Daraban

Daraban Kalan
Tehsil Daraban
Country	Pakistan
Province	Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa
District	Dera Ismail Khan District
Time zone	PST (UTC+5)

Daraban Kalan is a Tehsil in Dera Ismail Khan District of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa. It is located at 31°44'3N 70°20'11E and has an altitude of 221 metres (728 feet). Daraban Kalan, pronounced “Draban “ is to be distinguished from Daraban Khurd, a village lying to the east of Dera Ismail Khan city. Draban lies 40 miles west of Dera Ismail khan in the foothills of Sulaiman Mountains .

Etymology

There are various theories as to the origin of the word Daraban. The word “Daraban”, according to some accounts actually came from term ”Durruh-Bund” which means the closed pass. Centuries back the people who settled down in present-day Draban aimed to close the pass which connected Draban with Sherani hills. Sherani hill tribe in those days was in habit of pillaging villages in Damaan below their hills. The term" Durruh_Bund” in due course of time became the name of the village of people living in present-day Draban. ”Durruh-Bund” got shortened as Daraban and now in further reduced form the word is pronounced as Draban. According to another popular narrative the words Daraban and Darazinda, the chief town of F.R Sherani originate in similar sound, are Persian in origin and can be traced back to Dara Shikoh, a son of Mughal king Shajahan. Daraban as per this account gets translated as Dara’s forest, here came to hunt wild animals, while Darazianda was his zindan, or prison, there he kept his prisoners. The former account as to the origin of the name of the town seems more plausible and is very much attested by the history of enmity and hostility between Sherani tribe and Miankhel Pashtoon possessors of Draban.

History

Not much is known about the earliest history of Daraban, perhaps it grew out of small villages lying in the foothills of Sulaiman Mountains and later on, due to its excellent geographical setting grew in size and population. Its early inhabitants could have been either Saraikis or Pashtoons or both.The idea of Saraikis being the indigenous people of the region is bolstered by the fact that the region is part of Pashtoon but the saraiki people over ther and the baoloch is only name in this tehsile. In addition, Saraikis constitute the majority of District Dera Ismail Khan, so it seems plausible that Pashtoons were the later arrivals in Daraban and areas around it. On the other hand, it is equally possible that Pashtoon nomadic tribes founded Daraban. If the name Daraban really originated in ”Durruh-Bund” then Pashtoons were its founders, as they aimed to close pass leading to the mountains because of their quarrels and blood feuds with the Sheranis. The Pashtoons have been coming into this western part of Dera Ismail khan through Gomal Pass since the 13th century. These Pashtoon Powindas followed patterns of seasonal migration; they journeyed in caravans to Dera Ismail Khan and other lands beyond Indus and returned to Afghanistan with the onset of hot weather. With the passage of time some of these nomads began to settle on the land on permanent basis. The lodhi tribe is believed to have settled in the area of Draban in the time of Shahbu -din -Ghori in the beginning of the 13th century. In between (1555 and 1600 AD) Miankhels tribe invaded the area and after defeating the Lodhis became the new possessors of Draban. The Miankhels are still most influential in terms of politics and economics in Draban and neighbouring Musazai town. Historical pattern of Pashtoons leaving their mountains and settling on the plains of Damaan continues even today. Many Sheranis of the Sulaiman Mountains have settled in Draban permanently. In addition, Nasir, another Pashtoon tribe has, casting aside its nomadic way of life, has started living in permanent settlements in the peripheries of Daraban. The said tribe, being the newest arrival, has not been accorded proper acceptance as a legal residents of Daraban, and their hasty attempts at getting political influence has given rise to whole sorts of conflicts between Drabanwals and the Nasirs.

British era and its remains

The region constituting present day Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa was eventually colonised by the British. The effects and remains of colonialism could be observed even this remote part of Dera Ismail khan. The British built chains of Frontier Constabulary forts in the region to hold in check independent Pashtoons of the mountains. Darazinda, Draban, and Zarkani have FC forts built by the British. From these forts the British launched punitive expeditions in the mountains. Daraban boasts an FC fort, Assistant Commissioner court and large colonial style rest house, all relics of the Raj . Within the compound of the Assistant commissioner residence lies the grave of a British officer who died in action in Zarkani in colonial times. The British also built two bridges over the two perennial water streams flowing from the Sulaiman Mountains. The larger one was known locally as Kali Pul, and smaller one was called Sawi Pul . Kali Pul some years ago was sold in auction after the government replaced it with a new, modern one .The British connected Dera Ismail khan through telephone with FR Sherani and Zhob Balochistan. This telephone line is no longer in service and its poles and wires lying in utter neglect continue to be stolen by thieves.

