A new city--The Bungalow--Numerous Beluch
villages--Nomads--Beluch architecture--Weaving
looms--Implements--Beluch diet--Cave dwellers of Nushki--Beluch
dress--Children--The salaam of the chiefs--An impressive
sight--The Kwajah Mahommed Ziarat--Shah Hussein's Ziarat and its
legend--A convenient geographical site.
On arriving at this new city, with actual streets and people moving about
in them, shops, etc., it seemed to me at first almost as good as if I had
arrived back in London again. The Bungalow, on a prominent hill 75 feet
above the plain, was simply and nicely furnished, and was most
comfortable in every way. From it one obtained a fine panoramic view of
the small town and the neighbouring country with the many Beluch villages
scattered about.
North, two miles off, was Mengal, a village of about 300 houses and 1,500
people; west lay Jumaldini (2½ miles distant), 200 houses, 6-700
inhabitants; north-west, Badini in two blocks, one belonging to Alun
Khan, the other jointly to Khaian Khan and Adal Khan: 200 houses
collectively, 400 to 500 people. Little Badal Khan Karez, with only 30
houses, stood to the south-west. The population of these villages is
formed of the tribes called _Barechis_ and _Rashkhanis_, the people of
Badini and Jumaldini being entirely Rashkhanis. The Barechis formerly
inhabited Afghanistan, but migrated to the Nushki district three
generations ago. Bagag (south-west) is a village generally inhabited by
Mandais, a branch of the Jumaldini Rashkhanis.
Two big villages are to be found south, and they are called _Batto_,
which means "mixture," owing to the populations being composed of
Rashkhanis, Mingals, Samalaris, Kharanis, and other minor tribes; and
south of Batto are two more villages (east and west respectively of each
other). The one east is Harunis, a separate tribe from either the
Rashkhanis and the Mingals, who follow the head chief Rind. The second
village (west) is Ahmed Val, inhabited by Ahmed Zai Mingals. Besides
these villages, the remainder of the population is of nomads.
It may have been noticed that regarding the village of Bagag I said that
"generally" it was inhabited by Mandais. Certain villages are inhabited
by certain tribes during the summer, the people migrating for the winter
months, and other tribes come in for the winter and vacate their quarters
in the summer. The Beluch is not much burdened with furniture and can do
this without inconvenience.
The crops grown consist of wheat, barley and _jowari_ (millet). Where
good grazing is obtainable the younger folks are sent out with sheep,
horses and camels.
Almost each tribe has a different style of architecture for its
dwellings. Those near Nushki are usually rectangular in shape, domed over
with matting covered with plaster. The only opening is the door, with a
small porch over it. Wooden pillars are necessary to support the central
portion of the dome (semi-cylindrical), which is never higher than from
five to eight feet. The mangers for the horses, which form an annexe to
each dwelling--in fact, these mangers are more prominent than the
dwellings themselves--are cylindrical mud structures eight or nine feet
high, with a hole cut into them on one side to allow the horse's head to
get at the barley contained in the hollowed lower portion.
[Illustration: Beluch Huts and Weaving Loom.]
[Illustration: Cave Dwellers, Nushki.]
The weaving looms are the largest and principal articles of furniture one
notices--not inside, but outside the houses. The illustration shows how
the cloth and threads are kept in tension, from every side, in a
primitive but most effective manner. The women work with extraordinary
rapidity and with no pattern before them, beating each transverse thread
home by means of an iron comb held in the hand. The pattern on the cloths
is of a primitive kind, generally sets of parallel lines crossing one
another at right angles.
In the same photograph two Beluch dwellings can be seen, with matting
showing through the thatch. In many villages, however, the walls of the
houses are made of sun-dried bricks, and only the roof is made of a mat
plastered over with mud. In either case the Beluch seems to have a liking
for crawling rather than walking into his house, for the doorway is
invariably very low--4½ to 5 feet high.
One is generally sorry to peep into a Beluch dwelling, but I felt it a
sort of duty to see what there was to be seen. Nothing! or almost
nothing. A large wooden bowl, a stone grinding wheel with a wooden handle
to grind wheat into flour, a wooden drinking cup or an occasional tin
enamelled one, of foreign importation, a matchlock, and that was all. In
some of the smarter dwellings, such as the houses of chiefs, a few
additional articles were to be found, such as a _badni_--a sort of jar
for taking water--flat stones which are made red hot for baking bread,
some occasional big brass dishes--_tash_--used on grand occasions--such
as wedding dinners; and a _deg_ or two or large brass pots.
