Povindah
Encyclopedia
Povindah was the name of a class of warrior nomad
ic traders in Afghanistan
, who belonged chiefly to the tribes of Ghilzais. Their name, which designates their occupation, is derived from the same root as the Pushtu word for to graze.
They were almost wholly engaged in the carrying trade between India
and Afghanistan and Central Asia
. They assembled every autumn in the plains east of Ghazni
, with their families, flocks, herds and long strings of camels and horses, laden with the goods of Bokhara and Kandahar
; and forming caravans march through the Kakar and Waziri countries by the Zhob
and Gumal pass
es of the Suliman Hills.
Entering Dera Ismail Khan district about October they leave their families and flocks, their arms and some two-thirds of their fighting men, in the great grazing grounds which lie on either side of the Indus, and while some wander in search of employment, others pass on with their merchandise to the great cities of India, and even by rail as far as Calcutta, Karachi and Bombay. In the spring they again. assemble, and return by the same route to their homes in the hills about Ghazni and Kalat-i-Ghilzai. When the hot season begins, the men, leaving their belongings behind them, move off again to Kandahar, Herat and Bokhara, with the Indian and European merchandise which they have brought from Hindustan. For generations the Waziris have carried on war to the knife with these merchant traders. To meet the opposition that awaited them on the road the Povindahs used to move heavily armed, in bodies of from 5000 to 10,000, and regular marches and encampments were observed under an elected khan or leader. But since the Gumal Pass
was taken over by the British and opened up in 1889 there has been comparative security on the border.
Nomad
Nomadic people , commonly known as itinerants in modern-day contexts, are communities of people who move from one place to another, rather than settling permanently in one location. There are an estimated 30-40 million nomads in the world. Many cultures have traditionally been nomadic, but...
ic traders in Afghanistan
Afghanistan
Afghanistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located in the centre of Asia, forming South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East. With a population of about 29 million, it has an area of , making it the 42nd most populous and 41st largest nation in the world...
, who belonged chiefly to the tribes of Ghilzais. Their name, which designates their occupation, is derived from the same root as the Pushtu word for to graze.
They were almost wholly engaged in the carrying trade between India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
and Afghanistan and Central Asia
Central Asia
Central Asia is a core region of the Asian continent from the Caspian Sea in the west, China in the east, Afghanistan in the south, and Russia in the north...
. They assembled every autumn in the plains east of Ghazni
Ghazni
For the Province of Ghazni see Ghazni ProvinceGhazni is a city in central-east Afghanistan with a population of about 141,000 people...
, with their families, flocks, herds and long strings of camels and horses, laden with the goods of Bokhara and Kandahar
Kandahar
Kandahar is the second largest city in Afghanistan, with a population of about 512,200 as of 2011. It is the capital of Kandahar Province, located in the south of the country at about 1,005 m above sea level...
; and forming caravans march through the Kakar and Waziri countries by the Zhob
Zhob
-Roads:Zhob is 333 kilometers from Quetta, 225 kilometers from Dera Ismail Khan. However, the road linking with Dera Ismail Khan is for most part fair nowadays track passing through water streams and almost complete road is metalloid....
and Gumal pass
Gumal Pass
Gomal Pass is a mountain pass on the Durrand Line between Afghanistan and the southeastern portion of South Waziristan in Pakistan's Federally Administered Tribal Areas. It takes its name from the Gomal River and is midway between the legendary Khyber Pass and the Bolan Pass....
es of the Suliman Hills.
Entering Dera Ismail Khan district about October they leave their families and flocks, their arms and some two-thirds of their fighting men, in the great grazing grounds which lie on either side of the Indus, and while some wander in search of employment, others pass on with their merchandise to the great cities of India, and even by rail as far as Calcutta, Karachi and Bombay. In the spring they again. assemble, and return by the same route to their homes in the hills about Ghazni and Kalat-i-Ghilzai. When the hot season begins, the men, leaving their belongings behind them, move off again to Kandahar, Herat and Bokhara, with the Indian and European merchandise which they have brought from Hindustan. For generations the Waziris have carried on war to the knife with these merchant traders. To meet the opposition that awaited them on the road the Povindahs used to move heavily armed, in bodies of from 5000 to 10,000, and regular marches and encampments were observed under an elected khan or leader. But since the Gumal Pass
Gumal Pass
Gomal Pass is a mountain pass on the Durrand Line between Afghanistan and the southeastern portion of South Waziristan in Pakistan's Federally Administered Tribal Areas. It takes its name from the Gomal River and is midway between the legendary Khyber Pass and the Bolan Pass....
was taken over by the British and opened up in 1889 there has been comparative security on the border.
Powindah tribes
List of Povindah clans
- GhilzaiGhilzaiGhilzai are the largest Pashtun tribal confederacy found in Afghanistan and Pakistan. They are also known historically as Ghilji, Khilji, Ghalji, Ghilzye, and possibly Gharzai...
- NiaziNiaziThe Niazi are a tribe of Ghilzai Pashtun people in Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Turkey. The name Niazi is derived from Niazai, like the other forms of Pashtun tribes, such as Yusufzai and Orakzai...
:
- KharotiKharotiKharoti is a Pashtun tribe of Ghilzai origin. The tribe has an estimated population of about 2.5 million ....