Languages and ethnicity

Saraiki is the dominant language of Daraban and its adjoining areas. Pahsto is the 2nd most widely spoken language . Draban enjoys rare and unique position of being the melting point of cultures and languages. The coming of the Pashtoons over the centuries in this part of the land has resulted in their interaction with the local Saraikis. Now things have come to such a pass that both linguistic groups have become bilingual. Pashtoons speak Saraiki like native speakers and the Saraikis speak Pasthto fluently. It is only Nasir and Sherani people who speak only Pashto. Miankhels and other Pashtoons speak fluent Saraiki in addition to their own native tongue. Centuries of close interaction of Pasthto with Saraiki have given the former language a unique Saraiki touch. And Saraiki has under the influence of Pasthto acquired a unique flavour of its own. Although Saraiki speakers constitute the majority of the region, still their role and influence is much reduced in ratio to their population. Pashtoons own vast tracts of agricultural land and have dominant political influence in the area.Ethnic and racial strife between Pashtoons and Saraikis is non-existent,still Pashtoons like to marry only within their own community.

Geographic location and communication

Daraban lies at the foot of Sulaiman mountains . The majestic peaks of Takht e Sulaiman covered with snow as seen in Daraban present a spectacular view. The myths relating to Takht e Sulaiman are a part of folk lore of the people who live in whole of Damaan .Daraban enjoys privileged geographic position in the whole of neighbouring region and this accounts for its burgeoning trade and population. The town is connected by road with neighbouring towns of Darazinada, Musazai, and Chaudwan.The inhabitants of these towns have to pass through Daraban while journeying to Dera Ismail Khan city. Daraban also lies on the national highway connecting Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa with Baluchistan. The highway was built by National Highway authority almost eight years ago and is playing vital role in the development and progress of this region. Traveling to Zhob and Quetta from Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa was quite difficult before the construction of this highway. Travelers had to suffer a long ordeal in travelling to Balochistan through a much longer route via the province of Punjab and Sindh. The highway has also resulted in increase of trade and commerce in Daraban and areas around it.

Educational institutions

In terms of literacy rate and educational standards, Draban and its bordering areas lag behind the rest of Dera Ismail khan. A high school was established in the town in 1953, but only a decade ago it was upgraded to the status of higher secondary school.

Places worth visiting around Draban

The town of Draban itself offers little in terms of sightseeing, tourism or adventure. So it is neighbouring mountains where mostly people end up in their quest for enjoyment,recreation and fun. Excursion to Draban Zam is have become quite popular among the young of the town. There they get abundant opportunities of swimming, dancing and eating. Near Darazinda, Peer Ghundai, another sight of abundant waterfalls and nice scenery is major attraction. But it is trip to Takht-e-Sulaiman which is most popular excursion for the people. The trip to this 3400 M high summit is undertaken in summer and usually takes two days journey on foot over difficult mountain terrain. On summit there is a religious shrine and a Takht related with prophet Sulaiman. To the south of Draban lies important town of Musa Zai Sharif boasting an important khankah of Nashbaniah Sufi tradition . The shrine houses tombs of Hazrat Dost Muhammad Qandhari, hazrat Usman Damani, Hazrat Sirjuddin, Hazrat Ibrahim, Hazrat Ismail. The shrine of Musa zai is quite well known in the whole region and the devotees visit it from all over Pakistan,Afghanistan India and even from Arab countries.Khankah of Hazrat Shaikh Ghulam Yaseen Sahib,known as Hazrat Agah Sahib and tombs of his sons Hazrat Faiz Muhammad Sahib,Hazrat Muhammad Din Sahib is well known and people from all over of the Pakistan come to visit their tombs.

Takht-e-Sulaiman

The following is an account of journey undertaken in 2001 by Salahuddin Sikander, the contributor of Daraban page on Wikipedia and his friends to Takht-i-Sulaiman. The account was published in Daily Dawn, Daily the Frontier Post, and daily the News .

Takht-i-Sulaiman, the highest peak of the Sulaiman range (3,382 metre /11,437 feet) is shrouded in myth and mystery. Named after Solomon, the wise Jewish prophet, the peak, on account of its perceived association with the prophet, is believed to possess a strange healing quality.

