Rich tributes paid to Dogra hero Mian Deedo

Jammu, Apr 8 (UNI) Starting a new tradition of honouring historical heroes of Jammu and Kashmir, rich floral tributes were paid by people to Dogra hero Mian Deedo who gave a tough fight to Maharaja Ranjit Singh from 1812 to 1820.

The Deedo memorial Committee in collaboration with the state-owned Jammu and Kashmir Cultural Academy organised the day to celebrate the 228th birthday of Mian Deedo Jamwal.

The Convener of the Mian Deedo Memorial Committee, Padma Vibhushan Balraj Puri, in his presidential speech, threw light on the life of the great Dogra hero.

Founder of Deedo memorial Committee, Thakur Gauri Singh said Deedo is a hero of the masses. Usually the history is written by rulers but the people who represented the sentiment against oppression and class equality are part of the oral culture, he added.

Mian Deedo, symbolises a unique ideological bond between the Kashmir valley and Jammu province as he stood against any form of imperialism. The Dogra patriot had fought against occupation of the state by Maharaja Ranjit Singh. He was shot dead by Raja Gulab Singh's men at Sanjhi Chhat near Mata Vaishnodevi shrine when he was offering prayer to Goddess.

The birth anniversary of great Dogra warrior was celebrated in picturesque Nagrota in the backdrop of famous Trikuta hills of Udhampur district.

UNI