Kharan
KHARAN
The ancient name of Kharan was Karan or Qaran.
“According to the historian Istakhari, its name was Qaran after the name of the
Qaran or Barfen mountains. The Koh-i-Kharan is also mentioned in
Kitab-i-Masalik-o-Mumalik”.
The early history of Kharan is obscure. It is
mainly a record of the fights and forays in which the chiefs and the
inhabitants were continuously engaged. Being poor and barren, it did not tempt
any of the conquering nations which from time to time in the 14th
century A.D. conquered other territories. It is said that the Nausherwanis were
in power in the north east of Iran. Chaotic conditions were then prevailing in
Iran and the ruler of that country considered them responsible for this.
Accordingly they were compelled to migrate towards Sistain, bordering the
present Kharan District. It is said that the first man who entered into Kharan
from this tribe was Mir Abbas Khan. The Nausherwaris spread over the entire
area and selected Rakhshan (present Basima) as their settlement. Prior to the
entry of Nausherwanis, the Rakhshan area was dominated by the Peerakzais. Mir
Abass entered into matrimonial relations with this tribe and afterwards gained
control over the Peerakzais tribe. Mir Azad Khan surrendered his sovereignty to
the British Government in 1884.
Tribes
All tribes residing in Kharan, except the
Nausherwanis, designate themselves to outsiders as Kharani Baloch. Most of the
Baloch who are indigenous inhabitants of Khanran apply the term Rakhshani to
themselves. It includes the Muhammad Hasnis and is applied locally to everyone
living in the plain area. The Sasolis and Samalaris of the hills consider
themselves Brahvi. The Nausherwaris as a race are strong and possess handsome
features. They are known for their hospitality. They are religious people. The
Muhammad Hasni possess oval features, high noses and whitish complexion. The
Rakhshanis can be distinguished by their hazel eyes.
Archaeological sites
and historical monuments
In Kharan the (dome) Tomb of Mausolea is built
of burnt bricks. Its form is that of ordinary Iranian tombs i.e a square
chamber surmounted by a dome. There are numerous gimbals found scattered in the
district.
Another set of remarkable archaeological
remains are the “Gabarbands” or Zoroastrian dams which are found in
considerable numbers at Raskoh, Gorr and Siahan ranges. They bear evidence of
different physical conditions than those that are prevalent today.
The present inhabitants of Kharan attribute the
erection of “Gabarbands” to the fire worshippers. These dams are terraced
fields and legend says that the inhabitants who built them brought all the soil
in bags which they carried on their backs from the desert to the south. These
Gabarbands were built to contain the rainwater in the terraced plots and the
deposition of fertile alluvium on the otherwise rocky soil. This wonderful old
system is also seen at Quetta, Kalat and Karachi highway. The great
archeological explorer Stain has described Gabarbands as master-pieces for
conservation and utilization of rain or snow water.