People in Damaan also believe that Prophet Sulaiman, by exercising his miraculous power, had confined those mischievous Jinns inside it who had refused to obey his command. The evil-spirited Jinns are supposed to remain imprisoned almost all the year, and in Safar, the second month of the Islamic calendar, they are allowed to go free for a while. During this month, after darkness falls over the region, mothers restrict their children within their homes as a precaution against the evil effects of these Jinns.

Takht-i-Sulaiman rises to a height of 3382 meters above sea level. A trip to the mountain is undertaken mostly in summer, and in winter heavy snowfall makes it difficult to approach it from late November until March. Animal sacrifice is an essential feature of a visit to Sulaiman. The locals believe that infertile women can be blessed with fertility when they visit Takht-i-Sulaiman.

Religious connotations apart, Takht-i-Sulaiman is an area of outstanding natural beauty, boasting spectacular mountains, which offer endless opportunities of trekking and climbing. It can be reached either through Balochistan or NWFP. It is advised, for convenience’s sake, to start the journey from D.I. Khan. Draban Kalan, a town 40 miles off to the west, offers a convenient approach to it. Public transport heading up the Ragha Sar, the base of Sulaiman is available here.

Last summer, a few of us with our friend Ivan Mannheim boarded the local bus and headed westwards. The bus crossed the wide stony plain, part of Damaan which stretches for about 120 km between D.I. Khan and D.G. Khan, sandwiched between the Sulaiman mountains to the west and Indus River to the east. The road then cut through a ridge of low hill and took us to Drazinda, the Tehsil headquarters. After a brief stop here, the bus drove forward winding its way through the mountains. Then turning west from the main D.I. Khan-Zhob road, the track followed the right bank of a gorge and led to the village of Ragasar.

Ragasar is a village at the head of the gorge. Stone and mud huts show that the modern aspects of civilisation have not reached this village. In is inhabited by the friendly and hospitable Sherani tribe. Hostility is reserved within the tribe only. Bloods feuds are common, confirmed by the sight of the guns hanging over the shoulders of many people. After on overnight stay here, the next morning our journey to Takht-i-Sulaiman began. We set out with the necessary provisions and the valuable guidance of Sultan Khan, our friend and host. Shortly afterwards, the track forked right to descent and a swift flowing, foamy white stream could be seen flowing down with a roaring sound.

The narrow track along the stream was pretty strenuous to travel on as there were many small boulders and pointed stones. Precipitous walls of the mountain were on either side. The track cutting its way through sheer rock mountain led us into an open area with the magnificent mountain all around. The four-hour track from Ragasar came to an abrupt end as we climbed up a nearby hill to undergo the next stage of another strenuous journey to reach the next village.

Perched on a hilltop is Tora Tisha, a cluster of four or five stone huts, surrounded by a spectacular mountain amphitheatre. After half a day’s journey on a demanding track from Ragasar, Tora Tisha mosque made an ideal place for relaxation, food and prayer. The path then headed up from the village and crossed a small bridge of tree planks and twigs, built over a narrow gorge. Deep down, water seemed gushing forth at tremendous speed. We proceeded further on and were asked to perform the formidable task of making an ascent up a sheer rock wall, the track on it zigzagging its way up to its top. But our apprehension melted down as the track was comfortably wide for us.

When the tack finally ended, the scenery before us was breathtaking as we could see for miles below us due to the elevation we were at. We could see the slopes of the mighty Thakt-i-Sulaiman, which were covered with green forests, making the sight appear spectacular. We were supposed to make our way through them before completing the first leg of our journey for that day. A smooth climb over a mountain nearby led us straight to those pine forests. We were immediately impressed by lush green landscape that looked enchanting. Chilgoza and Nashtar trees could be seen growing in abundance.

The track, now smooth and straight, was splashed with brilliant patches of beauty. It led us forth to Poonga, a small village. It was the end of our first day’s journey as we would be staying there overnight. Poonga spills down the mountainside. It offers a panoramic view of the landscape. Lush green mountains covered with tall trees and lots of flowers could also be seen growing in the wild. There was a distinctive silence that is peculiar to mountainous countryside.

