Las Bela
This article has been extracted from THE IMPERIAL GAZETTEER OF INDIA , 1908. OXFORD, AT THE CLARENDON PRESS. |
Note: National, provincial and district boundaries have changed considerably since 1908. Typically, old states, ‘divisions’ and districts have been broken into smaller units, and many tahsils upgraded to districts. Some units have since been renamed. Therefore, this article is being posted mainly for its historical value.
Contents |
Las Bela
Physical aspects
Native State on the southern coast of Baluchistan, lying between 24° 54' and 26° 39' N. and 64° Y and 67° 29' E., with an area of 6,441 square miles. It is bounded on the north by the Jhalawan division of the Kalat State ; on the south by the Arabian Sea ; on the east by the Klrthar range, which separates it from Sind ; and on the west by the Hala offshoot of the Pah range. The whole of the eastern part of the State is mountainous ; the centre consists of a triangular level plain with asnects
its base on the sea; on the west the State has a narrow strip of coast stretching past Ormara. The hills include the western slopes of the Kirthar mountains as far north as T.ak Phusi ; the main ridge of the Pab range, with part of the Khude or Khudo and the whole of the Mor offshoot : and on the west the lower slopes of the Makran Coast Range, including Taloi and Batt. The largest rivers are the Porali and Hab. Minor streams include the Windar, Kharrari, and Phor. The floods of the Windar, Kharrari, and Porali afford most of the irrigation in the central plain. The Porali carries a small permanent supply of water at AVelpat. The HiNGOT, is another river which falls into the sea within the State limits. The coast-line extends from the mouth of the Hab river westward for about 250 miles, and possesses two roadsteads in Sonmiaxi and Ormara. Close to the former lies the large backwater known as Miani Hor. A little to the north of Sonmiani is the Siranda lake.
The State has never been geologically examined. Alluvial deposits cover the central plain, while the hills consist chiefly of limestone. The vegetation consists of a desolate scrub, represented by such plants as Boucerosia Aiickeriatia, Capparis aphylla, Prosopis spicigero, Salva- dora okoides, Acacia Farnesiana, and many Astragali. Mangrove swamps occur on the coast. Bind ibex and mountain sheep are numerous in the hills. ' Ravine-deer ' (gazelle) are plentiful, and some hyenas, wolves, and wild hog occur. Pangolins are not uncommon. Black and grey partridge afford good sport. Many kinds of fish are caught off the coast.
The climate of the northern parts is extremely hot for eight months of the year. From November to February the air is crisp and cool, causing pneumonia among the ill-clad inhabitants. Along the coast a more moderate and moist climate prevails. Throughout the summer a sea-breeze springs up at midday, to catch which the houses of all the better classes are provided with windsails in the roof. The rainfliU is capricious and uncertain, and probably does not exceed the annual average of Karachi, or about 5 inches.
History
Reference has been made in the article on Baluchistan to the march of Alexander the Great in 325 B.C. through the southern part of the State. We know that the ruler in the seventh century was a Buddhist priest. The country lay on the route followed by the Arab general, Muhammad bin Kasim, and Buddhism probably gave place to Islam about this time. The succeeding period is lost in obscurity ; but chiefs of the Gujar, Runjha, Gilnga, and Burfat tribes, which are still to be found in Las Bela, are said to have exercised a semi-independent sway previous to the rise of the Aliani family of the Jamot tribe of Kureshi Arabs, to which the present ruling chief, known as the Jam, belongs. The following is the list of the Aliani Jams : —
1. Jam All Khan I (surnamed Kathuria), 1742-3.
2. Jam Ghulam Shah, 1765-6.
3. Jam Mir Khan I, 1776.
4. Jam All Khan II, 1818. 5. Jam Mir Khan II, circa 1830.
6. jam All Khan III, 1888.
