Kolwah is an extensive valley of Baluch Makran, immediately west of the Jhao district. It is separ ated by a sterile hilly tract from the maritime district of Ormara. It is four or five days' journey from the coast, has several villages and castles, and is occupied by the Bizanju, Kaodai, Mirwari, Ormarari, Rakshani, and Nusherwani tribes, who interchange their commodities with the coast, sending wool, ghi, hides, and bdellium. Wheat is largely grown here.
The Homarari occupy Balor. Ormarari may mean the people of Ormara.
The Banput valley is a province in the Kohistan of Baluchistan. It was annexed by Persia about 1845, and now forms part of Persian Baluchistan. It was at this valley that Alexander emerged from the arid tract he had followed through Bela, Jhao, and Kolwah.
Jhao or Jao, a valley to the west of Las, and east of Kolwah, is sparsely inhabited by Bizanju, Ilalada, and Mirwari (Brahui), who are rich in herds of cattle, buffaloes, and camels, and in flocks of sheep and goats. It is well wooded, without cul tivation. The valley harr but ono village, Nandaru. Numerous mounds, here called dam or ' exist, where coins and trinkets are found, remnants of some former civilisation. These daim occur in other parts of Baluchistan. There is also the site of an ancient city, which Masson has suggested may be that founded by Alexander the Great amongst the Oritm.
Kej is a division of Makran, and properly in cluded the districts of Dasht and Kolanch.
The Kolanch district has a population of 2000 of the Puzlii, Baud, Wardili, Jagdal, and Bizanju tribes.
The Dada district extends from Gwetar Bay, N.E. to the vicinity of Kej, a distance of about 100 miles. The inhabitants aro members of Bar, Itirdi, Hot, Kaodai, Shahzadah, and Rind tribes, in all probably 3000 or 4000 persons.
Kej town was the forther Capital of 3fakran, and is now the residence of a deputy of th6 Khan of Kalat. It is a cluster of small villages and forts in the great valley which traverses Makran from east to west. The population con sists of Gitchki of much importance, the the Mulai, the Sangura, Durzada, Led, Lundi, and Kutwari, about 10,000 souls. The name of the district of Kej Makran is written by Man delelo Gctsche Macquerono. Marco Polo names it Kesmacorono, which is supposed to be Kej mahi-khoran, fish-eating Kej. Ibn Haukal (p. 140) says the Baloujes are in the desert of Mount Kefes, and Kefes in the Parsee language is Kouje, and they call these two people Koujes and 13aloujes. The I3aloujes are people who dwell in the desert.' The Gitchki tribe are settled both in the Baluch and Persian portions of Makran,but have their chief residence in the town of Kej. They are said to be descended from a Sikh named Mar Singh, son of Pans Singh of Lahore, who in the early part of the 17th century settled with his companions in the Gitch district. One branch resides in Kej and Tump, and another at Panjgur. Since the begin ning of the 18th century, they have been at feud with the Boledi, but intermarry with them. Some are of the Zikri, some of the Hai sect.
Mulai or Mullai, a Baluch family settled in Kej ; it is not numerous, but is respectable, and some of them seem to belong to the Zikri sect.
Ketwari is a Brahui tribe in the Kej district.
Kosaji, a tribe occupying Baho and Dashtiari in Persian Makran. Baho and Dashtiari are under the superintendence or rule of two Jagdal chiefs. Tho inhabitants are Jagdal, Hot, Latti, Raisi, Laghari, Kosagi, and Shahzadah.
BELIGioN.—The people of Makran are Sunni Muhammadans, but have amongst them the Dai, Mazhabi, or Zikri, the Biadhiah, and Khojah sectarians. The Khojah are often opprobriously designated Lutiah. The Dai or Zikri sect arc in Baluch Makran, in Kej, Kolanch, and Kolwah. The Dai, met with at Gajer, resemble the Brahui in appearance, and wear the same dress. Portions of certain Brahui tribes are Dai, such as the &Teta., Saki, Shadu, Shanduzai, Marbrow, etc. They say that they originally came from the west ward near Kej, where there is a city called Turbot. The sect abounds in Makran, and has extended east. At Turbot is a little bill of circular form, called by them Koh-Murad, on the summit of which is their principal masjid, where they meet at stated times to perform their rites. Their book is said to enjoin them to curse Mahometl, and in derision to say God is God, but the mother of Mahomed is His Their ritual services are conducted at night; men and women assemble, and revolting acts are said to be practised during the wild state of excitement into which they work themselves. Their prophet is Mandi, and they date their origin from A.D. 1501 in the Panjab. At marriages their priest is said to see the bride, but all these may be calumnies, as they are of the kind usual amongst Asiatics when alluding to other sects. At the siege of Kej they conducted its unsuccessful defence against Mihrab Khan's son, and the assailants killed or captured all its defendants, exhumed and burned the remains of their patron saints.
Professor Wilson, in his Ariana Antigua, p. 141, mentions the Dai amongst other Scythian tribes as associated with the Massagetas ; and in a map attached to Digby's translation of Quintus Curtius, their position is fixed a little south of the Jaxartes. This coincidence of association with the Sageta and Sakm, both then and now, is worth remarking.
The Biadhiah sect are Arab immigrants from Oman, residing in the town of Gwadar in Baluch and Persian Makran. They reject both Osman and Ali, and are regarded as heretics (Kharji) by both Sunni and Shiah. Like the Shiah, they practise dissimulation (takiya) in speaking of their faith. They drink wine.
Hinglaj or Nani is a hill in Baluch Makran 1800 feet high, and has one of the most ancient Hindu shrines existing. It is sacred to a goddess said to be Parvati, or Mata, or Kali. The Muhammadans regard the hill as sacred to Bibi Nani, probably the goddess Nanaia of the Babylonians ; and the shrine is a well, the water of which at times rises up with a bubbling noise, and pilgrims reverence the rising bubbles by salaaming and throwing in their offerings. If an interval occur between the rising of the bubbles, the pilgrims call on Mats to appear. Animals are sacrificed at the shrine to Kali.