Balochistan

sillent.killer · #1 Thursday, October 29, 2009

Aslamolekum
The Baloch (بلوچ) alternative transliterations Baluch, Balouch, Bloach, Balooch, Balush, Balosh, Baloosh, Baloush inhabit the region of Balochistan in the southeast corner of the Iranian plateau in Southwest Asia, including parts of Iran, Afghanistan, and Pakistan.

The Baloch speak Balochi and Brahui languages

sillent.killer · #2 Thursday, October 29, 2009

BALOUCH HISTORY

Balouch is a nation consisting of 500 tribes, their tradition and commonly values are similar. They have united civilaizal society and they speak common language which is called Balouchi. nited civilaizal society and they speak common language which is called Balouchi. This language was driven from ancient Indo-Iranian language. Balouchi language also known as an ancient spoken language. It is pronounceless language spoken in accordance with tribes areas.

This nation lives in a vast land called Balouchistan located in easter part of Asia north of Gulf penisala occupied by three modern countries Iran, Pakistan and Afghanstan. The part which is taken by Iran Known as Iranian Balouchisatan. Zaidan is capital of it measuring in miles 69,487 sq miles.The second is located in west of Pakistan is known as Balouchistan. The capital is Quetta and it has 34,000 sq miles. The population of Balouchistan lacks specified record here by give the approximate figure which is 1,50,000.

"The history of the Baloch is, however, still in dark. Research scholars have different opinions. Some say they belong to the northern regions of Elburz, now inhabited by Ashkanis, originally Aryans. Some historians maintain that they came from Halab, Allepe, and are Semites. It is also believed that they from the old stock of Sumerians of Mesopotamia, while others regard the Baloch as the remnants of indigenous population of the area. The historians, however, mostly concern themselves in tracing the Baloch racical origin either from among the Indo-Europeans or the Semites. Neither should one object on these methods for historical research, nor doubt the fact that there had been an admixture of various people with Baloch like the Scythians, Pathians, Ashkanis, Sakas, Kushans, Huns, Turks and many others; nor contest the proposition that Baloch, culturally, were greatly influenced by Tigris-Euphrates civilization at different stages of history. " {Janmahmad}

"The origin of the word 'Baloch' is still unknown. E. Herzefeld believes that it is derived from brza-vaciya, which came from brza-vak, a Median word meaning a loud cry, in contrast to namravak, quiet, polite way of talking. Some writers maintain that the Baloch owe their name to Babyloian King 'Belus', also the name of their God. It is also believed that the word is anick-name meaning a `cock's comg`. As the Baloch forces who fought against Astyages (585-550 B.C.) wore distinctive helmets decorated with a cock's comb, the name `Baloch' is said to have been derived from the token of cock. Some writers believe that etymologically it is made of two Sankrit words, `Bal` and `Och`. `Bal` means strength or power, and `Och`, high or magnificent. The word `Baloch' therefore, means very powerful and magnificent. Yet another erroneous version is that Baloch mean `nomad` or `wanderer`. This has been presumed perhaps due to the innocent use of the word for nomadic people, and may be because of the fact that the term may be used by indigenous settlers for the Baloch nomads.

The first Baloch migration from the Caspian See region, most probably around 1200 B.C., must have been motivated by this general historical phenomenon. They first settled in northern Persia. We have the authority of Persion poet, Firdousi (935-1020 A.D.) and also strong historical evidences that the Baloch were a political and military force during the times of Cyrus and Combyses.

However, the Baloch movement from Kirman and Seisran to Makkuran and then Eastern Balochistan was not the only result of the lack of sufficient productive forces to meet their demands, or insufficient grazing fields for their flocks, because the area they migrated to was no better in natural resources than the area in which they had been settled for centuries. The main reason was their conflict with rulers and their own internal enmity which resulted in a weakening of their political position. yet another factor most probably was the Mongolian invasion of Central Asia and the subsequent political anarchy in the whole region.

From the evidences available, it is establiched that by the beginning of the Christian era, the Baloch were one of the major people inhabiting Iranian Balochistan, Seistan and Kirman. Their migration further east into Makkuran must also be the result of Anushervan's (531-578 A.D.) attack on them. But according to some Iegends, it was at a later stage and was the result of a quarrel between the Kirman ruler and the Baloch Chief who was the successor to the most powerful leader, Ismael Romi. The former demanded forty-four girls, one from each Baloch tribe, for his harem. The Baloch dressed up boys in girls' disguise and, fearing the wrath of the ruler, migrated from Kirman and took refuge in Makkuran.

The Kurds

The Baloch have always been referred by the ancient chroniclers with Koch who appear to be the original inhabitants of Balochistan before the Baloch arrival and also with Kurds. Many ethnologists believe that the Kurds belong to the Median branch of Aryan tribes who were mixed up with many people of indigenous origin and later invaders including Semites, Armenians and Turkomans.