The next morning we took up the tack to the north of the village. The track is a long, hard uphill slog, notwithstanding its share of picturesque scenery. Further ahead, however, the track turns smooth with an easy stroll that runs along the flank of the mountain, with a large rock overhang. Either side of the track is carpeted with wild flowers. The track then starts to turn and ascend, and at one point it crosses the mountain.

The view on the other side was simply breathtaking. The vast landscape was characterised by lush green pastures and dense Chalghoza forest. Impressed by the beauty of the valley, a decision was made in favour of making a detour from the main track and visiting the valley. It was an idyllic place with a dazzling array of wild flowers. The track passed a pine forest as well as a meadow, surrounded by trees all around. A visit to Takht-i-Sulaiman is not complete without a brief foray into this beautiful region.

We rejoined the main track and reached Kalkarai at dusk. After an overnight stay there, the next morning we took a path to the right, which led steeply to the peak. In sheer contrast to the landscape below, the region around the top has been a victim to intense logging. There is even a camel route for the transportation of timber to Zhobe. The top, which once had plenty of pine trees, now wears a somewhat desolate look.

On the top, we observed many things. A stone-built room came into view. Those who intend to have an overnight stay make use of it. Rainfall fills up a water pool to be used by visitors. Under a shady tree, there is a grave of unusually large size. Qaisa Abdul Rasheed is said to have been buried here. The locals believe him to be an ancestor of the Pakhtoons. A small clean place near the end of the mountain was used as a mosque, said to mark the point where Prophet Sulaiman would land. Towards its end were few stones firmly fixed in the ground. Holding them in hands we were to climb down for about 10 feet on the side of the mountain to the Takht. It is a small stone slab with barely enough space for a man to stand or sit. Two of its corners were fixed in the mountainside, the rest in open air. Holding the stones in hand, a pilgrim is supposed to descend down to Takht to offer his prayer.

From the top, we enjoyed a panoramic view of the surrounding area. Far away, the huge expanse of Damaan was also visible. To the north was Waziristan, and to the west was a chain of mountains that marked the region of Balochistan.

Another breath taking scene from top

Takht-i-Sulaiman is a region of unimaginable beauty, but local loggers pose a serious environmental threat to its very existence. It is time that the concerned authorities take some serious actions to preserve its ecosystem. The government has so far been totally apathetic to this tragedy. It has imposed a ban on the export of the timber from Sulaiman Mountains, but there are more than one ways of smuggling it. Western slops of the range provide an easy access to loggers to Zhob, Balochistan. The government must also pay heed to the genuine problems of Sherani tribal area, and should take concrete measures to eradicate poverty, illiteracy and backwardness from the area.

Ascent of the Takht e Suleiman by A. H. McMahon in 1891

Some remarks which I happened to see a short while ago in one of the monthly magazines on the subject of the Takht e Suleiman were calculated to lead one to suppose that the summit of that mountain has never yet been reached by a European. The name of this mountain is so well known from its mythical, geographical, and ethnological associations, that it may interest some of the readers of the Geographical Journal, to know that its summit has been reached by Europeans.

This mountain, which, with its sister peak of Qaisaghar, form the highest points of the Suleiman range of the north-west frontier of India, is situated in the territory of the Sherani's, who, until brought under British control in the winter of 1890, were an independent and extremely troublesome border tribe. Many legends attach to it. According to some, Noah's Ark alighted here after the Deluge; while others (from this the mountain derives its name) connect it with Solomon, who, as the story goes, once came to Hindustan to marry a lady named Balkis. While returning from India with his bride in a flying throne, the lady requested Solomon to stop for a while, to enable her to take a last fond look at her native land. Thereupon the throne alighted on this peak, which has ever since borne the name of Takht e Suleiman, or Solomon's Throne. Ethnologically, the mountain is considered by some to have been the birthplace of the Pushto speaking races.

From these and other legends connected with this mountain, the shrine situated near its summit has been for many centuries the place of pilgrimage of such adventurous pilgrims, who were hardy enough to face the dangers of the road, through the wild tribes of the country, and the difficulties of the mountain itself. A native surveyor is said to have reached the shrine about a hundred years ago, while somewhat later two Englishmen, Messrs. Fraser and Harris, members of Elphinstone's Mission of 1809, are said to have attempted the ascent, without success. The military expedition sent to survey this mountain in 1884 succeeded in reaching the summit of the Qaisaghar peak close by, which is 11,300 feet, and some 200 feet higher than the peak of the Takht itself. No attempt was made to scale the Takht, which was said to be inaccessible.

