CHITRAL, a native state in the North-West Frontier Prov ince of India. The State of Chitral (see also HINDU Rusk') is somewhat larger than Wales, and supports a population of about 35,000 rough, hardy hillmen. Both the state and its capital are called Chitral, the latter being situated about 47 m. from the main watershed of the range of the Hindu Kush, which divides the waters flowing down to India from those which take their way into the Oxus. The state is important because of its situation at the extremity of the country over which the government of India exerts its influence, and for some years before 1895 it had been the object of the policy of the government of India to secure an effective guardianship over its northern passes. This policy re sulted in a British agency being established at Gilgit (Kashmir territory). Chitral can be reached either by the long circuitous route from Gilgit, involving 20o m. of hill roads and the passage of the Shandur pass (12,250 ft.), or (more directly) from the Peshawar frontier at Malakand by 10o m. of route through the independent territories of Swat and Bajour, involving the pas sage of the Lowarai (10,45o ft.). It is held by a small force as a British outpost.
The district of Chitral is called Kashgar by the people of the country. It was under Chinese domination in the middle of the 18th century, and was a Buddhist centre of some importance in the early centuries of our era. The aboriginal population is prob ably to be recognized in the people called Kho (speaking a language called Khowar), who form the majority of its inhabit ants. Upon the Kho a people called Ronas have been super imposed, who form the chief caste and fighting race of the Chitral districts, who originally came from the north, but have adopted the language and fashions of the conquered Chitrali. (X.) The Siege of Chitral.—The town of Chitral (pop. in 1901, 8,128), is chiefly famous for a siege which it sustained in the spring of 1895. Owing to complications arising from the demarcation of the boundary of Afghanistan which was being carried out at that time, and the ambitious projects of Umra Khan, chief of Jandol, who was a tool in the hands of Sher Afzul, a political refugee from Chitral supported by the amir at Kabul, the mehtar (or ruler) of Chitral was murdered, and a small British and Sikh garrison sub sequently besieged in the fort. A large force of Afghan troops was at that time in the Chitral river valley to the south of Chitral, nominally holding the Kafirs in check during the progress of boundary demarcation. It is considered probable that some of them assisted the Chitralis in the siege. The position of the polit ical agent Dr. Robertson (afterwards Sir George Robertson) and his military force of 543 men (of whom 137 were non-combat ants) was at one time critical. Two forces were organized for the relief. One was under Sir R. Low, with 15,000 men, who advanced by way of the Malakand pass, the Swat river and Dir. The other, which was the first to reach Chitral, was under Colonel Kelly, commanding the 32nd Pioneers, who was placed in com mand of all the troops in the Gilgit district, numbering about 600 all told, with two guns, and instructed to advance by the Shandur pass and Mastuj. This force encountered great difficulties owing to the deep snow on the pass (I2,23oft. high), but it easily de feated the Chitrali force opposed to it and relieved Chitral on April 20, the siege having begun on March 4. Sher Afzul, who had joined Umra Khan, surrendered, and eventually Chitral was re stored to British political control as a dependency of Kashmir. See Sir George Robertson, Chitral (1898). (T. H. H.)