The Kurds have been living in Kurdish region and Zagros area since the Semitic conquest of Assyria. They are said to have posed a permanent nuisance for the weak rulers of Assyria by organizing raids on Tigris mainland. In a Sumerian inscription dated 2000 B.C. a country known as Kardala is mentioned; and afterwards the Assyrian King, Tiglath Pileser, (circa 745-724 B.C.) appears to have fought a tribe referred as Kur-ti-e. Xenophon (circa 434-355 B.C.) also speaks of Kardukai, a mountain-folk who harassed his march towards the sea. Some archaeological evidences tend to show a Kurdish kingdom which flourished in the second millennium B.C. on the borders of the Semitic empire in Babylonia. In a later period, the Kurds cavalry seved as the vanguard of Cyrus army in capturing Babylonia in 539 B.C.

The Kurds are from the same origin as that of Baloch. The period of their migration from the Caspian region may be a few centuries earlier than the Baloch who followed at a later period; but instead of going to their people in Zagros mountainous region, outskirts of Mesopotamia, they headed towards east. Linguistically and culturally they must have been from the same stock." [ Janmahmad; The Baloch Cultural Heritage, 1982]

sillent.killer · #3 Thursday, October 29, 2009

Baloch Society & culture

Cultural a
Facts

Cultural facts about Balochistan Language:
Balochi is the major language of Balochistan. It is spoken over extensive areas of the province. It is also rich in poetic and romantic literature. Besides, other languages which are spoken in Balochistan are Brahui and Makrani. Brahui is spoken in Qalat areas while Makrani is spoken in Makrani, the coastal region of Balochistan.

Food:

Their dry fruits are also very popular all over the world. Their special item, Sajji is very famous in Balochistan and also all over the Pakistan. They also eat roasted lamb sand mutton.

Dress:

They wear shalwar qamees and turban. Women wear embroider frocks and shalwar. They also wear jewelery made of metals. This jewellery is also very famous among the women of Pakistan. Women also wear long dress with long sleeves.

Festival:

Wrestling, horse-racing, religious feasts are the recreational and the seasonal functions. In the Makran region, the seasonal harvest of the date palms is an occasion for the rejoicing and reunion of friends and relatives who return home for the harvest.

Crafts:

Balochistan has a strong individual character. Its varied landscape includes deserts plains, and mountain. In fact northern Balochistan is a perfect maze of mountain. The country experiences great fluctuation of temperature caused by extraordinary differences in the elevation of land. Balochistan is mostly barren, with scanty rainfall and great water deficiency.

It has few large towns. The population is thinly scattered over a large area. Their crafts to have a strong individual character. Balochistan processes skins and hides and manufactures goods in leather, wool and goat's hair. Two raw material's, typical to Balochistan are crude clay; and the dwarf palm. The first is used to make coarse, green glazed earthenware, such as hookas, bowls, and platters. The latter are commonly available in the Kandhari Bazar in Quetta, and largely used by the local population. Secondly the dwarf palm, which grows wild on the Sibi frontier, is used for making prayer mats, matting for stone shelters, sandals, shoes and now also ladies hand-bags. Women also participate actively in the practice of crafts. Women do all embroidery work and most of the work in wool and goat's hair.

Leather works:

Most of Baluchi leatherwork is embroidered upon. Lehri refers to the application of chain stitch in colored silk, to leather. The motifs and designs in leatherwork and specially embroideries, are different. Products of Balochistan, the distinctive Balochi stamp on them. Leather is produced almost everywhere in Balochistan. However it may be localized in the Kachhi district where the raw material for manufacture is largely available. The work consist chiefly of saddles, horse gear, embroidered shoes and sword belts, all of which are made in Muhammadpur in the Nasirabad tehsil and Lahri, further north.

The sword belts made in Lahri have considerable local repute and are extensively used by Balochi and Brahui tribesmen. The leather used is of dark red color, ornamented with green and embroidered in minute circles placed between parallel lines. The work is in yellow golden yellow silk, minutely embroidered in chain stitch, similar to Lahri. This stitch, originally used on bedspreads and the top of the Peshawari sandals, is now employed for leather book covers, wallets, belts, ladies hand-bags and cushions.

Goat hair works:

Goat hair is woven chiefly in the border hills in Darajat and in Marri and in Bugti country. The coarser forms of this pastoral craft is rough goat's hair ropes, the crude cloth on which grain is winnowed and cleaned, corn sacks and camel bags. The more refined forms are saddlebags, nosebags, and astringes or multicolored rugs. The saddlebags have a fine woven pattern, round the neck. In addition they are ornamented with tassels and risottos, with little shells sewn to the borders.

Brahui people

The Brahui people or Brohi people (Brahui/Urdu: بروہی) are a distinct ethnic group of about 2.2 million people with the majority found in Kalat, Pakistan, but also found in smaller numbers in neighboring Afghanistan and Iran. They are closely linked to the Baloch with whom they have substantially intermingled and whose cultural traits they have absorbed. Linguistically they were believed to be a remnant of the inhabitants of the Indus Valley civilization. The Brahui language, also called Bravi, has been theorized as the remnant of a North Dravidian language. Due to its isolation from the other Dravidian tongues it has considerable Balochi vocabulary and counting begins with Balochi numbers. There is no distinct indigenous script for Brahui; like Balochi it is written in Perso-Arabic alphabet. Brahui is spoken in the following areas: Merv area of Turkmenistan, Sindh, Zahedan and Zabol in Iranian Balochistan, southern parts of Afghanistan, Pakistani Balochistan and with the bulk in the Jhalawan region.

