Bajour

Bajour

The name Bajour is of uncertain originl, and nothing seems known as to when or why this name has been given to this country. I am inclined to think it may be derived from the Persian baj [tribute] and awardan [to bring]. Tradition has it that the country of Bajour belonged to a tribe called  Arab up to the time of the Pathan conquest, and was ruled by the Chief of the Arab tribe. The name may therefore donote the country which paid tribute to that Chief, or the country for which he paid tribute to the Hindu dynasty of that day.

            Bajour comprises eight valleys,i.e.. Surkamar, Rud, Chaharmung, Watalai, Babukara, Jandol, Maidan and Baraul. These are now all peopled by the Tarkanri [or Tarkilanri] tribem whol are akin to their neighbours the Yusafzai of Dir and Swat. They entered the country about the end of the sixteenth century.

         The whol tribe acknowledged allegiance to one ruling family, of whom Safdar Khan, the Khan of Nawagai, is the lineal descendant. Owing to dissensions in the tribe the former power of the ruling Chief has in course of time diminished. The rise of Umra Khan had much to say this. Not only have the Baraul, Maidan and Jandol valleys now come into the possession of the Khan of Dir and are iin Dir territory, but the rule of the Khan of Nawagai over the+ remainder of Bajour is in places merely nominal.

          The Bajour of to-day consists of only five valleys; Sur Kamar, Chaharmung, Watalai,Babukara and Rud. Of these all except Sur Kamar form part of one drainage system,I,e..of the Rud river which joins the Panjkora near Sado. Sur Kamar is the name given to the tract in which Nawagai is situated. The Nawagai, Chamarkand and Suran nullahs, which here unite, become the Pipal and subsequently the Ambhar river, which joins the Panjkora and Swat rivers at some distance below hteir junction.

           The Chaharmung and Babukara valleys are occupied by the Salarzai Tarkanri, the Watalai by the Mamund Tarkanris. The Mamund also own a considerable tract of country in Shortan. Hinduraj and Marawara, on the northern slopes of the watershed which separates the Kunar valley from Bajour. These tracts now lie within Afghan territory and the Mamunds therein are claimed by the Amir as his subjects. They have hitherto refused to pay tribute to the Amir or to permit interference by the Amir’s officials in these tracts.

          The Rud valley is the main valley of Bajour and the most important. It is peopled by a heterogeneous mixture of Tarkanri, Mohmands, Safis, Utman Khel and others. It belongs throughout its lengh to the Khan of Nawagai, and is divided by him between his brother Sardar Khan, Khan of Khar, his cousin Wilayat Khan, Khan of Jhar, and his son Ahmad Jan [recently appointed Khan of Rud]. The Babukara valley is also now in the immediate possession of the Khan of Nawagai, who has appointed his cousin Wilayat Khan of Jhar to be Khan of Pashat.

           The Mamunds of the Watalai valley and Salarzai of the Chaharmung valley, while nominally acknowledging the Khan of Nawagai as their Tarkanri Chief, constantly dispute his authority over them. Continued fighting takes place between them, and it is hard to say , from day to day, what portion of those tribes acknowledge allegiance to him for the time being, and from what portion of those valleys he enjoys tribute.

            The Mitai valley, which adjoins the Sur Kamar valley, belongs to the Musa Khel Mohmand. The Khan of Nawagai has more than once occupied it, but been obliged by a combination of the Mohmand tribes to relinquish it.

            The boundary line between Bajour and Afghanistan, as demarcated, runs along the crest of the eastern eatershed of the Kunar river. It has only been demarcated as far south as a short distance beyond the head of the Chaharmung valley. According to the terms of the Durand Agreement of 1893 it continues thence along the same watershed to the Silala Sar, but this portion is still disputed by the Afghan Governmet.

            The total population of Bajour may be estimated at about 100,000 persons. The main valley of Rud is very fertile and productive. The Jandol and Maidan valleys now belonging to Dir are also very fertile. The Babukara valley is not so productive, and the Chaharmung and Watalai valleys are still less so. The rainfall in Bajour is less than in Dir and the hills are consequently less wooded. Owing to the lower elevation of the mountain range in which the affluents of the  Rud river take their rise, the snowfall on them is slight. The rivers not being snow-fed, unlike the Swat and Panjkora, are lowest in summer and fullest in winter and spring.