Nearly every household, however, possesses one or more _khwa_ or skins
for water, and a large _kasa_, made either of metal or wood, into which
broth is poured during meals. Occasionally in a corner of the hut a small
table is to be seen, on which are placed all the family's clothing,
blankets, _darris_ or carpets, and _lihaf_ or mattresses. These carpets,
or rather rugs, are generally spread when receiving an honoured guest.
The Beluch diet is wholesome but simple. They are fond of plenty of meat
when they can get it, which is not often, and they generally have to be
satisfied with dry bread. The woman who can make the largest and thinnest
bread is much honoured among the Beluch. When they do obtain meat it is
generally boiled and made into a soup called _be-dir_, which in the
Brahui language really means "salt water," to express "flavoured water."
Milk and _ghi_ are dainties seldom indulged in and, being Mussulmans, the
Beluch imbibe no intoxicants, but are smokers of strong bitter tobacco.
It is not uncommon for lambs, sheep and calves to share the homes and
some of the meals of their masters.
Perhaps the most peculiar folks at Nushki are the cave dwellers, who live
in abject misery in holes eroded by water in the cliffs near the river.
When I visited them most were half-naked and trembling with cold. A few
rags answered the purpose of blankets. The only articles of furniture and
comfort were a primitive pipe moulded out of mud--the _chilam_ or the
_gaddu_ as it is called by the Kakars--which occupied a prominent place
in the dwelling, and a musical instrument placed in a receptacle in the
wall of the cave. At the entrance of the cave a wall had been built for
protection against the wind and water.
In another dwelling an _assah_ or long iron rod, like a crutch, the
emblem of fakirs, was noticeable, and by its side an empty
"potted-tongue" tin with a wire attached to it--an article which was made
to answer to a great many uses. This cave had a small store place for
food, a drinking cup, and the wooden vessel--another emblem of fakirs--in
which charitable people deposit money for the support of these poor
wretches.
The dress of the better class Beluch men consists of a _khuss_, or sort
of loose shirt reaching below the knees, and the enormous trousers
falling in ample folds, but fitting tight at the ankle. At an angle on
the head they wear a conical padded cap, embroidered in gold or silver,
inside a great turban of white muslin. They also wear shawls or long
scarves thrown over the shoulders in a fashion not unlike our
Highlanders. Either shoes with turned-up toes are worn or else sandals.
Felt coats or sheep-skins are donned in winter, while the richer people
wear handsome coats and waistcoats of cloth embroidered in gold or
silver. The chiefs possess most beautiful and expensive clothes.
The women of the poorer classes are garbed in a short petticoat, usually
red or blue, and a loose shirt. A long cloth, not unlike a chudder, is
thrown over the head, and is kept tight round the forehead by a band. It
is fashionable to let it drag on the ground behind. Women generally go
about barefooted. Better class ladies wear similar clothes but of better
material, and often richly embroidered. Occasionally they put on large
trousers like Persian women. The hair is either left to flow loose at the
sides of the head, or is tied into a knot behind.
Necklaces, ear-rings, nose-rings, bracelets and armlets are worn; white
shells of all sizes from the Persian Gulf, as well as glass beads,
playing a very important part in women's ornaments. Bracelets cut out of
a large white sea-shell are common.
Beluch children are rather quaint, with little skull caps, much
decorated with silver coins, one of which larger than the others hangs
directly over the forehead. The poor little mites are further burdened
with ear-rings, bracelets and heavy necklaces of glass beads. Mothers
seem tenderly fond of their children.
I was much delighted on the morning of January 29th to find that all the
chiefs of the neighbouring tribes, garbed in their gaudy robes, had come
with their retinues to pay their salaams to me. I heard the buzzing noise
of a crowd approaching up the hill, and on looking out of the bungalow
window beheld a most picturesque sight. A tall, long-haired figure in a
brilliant long gown of red velvet, with gold embroideries in front and
back, walked slowly a-head, followed by a cluster of venerable old men,
some in long yellow skin _poshteens_, others in smart waistcoats covered
with gold and silver embroidery. All wore huge turbans with gold
embroidered conical caps inside. Behind them came a mass of armed men
with swords and rifles.
On reaching the bungalow, fearing that I should still be asleep, they
became silent, and as I watched them unseen from behind the blinds I do
not believe that I have ever in my life gazed upon such a fine,
dignified, manly lot of fellows anywhere. They seated themselves in a
perfect circle, some twenty yards in diameter, directly outside the
bungalow, carpets having been spread where the chiefs were to be
accommodated. The chiefs sat together, and the soldiers and
followers--over 150--with guns, matchlocks and Snider rifles, squatted
down in two semicircles at their sides.
