History
For much of its early history, Dhanni was an uninhabited part of the Jammu state of the Dogra Rajputs, held as a hunting ground for the Rajas of Jammu. In the year 1190 CE, Raja Bhagir Dev, a Jamwal prince, while on a hunting expedition fell in love with a Muslim woman belonging to a tribe of wandering Gujjar grazers. In order to marry her, he converted to Islam and consequently his father asked him to stay away from Jammu and settle in this tract along with his men. Raja Bhagir Dev changed his name to Muhammed Mair after his conversion to Islam and his descendants are Mair-Minhas Rajputs. The Mairs preferred pastoral rather than agricultural pursuits for the next few centuries and remained confined to this area. Mughal era In approximately 1525 C.E, the Mughal King Babur stopped in this area on his way to Kashmir, and hostile tribes nearby ambushed his army. However, Babur's army was awakened by the herds owned by the Mairs and the hostile Rajputs fled. The next morning, the M...
