Where and how Kukretis Settled Down?

Kukreti Community Stories -5

                 Where and how Kukretis Settled Down?

                        By Bhishm Kukreti

              Historian Harikrishan Raturi stated in Garhwal Ka Itihas that Kukreti came from Bilhat (Gujrat) around 1340 and settled in Kukarkata. Guru Prasad Ji was first Kukreti to settle there. The village Kukarkata in fact, is Jaspur. Jaspur is a village in Malla Dhangu, Ganga Salan , Dhangu Block, Tahseel –Lansdowne ,  electoral constituency –Yamkeshwar,now dist Kotdwara ( Pauri Garhwal), Uttarakhand. When I was child, I asked this question to my elders who said that our first person came as a pilgrimage from Taul Und ‘(south of Garhwal).     

 There is no sign that Kukretis came from Kumaun and were Upreti

  Jaspur seems to be a paradise village for settling down in hills of thirteenth -fourteenth centuries. When, anybody would settle in hills on that time. The first priority would be that the  land would be  very Taili (sunny ), water would be very near as no vessels even clay pots were not available easily on that time. Jaspur is on a flat Plato at the height of 3000-3500 feet. There was a water source (Chwaya) in village. However, around 1875 or so, there was a huge land slide.  The western parts of Jaspur slipped   away and water source dipped down now in Saud village. There were signs of canals in the village till my Dadi came after her marriage. Before the land slide, the original people of Jaspur were on western part. However, after land slide, those original settlers are settled in eastern part. Now Bahugunas are in extreme western part of Jaspur.

  The whole land of Malla Dhangu was occupied by Kukretis and the proof are  villages of Kukreti at all periphery of Malla Dhangu say- Kathud Bada in western Malla Dhangu, Khaman and Gatkot around south Malla Dhangu and Mal Dabad in eastern Malla Dhangu.

  We have a few folk community stories about Kukreti of Jaspur.  

                              Kukreti Vanshvalai or Family tree

Gurpati---- Nidhiram ----- Giridhar Ji -------Pareshar Ji ----- 1- elder son Brishabh ji  settled in Gweel 2 –younger son remained in Jaspur

1-GuruPati the first person settled in Jaspur. Nidhiram was his son and his son name was Giri Ji .  

2-  Shri Chakradhar Kukreti informs in Kukreti Vanshavali that  Giridhar ji was son of  Nidhiram ji.

3-According to Shri chakradhar ji Pareshwar ji was son of Giridhar ji . Pareshwar had two sons one remained in jaspur and other son Brishabh Ji settled in Gweel  (the original gausla (caw shed)  of Jaspur).

4- Before or around Gorkhyani, one brother migrated to Barsudi near Langur Bhairav , near Dwarikhal . He took Devi idols in night to Barsudi. From that day, Kukreti never built Devi temple in Jaspur or Gweel. All the Kukretis have Devi temples in their villages barring Jaspur and Gweel.

5-It  is sure that Gweel as village did not exist in Gorkhyali  regime because on Gorkha revenue record, there is no tax collection from Gweel  but from Jaspur Kathud, ,Bareth

6- Gweel got Padhanchari  or jamindaari only just end of nineteenth century or so (Gweel used to collect revenue from Malla Dhangu and some villages of Bichhla Dhangu)

7- A folk story from Jaspur tells that Mani ram ji was great Tantrik and his brother Randev ji was great Tantrik too. It seems Mani ram ji was great grandfather of Brishabh ji and t brother of Brishabh ji . Rrandev jee became Dallya guru and settled in Raneth just a mile away from Jaspur- Gweel. From that day, no Kukreti of Jaspur and Gweel took tantric profession till date.

8- Gudud jee or his brother was forefather of Baud taulka - Sheesh ram Ji and his cousins, Amba data Ji, Raghubar Datt ji (my grandfather). It seems Gudud jeeor his father had house in western part which was washed away in great land slide. The cousin of Gudud jee was grandfather of Ganga datt ji and Ganga Ram ji. There are two branch lets i.e offspring of Gudud jee and ganga datt and gnagram are rela original Kukretis in Jaspur.

9-Other Kukretis re-migrated from Dhangal  (forefathers of Ghoghadram ji, raghubar datt ji etc) and Khaman (forfather of Bhajan datt ji etc)

10- Rama Nand ji migrated from Jaspur to Banchuri and then Dhangal. Udyogpati Kukreti family of and a politician Digambar Kukreti are from Dhangal. The pitrwada of Dhangal, Gweel and Jaspur is in Jaspur. One son of rama nand ji migrated from Dhangal to Kheda Udaypur.

There is  Amadi  near kheda a Dalya village and those must be converted from Kukreti only

11- Though Chakrdhar ji states that Garibaa ji migrated from Gweel to Khamana but is illogical. As there was land (Kabjedar) in Jaspur and a family from Khaman returned back from Khaman to Jaspur as sated above by me.  Logically nobody would migrate from Gweel as it is the fertile most land in Malla Dhangu. Mahant Indiresh Ji (Shridhar Kukreti) belonged to Kahamana. There is Dalyan in Khaman as ranesh is is in the territory of Jaspur.

12- Chakrdhar ji states that Purna ji migrated from Jaspur to Kasani (udaypur).

13- Kukreti offered land to Jakhmolas perhaps as Ghar Jamain  in Mitrgram in Malla Dhangu. Kanddwals (from Kimsar, Udaypur patti) and Badols of Thantholi are ghar jawaains of Kukreti families)

14- Kukretis migrated to Dyusi –Gheedi , Manyarsyun from Barsudi  and from there to other places as in Sitaunsyun.