7. Jam Mir Kamal Khan, 1896
(ruling 1908). The most prominent of these Jams was Jam Mir Khan II, who proved himself a skilful organizer during his long reign. He allied himself with the chiefs of the Jhalawan country in three rebellions against Mir Khudadad Khan of Kalat, but in 1869 he was obliged to fly to British territory. In 1877 he was restored to the masnad. On his death in 1888 the appointment of a Wazir, selected by the British Government, was created to assist his successor. The ruling Jam, Mir Kamal Khan, did not receive full powers at his accession, but since 1902 they have been increased. The existing relations of the State with the British Government have been detailed in the section on Native States in the article on Baluchistan.
The shrines of Hinglaj and Shah Bilawal ; the caves at Gondrani, north of Bela, hewn out of the solid conglomerate rock and possibly of Buddhist origin ; and the highly ornamented tombs at Hinidan and other places, affording evidence of a system of superterrene burial, constitute the more important archaeological remains in the State.
Population
Las Bela is divided into seven niabats: Welpat, Uthal, Sheh-Liari, Miani, Hab, Kanrach, and Ormara. It also includes the Levy Tracts along the Hab valley. The permanent villages number 139; the population (1901) is 56,109. Bela is the capital town ; Sonmiani, Uthal, Liari, and Ormara are the only other places of importance. The language is Jadgall, closely allied to Sindl. Some Baluchi is spoken on the coast. The majority of the inhabitants are Sunni Muhammadans ; along the coast are a good many Zikris ; a few Khojas and Hindus are engaged in trade. The Gadras (7,900), who are distinctly negritic in type and generally servile dependants or freedmen, indulge in a kind of fetish worship said to have been brought from Africa. The population is distributed into tribal groups, none of which is, however, numerically strong. The principal are the Jamot (2,900), Runjha (3,800), and Angaria (2,700).
The latter, together with the Sabra, Gunga, Burra, Achra, Doda, and Mandra, are termed Nuniria, and are believed to be the aborigines of the country. Landholders and agriculturists compose about half the population ; about a quarter are engaged in sheep- and goat- breeding ; while the rest are fishermen, traders, labourers, and servile dependants.
Agriculture
The soil of the country is a fertile, sandy alluvium. Almost the whole of the land depends on flood-irrigation, and for this purpose embankments have been constructed in all the principal rivers except the Hab. 1 he area irrigated from permanent irrigation is small, and most of it lies in the Welpat niahat. The number of wells is insignificant. They are worked with a leathern bucket and bullocks. The land is in the hands of peasant proprietors. Cash rents are unknown. Tenants, where they exist, receive a share of the grain heap. Cash wages, except for agricul- tural labour, which is remunerated in kind, are now coming into vogue. The rates vary from five annas per diem for a common labourer to ten annas for a potter. The staple food-grain of the country is Joim?; mixed with which inung is grown. These crops constitute the autumn harvest, while the spring harvest consists chiefly of oilseeds.
Sheep, goats, and camels are bred in large numbers, especially the two latter. Camels are used for both transport and riding. Horses and ponies are few in number. Bullocks and coavs of moderate size are kept for agricultural purposes. Fishing forms an important industry along the coast.
The forests are not systematically ' reserved.' The State derives a small income from those at Malan and Batt, and from the man- groves which grow in the swamps along the coast. In years of good rainfall much excellent forage grass grows on the lower hills and is exported to Karachi. The minor forest products are gum arabic, bdellium, and honey. Little is known about the minerals in the State. Marcasite is of frequent occurrence, but not in quantities sufificient to be of commercial value. Limestone is burnt and exported to Karachi, the State deriving about Rs. 1,500 per annum from it as duty. Salt is obtained from surface excavations at Brar.
Trade and Communication
Rugs of excellent quality are manufactured in the dan stitch, and good embroidery is done on cloth and leather with a steel crochet- needle. Trade finds its way to Karachi by land, and by sea from Gagu, Sonmiani, and Ormara. Caravans proceed to Makran to exchange grain for dates. The land trade with Sind in 1902-3 was valued at 6-9 lakhs, exports being 5-6 and imports 1-3 lakhs. No separate figures are available for maritime trade. The imports include piece- goods and food-grains, especially rice ; and the exports wool, oilseeds, sheep and goats, ghi, and fish-maws.