During the Sherani expedition in December 1890, General Sir George White, the then Commander-in-chief of India, in order to show the Sherani's that even their most remote mountain fastnesses were not inaccessible to British troops, ascended the mountain from the eastern side, accompanied by a small party of picked men, and succeeded, after some two days hard climbing, in reaching a point on the east line of the hill, but was unable to devote the time necessary for an attempt to reach either the shrine or the actual summit.

Major McIvor, then political agent at Zhob, and my self determined, the following year, to attempt the ascent, and found ourselves on 28 June 1891, at the Pezai spring, on the western slopes of the range - the highest point at which spring water on that side is obtainable. At dawn on the 29th we commenced the actual ascent, and by the evening, after a hard day's climb, reached the crest-line at the point where the famous shrine is situated. Here we found a couple of rough stone hut shelters erected by pilgrims, in which former visitors had each in turn left cooking-vessels and supplies of flour and rice for the use of them who might come after them. The actual shrine was close by, and within a few yards, but far from a pleasant place to get at. The face of the mountain at this point on the eastern side is a sheer precipice of many thousands of feet. The shrine is some 20 feet down below the edge of the precipice, and consists of a small ledge of rock about 4t feet long by 3 feet wide, with a slight artificial parapet of rocks on the outer sides, about a foot in height. It is reached by four-foot-holes cut or worn away in the rock. The hand and foot-hold is good, but the edge of the precipice appears slightly to overhang the little ledge below, and the sensation therefore experienced in going down or coming up over the edge of the precipice is only equalled by that of seeing someone else do so. All pilgrims apparently do not enter this shrine, but content themselves with looking down into it from above. Those who do descend have a small token in the form of a small piece of stick, which they fix into the interstices of the little rock parapet. Both of us descended, and left our stick tokens. The look down into space from this little ledge does not tempt one to make a very long stay there.

The crest of the mountain at the shrine is not the highest point, which is at one of the three knob-like peaks at the south end of the crest. These we determined to ascend, if possible, next day, notwithstanding the assurances of our native guides that these peaks were quite inaccessible. After a cold night on the crest, on the ground, where some snow was still lying in patches, we commenced a hard day's work. Each of the three peaks before us was separated from the place in which we were and from each other by precipitous gaps in the crest-line, and the ascent certainly did not appear hopeful. Without describing the many adventures of the day, it will suffice to say that we both succeeded in reaching the tops of all three peaks, and also, I am glad to say, in discovering a possible way down again - a matter which at one time appeared somewhat doubtful.

This is the first occasion on which Europeans have reached either the shrine or the summit of the peak of the Takht e Suleiman. No one has, as far as I know, gone up to either place since.

Captain McMahon was the British Joint Commissioner of the Afghan-Balochistan Boundary Commission and he sent this correspondence via his camp in Fort Sandeman while stationed at Zhob, Balochistan on 8 August 1894. This correspondence was published in the Geographical Journal, Volume 4, Number 5 in November 1894.

Geography and people of Daraban and areas around as observed and recorded by Major Herbert B. Edwards in 1848