Origins, geography, and demographics

There are two main theories regarding the Brahui that have been proposed by academics. One theory is that they are an ancient hold-over of some sort of indeterminate Elamo-Dravidian origin that descended from the people of the Indus Valley civilization. Another theory is that they are migrants from northern India who arrived in the region either before the Aryan invasion, but probably before the Baloch. Over the centuries, due to their location, the Brahui have mixed with Iranian peoples notably the Baloch as well as with the Indo-European people(s), notably the Sindhis and other groups and culturally more closely resemble their neighbors. In addition, they are almost entirely Muslim, usually of the Sunni sect.Generally dominated by various invaders during their history, including the Baloch, the Khans of Kalat, who were of Brahui origin, became rulers in their own right and dominated Balochistan for decades, while holding off the Persians until the coming of the British in the 19th century.

Language

The Brahui language is mainly spoken in the Kalat areas of Balochistan, Pakistan, although there are a considerable number of speakers in Southern Afghanistan and Iranian Balochistan. It includes three dialects including Sarawani (spoken in the north), Jhalawani (spoken in the southeast), and Chaghi (spoken in the northwest and west). According to a survey it has about 2,000,000 speakers in Pakistan (1998), 200,000 speakers in Afghanistan and 20,000 speakers in Iran, which would amount to 2,220,000 in the world. Due to its isolation, Brahui's vocabulary is only 15% Dravidian, while the remainder is dominated by Perso-Arabic, Balochi, and Indo-Aryan, while the grammar and overall morphology still resemble other Dravidian tongues. Brahui is generally written in the Perso-Arabic script and there is even a Roman alphabet that has been developed for use with Brahui. In Pakistan when doing a BA (bachelor of Arts) program, the Brahui Language can be taken as an optional subject.

Tribal dialects

Baloch society is divided in tens of tribes, including Bangulzai, Bizenjo, Langov, Lehri, Mengal, Mohammad Hasni, Mohammad Shahi, Raisani, Shahwani, Sumulani, Yusufzai (Dehwar) and Zarakzai (Zehri) [1]. Some tribes speak Brahui and some speak Balochi, and there are many that speak both. For instance, the Langov tribe, inhabiting central Balochistan in the Mangochar area, speak Balochi as their first language and Brahui as second. The Bizenjo tribe that inhabit Khuzdar, Nal and regions of Makran, along with the Muhammadsanis, one of the largest Baloch tribes, speak both languages. Another example is the Bangulzai tribe which is a Brahui-speaking tribe but the sub-tribe of the Bangulzai, the Garanis, speak Balochi and are known as Balochi speaking Bangulzais.Presently Brahui is spoken in Balochistan (Iran), Pakistan, Afghanistan, northern Iran[citation needed], Turkmanistan, Sindh and Gulf Arab states. Historically, all Khans of Balochistan were Brahui speakers[citation needed] but their court language was Balochi and they still speak Balouchi inside their homes.

sillent.killer · #4 Thursday, October 29, 2009

Geography

Balochistan is located at the eastern edge of the Iranian plateau and in the border region between Southwest, Central, and South Asia. It is geographically the largest of the four provinces at 347,190 km² or (134,051 square miles) of Pakistani territory; and composes 48% of the total land area of Pakistan. The population density is very low due to the mountainous terrain and scarcity of water. The southern region is known as Makran. The central region is known as Kalat.

The Sulaiman Mountains dominate the northeast corner and the Bolan Pass is a natural route into Afghanistan towards Kandahar, used as a passageway during the British campaigns to Afghanistan[1]. Much of the province south of the Quetta region is sparse desert terrain with pockets of towns mostly near rivers and streams.

The capital city is Quetta, located in the most densely populated district in the northeast of the province. Quetta is situated in a river valley near the border with Afghanistan, with a road to Kandahar in the northwest.

At Gwadar on the coast the Pakistani government is currently undertaking a large project with Chinese help to build a large port. This is being done partially to provide the Pakistan Navy with another base, and to reduce Pakistan's and in particular Punjab's reliance on Karachi and Port Qasim, which are currently the only major ports

Climate

Very cold winters and hot summers characterise the climate of the upper highlands. Winters of the lower highlands vary from extremely cold in the northern districts to mild conditions closer to the Makran coast. Summers are hot and dry, especially the arid zones of Chaghai and Kharan districts. The plain areas are also very hot in summer with temperatures rising as high as 120 °F (50 °C). Winters are mild on the plains with the temperature never falling below the freezing point. The desert climate is characterised by hot and very arid conditions. Occasionally strong windstorms make these areas very inhospitable.[/COLOR]

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