The only road is a track, loi miles long and 12 feet wide, from the Hab river to Bela. Caravan routes connect Sonmiani with Ormara, Bela with Makran, and Bela with Kalat via Wad. The Indo- European Telegraph line traverses the coast for 226 miles, with an office at Ormara. The Jam receives a subsidy of Rs. 8,400 per annum for its protection. A daily post, organized by the State, is carried between Karachi and Bela, and a bi-weekly service runs between Liari and Ormara. Postal expenditure amounts to about Rs. 4,200 annually, and the receipts from stamps to about Rs. 600.
Famine
Las Bela is liable to frequent droughts. The longest in living memory took place between 1897 and 1900, when large numbers of cattle died and a sum of Rs. 5ooo was spent by the State In relief. 1 he poorer classes at such times resort to Karachi, where a large demand for labour exists.
Administration
A description of the system of administration has been given in the paragraphs on Native States in the article on Baluchistan. The suits tried in 190^ aggregated 1,094, including 267 criminal, 658 civil, and 169 revenue and mis- cellaneous cases. Cases are seldom referred to jirgas. The most common form of crime is cattle-lifting. Special mention may be made of the administration of the Levy Tracts. They formerly belonged to Kalat ; but, in the struggles which occurred during Mir Khudadad Khan's reign (1857-93), the Chhutta inhabitants developed raiding propensities, directing their attacks against both Sind and Las Bela. A force of Sind Border Police had been organized in 1S72 to guard the frontier, but it was not successful; and in 1884 a system of tribal responsibility, under the direction of the Jam, was introduced, the funds being found by the British Government. The Las Bela State has since acquired the right to the collection of transit dues in this tract, from which it receives an income of between Rs. 2,000 and Rs. 3,000 per annum.
The revenue varies from about i| lakhs to 2\ lakhs, according to the character of the agricultural seasons. The expenditure is generally about 2 lakhs. The principal sources of income are land revenue, about Rs. 85,000, and transit dues, which are levied on a complicated system, about Rs. 95,000. Fisheries produce about Rs. 24,500. The expenditure includes the personal allowances of the Jam, about Rs. 40,000 ; civil establishments, Rs. 50,000 ; and military, Rs. 45,000. A surplus of Rs. 1,50,000 has been invested in Government securities. Most of the revenue is collected direct by the State officials, but in some cases contracts are given to local traders.
The systematic organization of the land revenue system is of recent growth. Up to the time of Jam Mir Khan II, military service appears to have been the only obligation on the cultivators. This chief began by assessing land in the possession of traders, and the assessment has since been extended to lands newly brought under cultivation. Revenue-free grants are held chiefly by Saiyids, Shaikhs, Jamots, Shahoks, and Numrias. The system of assessment is by appraisement [tashkhis), the State share being fixed by the fahsilddr or his represen- tative. The general rate is one-fourth of the produce. Cultivators of crown lands pay one-third.
A force of military police, consisting of 104 Punjabis, is maintained at Bela under the orders of the WazTr. They were raised in 1897 and are armed with Snider carbines. The State troops, known as Fauj Lasi, consist of 212 foot, 36 cavalry, and 5 guns. The naibs are assisted by sixty-one local levies, known as fasll sepoys. Twelve chaiik'iddrs are also maintained. The tribal service of the Levy Tracts consists of five officers, thirty-five footmen, sixteen mounted men, and five clerks, maintained at a total annual cost to Provincial revenues of about Rs. 10,000. The jail at Bela has accommodation for about 70 prisoners. Bela and Uthal each possess a primary school in which 115 boys are under instruction. A dispensary is main- tained at Bela at a cost of about Rs. 1,800 per annum. In 1903, 4,750 patients were treated. The commonest diseases are malarial fever, diseases of the eye, and ulcers. A vaccinator is attached to the dispensary, but vaccination is unpopular. Inoculation is practically unknown.
[J. C. Stocks, Ne'iV Journal of Botaiiy, vol. ii (1850) ; A. \\ . Hughes, Ba/i/c/iisfiln (1877).]