“Daraban is a small section of the Daaman proper. It lies south and southwest of the area of the Miakhail. Its boundary with Kulachi on the north is the nullah or stream of Zarkunee, or swan; on the west the outer ridge of the Tukht-Sooliman; on the south with the Babhurs, a line of pillars laid down by an Englishman in 1847. The Daraban generally resembles the neighbouring area of the Gandapoors; but Daraban is more undulated toward the hills, its village are surrounded by more trees and vegetation, and on the whole it wears a more cheerful and prosperous appearance. The possessors of Daraban are the Miankhel a branch of the great Lohanee tribe, who took it from a tribe of Afghan fakers called Surwani, now almost extent, and another tribe named the Bukhtiars, whom Elephantine describes as having come originally from Persia.. The subdivisions of Miankhel are as follow; Miankhel Sotkheyl Hoosseinkheyl Syedkhel, shadikhel Omerzai, vurrookee Baloochkhel, Ukakhel mushakhel, Moosehzye Ubakhel, Shaheekhel Zakoree Mallakhel, Gholamkheyl Passani, The above families divided the land of Daraban with the Bukhtiars thus; one-fourth of the country was monopolised of the Mossazai, the most powerful branch of the Miankhel to be. The Mossazai was subdivided into four families, named tajokhel, Khanokhel, Muddikhel, Mummundzai. No other family of the Miankhel had any interest in the land of Moosehzyes, who formed a village named Moosehzye, on the southern border of the Daraban. Daraban Kalan is the center of different villages. It is said that in the same year Daraban boasted a single mango tree the fruit of which had such a delicious flavour, that Rangeet Singh used to have it sent to him at lahore. The pass of Zarkani is about two koss from the village of the same name, which is in the area of Daraban kalan. The village of zirkani is the exclusive property of Sheikhs, who are descendants of a celebrated saint named Sheikh Hyder A stream of the purest water reaches the village from the pass, and its course is marked by several sheeshum-tree, which give the spot a picturesque appearance. Zirkani is rendered still more remarkable by its sacred ground containing the cemeteries of the Powindays. The graves compactly made of piled stones; some all white, carefully selected; and all have large, upright stones placed at the head. It is by the Zarkani pass that caravans of Powindays go to Kandahar and rest of Afghanistan. Fort of Akhond (daraban) About five or six miles to the south of the Zirkani pass, is the pass of Daraban, the mouth of which is about eight miles from Daraban itself. Not very far from midway between the town and the pass of Daraban, but rather nearer to the latter, are ruins of the former fort of Akhoond, Gul Habib. This Akhond belonged to a tribe called Hurrial, connected with Sheranies; the same probably as that of "Hurreepaul," mentioned by Mr.Elphinstone as a branch of the Sheramies, residing "in the hills and vallaeys at the western base of Tukht-i-Sooliman. He thought to settle quietly in area west of Daraban Kalan, and built here a fort. It is interesting to note that the descendants of Akhoond still live in daraban and one of them, Aallaudin Khonzada was till his death three years ago leading political figure of daraban., Dheyra (daraban) Close to the fort of Gul Habib stands a rainfurrowed mound, called by the people a "DHEYR" and which according to some scholars could be a link in the chain of Graeco Bactrian outposts on the frontier of Tank. Or this mound could be more recent, nearly 500 years old. Opinions vary

Lahoruh(daraban) From the Daraban pass issues the Lahoruh, a parnial stream which floods in hot summers and it flows by Daraban town and divides it into two parts; the course of the stream is beautifully marked and shaded by sheeshum-trees. About five miles of pass of Daraban, and farther to the south, is the plass of Zam, from which flows a stream which is the ancient boundaries between the Miankhail of Moosezai, and the Babhurs of Choudwan; and which has caused a bloody feud by dividing into two branches Chouwan The area of Chiudwan, like Daraban, Kolachi and Tank, is a section of the eastern Daman of the Soolimanee range, having Daraban on the north, the Oostraunee lowlands on the south, and the Sherani and Oosteraunee hills on the west. The Babhurs of old times were said to have been in possession of a written order from Ahmad shah of Kabul, to a Sardar named Jehan khan, directing him to proceed to the Daman, and settle the boundaries of the Miankhails with both the Gandapoors and the Babhurs. This document was accompanied by another containing the Srdar's decision, by which the Sawan or Zirkunnee Nullah, was settled to be the boundary between Daraban and Kolachi, and the Nullah called Kowruh between Daraban and Choudwan. The authenticity of both documents was acknowledged on both sodes; but arise as to the indenty of Kowruh Nullah alluded to. There is a little rivulet about two hundred yards to the south of Moosazai which is called Kowruh to the day, and this the Babhurs maintained to be the boundary of Jahan khan's decision. There is another and larger one, about two koss to the south of Moosazai, which is called Turkhoba and this the Miankhails declared to be the ancient Kowruh. Mr. Elphinstone found the Babhurs, forty years ago, "a civilized tribe, much addicted to merchandise, and, on the whole the richest and most flourishing of the tribes of Daman". There bravery has been sufficiently established by their blood. Feud with the powerful Miankhails whom they almost rival in commerce also, and their general intelligence as a tribe has given rise to many proverbs. One says that "a babhur fool is a Gandapoor sage" another tells how the Babhurs ventured into agricultural partnership with the devil, and gave him his choice of the roots or stocks of the harvest. The devil choosing the stocks they sowed nothing but onions, carrots, and turnips. The devils very naturally annoyed, insisted next harvest on getting the roots, so the Babhurs grew wheat and sugar.” Hidayat khan

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