.
Women, farmers, artisans, and village elders should be active participants, with fair opportunities to benefit from tourism. At the same time, our traditions must not become artificial performances created solely for visitors.
Government support, community participation, and responsible entrepreneurship must work together.
As we discuss a developed Jammu, we should remember that development is not only about building new attractions. It is also about making our existing cultural treasures accessible and economically sustainable.
Our villages do not need to become something else to attract the world. They need better connectivity, thoughtful support, and opportunities to share what already makes them special.
Preserving Dogra heritage and creating employment should go hand in hand.