15- Kukretis from Barsudi also migrated to village Lakhwad, Jiyalgaon and villages of Langur and Sheela Pttis  .

16- Kukretis are in Chamyan, Malinya, Mooni, Badyun, Kudkind, Awai, Bubai,Kimoli, harsu, Jaurasi,  in Chunna, maheda, kimasar, Thangar, Damrada, Kandai, Bhumyasar, banwad,  Bukendi , Dyuli, Udaypur and Ajmer Pattis etc

17- Kukretis of Masan (near Dev Prayag, on the Rishikesh- Dev Prayad road, Tihri) were migrated from Jaspur long back.

18- Kukretis of Bedhi village near Forest research Institute, Dehradun) were migrated from Jaspur before 1900 due to cholera.

19- The Shilpkar family of Bhana ji and Symud ji settled with Gurupati ji in Jaspur. Jaspur had been famous for iron smith work and metal works in Shrinagar Darbar and Tihri Darbar as well.

20- Kukreti brought a young Bahuguna – Chaitram Ji son of Bhawani Datt ji of Bugani for performing religious rituals.

21- Kukretis of Jaspur, Gweel and Dhangal do not celebrate Bagwal but celebrate Godhan as a family member expired on Bagwal.

All Kukretis are requested to their family history.

bckukreti@gmail.com

                                A Brief about Kukretis of Jaspur

1-Late Daya Ram ji was first Graduate of the area and was first Tahsildar of area too.

2-Rram Charan Kukreti ji is first Post Graduate of Jaspur. He is first of Jaspur for travelling in North East frontier, Sikkim and Bhutan

3- Bhishm Kukreti is first Science Post Graduate of Jaspur

4- Mahesh Chandra Kukreti ji is first from Jaspur for choosing journalism

5-Hemant Kukreti Ji is first PhD from Jaspur. Hemant Kukreti is famous Hindi poet. His grandfather late Ishwari Prasad Kukreti is first Kukreti of Jaspur for taking government job in Delhi. Perhaps Hemant ji is also first Kukreti of Jaspur for marrying a non-Garhwali girl.

6- Among Kukretis of Jaspur, Bhishm Kukreti seems to be first who travelled abroad. However, late Narayan datt Jakhmola  ji is first person of Jaspur for visiting abroad.

7- Ahswin Kukreti is first Kukreti of Jaspur for completing B.E and MBA

8- Chakradhar Kukreti Ji is first Kukreti of Jaspur to put foot in Mumbai. Narayan Datt Jakhmola ji was first Jaspurian to come to Mumbai.

9-Chhawanu Ram ji is first Kukreti of Jaspur to settle down in Desh or Maidan.

10- It seems that late Bhairav Datt Kukreti is first person among Kukreti who bought land in Dehradun (Dobhalwala) . Though, late Brahma Nand Jakhmola ji is first person from Jaspur to buy land in Dehradun (Sayyad Muhalla) .

11- Ganesh Kukreti ji is credited first Kukreti of Jaspur for getting Shashtri degree.

12- Vijaya nand Kukreti ji  is first person among Kukretis of Jaspur for settling in Chandigarh

13- Late Ishwari Prasad Kukreti son of shri Ambadatt ji Ji is first Kukreti of Jaspur to put foot in Kolkatta

14- Manish Kukreti ji is first of Jaspur for taking job abroad (UAE)

14- Sadhu ram ji is first Kukreti of Jaspur joining Arm forced. Late Narayan Datt Jakhmola was first person of Jaspur for joining British army.

15- Hriday ram Kukreti ji was famous Hotelier of Dugadda

16-Kailash Kukreti ji is first Kukreti of Jaspur for opening schools/College in Kotdwara

xxx- Compiled by Bhishm Kukreti

गढ़वाळ का भगवान्(स्वर्गीय) पत्रकार/संपादक- १

Great Jounalists/Editors of Garhwal of Past - 1

३- सदा नन्द कुकरेती (ग्वील, मल्ला ढानगु, पौ. १८८६-१९३७): पैल टीरी रियासत माकाम कार पण उख घूसखोरी

रास नि आये त पौड़ी आयें अर सन १९१३-१९१५ तक 'विशाल कीर्ति' का संपादन कार.लिखण मा चुटीली शैली

अर व्यंगात्मक ब्युंत का बान प्रसिद्ध. अख्बराऊ संपादकत्व मा अंग्रेजी हकुमत सेझगड़ा बि ह्व़े.

 भग्यान /स्व.मधुर (कुकरेती) शास्त्री(चंपा, अजमेर, पौ.ग.१९०५-स्वर्गीय)भग्यान मधुर शास्त्री स्वतंत्रता सेनानी .

लिखवार, पत्रकार अर संपादक छया. मिलाप, अर्जुन, शक्ति, गढ़वाळी काखबरची रैन अर 'समृद्ध भारत'

हफ्तावार पत्र का संपादक रैन

भग्यान/स्व. राधा कृष्ण कुकरेती (तल्ला नौगाँव, उदयपुर, पौ.ग. १९३५-भग्यान) मार्क्सवाद- बामपंथ को धड्वे,

हिंदी का पर्वतीय ज्वीवन का कथाकार भग्यान राधा कृष्ण कुकरेती न बीससालुं से बि जादा दिन तलक

देहरादून बिटेन 'नया जमाना साप्ताहिक' को प्रकाशन अर संपादन कार.