An opening was left large enough for me to enter the ring, and when I
approached all respectfully rose and salaamed, and the chiefs, coming
forward in turn, shook me heartily by the hand with the usual long Beluch
salutation, each bowing low as he did so. Sitting in the centre of the
circle on a carpet, which had been spread for me, I addressed them in a
few words, which they seemed to appreciate, and each chief answered back
in a simple, straightforward and most thoughtful, gentlemanly manner.
Mahommed Ali, the leading chief, in a red velvet coat, was the Mingal
Sardar of the three powerful tribes, Jumaldini, Badini, and Mingal, and
by his side sat Kaim Khan with his shield and sword, the second Sardar of
the neighbourhood and brother of the Jumaldini Sardar. Jan Beg, who sat
on the left hand side of the chief Sardar, was a thin tall man, and Alam
Khan, a splendid old fellow with a fine inlaid sword, can be seen
standing in the photograph reproduced in the illustration.
The last of the principal five Badini chiefs was a comparatively young
man of black complexion, long jet black curly hair, and garbed in a gaudy
poshteen, sword and belt. His name was Kasin Khan.
Then there was Kadar Bakhsh, uncle of the present Mingal Sardar, a man
most useful to the British Government, and beside him his brother, Attar
Khan.
Gauher Khan, nephew of the Mingal Sardar, was a picturesque young man
with heavily embroidered black coat and a black turban. He carried his
sword in his hand.
As one looked round the circle it was really a most impressive and
picturesque sight--colours of all sorts dazzling in the sunlight. Among
the other most important men were Adal Khan (cousin of the Badini chief),
a very old fellow, curved from age; and Bai Khan, his cousin, who looked
somewhat stronger; Kaiser Khan, a smart young fellow with curly hair,
black coat and trousers, was the son of the Jumaldini chief, and a young
fellow of weak constitution, by name Abdullah Aziz, was son and heir of
the Badini Sardar.
[Illustration: A Badini Sardar.]
[Illustration: The Salaam of the Beluch Sardars at Nushki.
(Sardar Alam Khan standing.)]
Sherdil and Mehrullah Khan, with elaborately embroidered coats and Snider
rifles, sat among the elect, and the others were soldiers and followers,
but a fine lot of fellows indeed, all the same.
When the formal reception broke up I showed them my repeating rifles,
revolvers and various instruments, which interested them greatly; and the
leading chiefs having been entertained to tea, they eventually departed
after repeated salaams.
Although the Beluch and the Afghan shake hands on arrival, they seldom do
so on departing, the handshake being for them an outward sign to express
the joy of seeing a friend.
On surveying the neighbourhood from our high point of vantage at the
bungalow, we found plenty to interest the observer. To the north and
north-west directly below the hill could be seen a graveyard in two
sections, the tombs being very high above ground, with prismatic tops of
white stones, whereas the bases were of black pebbles. The tombs in the
graveyard to the north-west were in bad preservation. There was at this
spot a well known Ziarat called Kwajah Mahommed, and the British
Government has given much pleasure to the natives by sanctioning a "mufi"
or remission of revenue for ever of all the land belonging to this Ziarat
in order to provide for the support of it.
The people of the district are extremely religious, and they have erected
Mesjids and Ziarats on every possible hill in the neighbourhood. The most
interesting is the Shah-Hussein Ziarat, which has a curious legend of its
own. They say, that when the Arabs attacked Shah-Hussein, he killed all
his enemies by merely praying to God. With their heads, which suddenly
turned into solid stone, he built the Ziarat. The tomb is made, in fact,
of round stones, some of enormous size, evidently worn into that shape by
water, but the natives firmly believe that they are petrified heads of
Arabs!
Nushki is most conveniently situated in a large valley with mountains
sheltering it from the north, north-east, east, south-east, south,
south-south-west, but from south-south-west to north there is a stretch
of open flat desert (the _Registan_, or "country of sand") as far as the
eye can see. To the south of the bungalow is a hill range stretching from
north-north-east to south-south-west, and suddenly broken by the valley,
through which runs the stream which, then proceeding along the Nushki
plain from east to west, turns in a graceful curve round the western side
of the hill on which the bungalow is situated, and proceeds across the
desert in a north-north-west direction, where, having supplied several
villages and irrigated their fields, it eventually exhausts itself in the
desert. A broad river bed can be noticed on the east side of and parallel
with the above hill range. The east side of these hills has been much
worn by water action; so much so that actual holes and caves in the soft
strata of sand and gravel have been corroded by the water, and these
holes, as we have seen, are now inhabited by destitute Beluch.