THUR AND PARKUR, 203,344.
The Thur and Parkur district is inhabited by Hindus and 3Iusalmans, more equally divided than in any other part of Sind. Each of these include several tribes which are divided into classes. Their manners and customs resemble those of Cutchi. They are naturally inactive. The chief occupation is breeding and grazing cattle, for which they evince greater pre ference than for agricultural pursuits. The language in use is a combination of Sindi, Marwari, and Gujerati, and is called Dati. In some parts of the district they carry on business in Gujarati, but the generality use the Dati, with which they are more familiarized.
1. Syuds; 2. Baluchi, viz. Rind. Chandia, Gurgage, Bunglani, Duhvani, Sugrani, Dhownki, Lag hurl, Nattikani, Murree, Kuppri, Bhurgi, Khosa, Num riah, Butrani, Lashari, Bubber, Koriah, Nora, Kolachi, Zindpuri, Berohi.
Jhue.—Chacher, Kalru, Kokur, Syal, Pusiah, Thyme, Aria.
Surnmat—Summa, Summaja, Dull, Roahma, Umur, Bumbra, Gailra, Pulli, Saita, Rajur, Nukry, Powur. Powhore, Hallapotra, Molls, Diary, Durs, Sukkerdeon potra, Kotriah, Vikiab, Dadpotra, Keriah, Sungrasi, Thabba, Nori, Seahra, Joga, Jinji, Junaja, Hingorja, llingora, Bahun, Kullur, Bakur, Durpar.
Hindus.—Brahman, Puskurna, Vias, Aekaraj, Cavata, Joel, Basu, Changangri, Jundria, Prohut, Masara, Dhowra, Lora, Mandave, Viasurra, Takur, Hirow, Panah, Kullah, Hojah, Sarsud, Nuriajur, Sanichurri.
Soda.—Sultan, Bhojraj, Gungdass, Bijara, Sadur, Bhujbur, Kalun, Sungrasi,Virjuid, Bhar-Mull, Askaran, Uda, Bhowta, Gagilra, Sutta, Muddat.
Commercial Tribes, viz. Lohana, Kerar, Uswur, Kutri, Chepa, Sonara, Darzi, Malli, Sutar, Uda, Barber, Raj put, Debut, Balwaro, Kavrio, Charni, Bhatti, Rhye, Dhur, Jessore, Chowan, Jaraja, Purwar, Vurhun, Joga. Broken Tribes, viz. Mengwar, Bhil, Koli, 13alashahi, and Shikari.
Miscellaneous Races, viz. Shaikh. Memon, Kumbrani, Gudda, Bujir, Mohana, Jokiah, Dukur, Koliah, Amunda, Bhopa, Mahur, Hakra.
These multitudinous tribes can be summarized from the 1881 census as follows in the total Sind population of 2,413,823 : Brahman, . . 13,531 Shaikh, . . . 32,888 Rajput, . . . 10,534 Sindi, . . . 1,273,761
Cohan . . . 211,926 Other Muham Other Hindus, . 69,088 madans, . . 119,080 Baluch, . . 409,012 Aboriginals and Pathan, . . . 14,729 forest races, . 86,040 Syud 37,734 Others, . . . 135,500 Most of the races dwelling in Sind designate themselves by tribal names, either assumed by themselves or applied to them. These names indicate the country or town from which they came, or the ancestor or distant race from whom they have sprung.
The tribes are so mixed up one with another, that, excepting just on the borders, no part of the country can be marked off as occupied by any particular tribe ; even on the borders there is much intermixture. The great Murree tribe of Baluch, for instance, has a large, and the strongest, part of its clans in the hills to the north, and out side of the Sind border ; but there are a great many of the Murree located in different parts of Sind, even down to 100 miles south of Hyderabad.
The Arab is numerously represented by Spuds, who claim descent from Mahomed, through his daughter Fatima and her husband Ali. There are, of them, 13 tribal designations in Kurachee, and 11 in the Hyderabad collectorate, — land owners and extensive cultivators, who say they came from Arabia and Persia about the 12th century. The Haaani and Husaini Syuds (which is properly written Sayyid) are numerous ; the former class have the title of Pir, as Pir Bhawan Shah ; the Husaini race is termed Sayyid, as Sayyid Jendal Shah. As is usual in the Sind province, these two families are subdivided into clans, called after their previous place of residence, as Bokhari, Mathari, Shirazi, Lakhirai, Lakrulai, etc. Most of them are of the shiah or rafizi persuasion, and therefore they suffered severely during the various Afghan invasions. Many of these Sayyids are learned men, much respected by the commonality, in spite of the differences of belief. Under the Kalhora dynasty, they became possessed of large landed estates, granted as inam (or free gift) in perpetuity. When the Talpurs came into power, the priesthood declined.