Baloch

Baloch (बलोच) Biloch (बिलोच)Bilauch (बिलौच) Jat clan is found in Afghanistan. The Race/Tribe of the Jat- Baloch live in the Delta Region of the Indus Balach is for Baloch, and stands for Balaecha Chohan. Baluchya/Baluchi is Jat Gotra.

History

Ram Swarup Joon writes.... According to Bhagwatdatta, Baluchis of (of Balochistan) today are the descendants of Anu. Baluchya, Balhara, Bal, Balan are Jat gotras.

Kak, Kakarzai, Klock, Kukar, Khokar, Karskar Jats belong to the Anu Branch.

Thirty thousand Baluchis in Makran were recognised as Jats.

Baluchis of the Lomri region are described as Jats in their chronicles.

In the Rig-Veda, there are references to the Kabul River of Afghanistan, Gomal Valley, and rivers Ganga and Jamuna.

There are also references to Kshatriya and the five branches of the Yayati Dynasty.

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H. W. Bellew writes that the Baloch comprise Lagari, Bozdar, Mazari, Lund, Kasrani, Dreshak, Kosah, and many other clans, of very mixed descent, who are said to have come into these parts towards the middle of the sixteenth century, when Humayun advanced, with the aid of Persia, through Khorasan, to recover his throne of Delhi, at the head of a numerous army very largely composed of the Baloch and other tribes of the Kandahar country.

The Baloch is now a very large and mixed tribe; and, in fact, forms a distinct nationality, entirely separate from the Afghan, and not included at all in their genealogical tables. Nor indeed do the Baloch come under the appellations of Afghan or Pathan, for by political relationship, rather than by blood descent, they are Persian more than Indian ; though by race, language, manners, and features they are decidedly Indian and not Persian.

The Baloch were originally the Rajput Balaecha and occupied the Kharan country adjoining their fellow tribesmen the Rajput Bharaecha (now represented in Afghanistan by the Bahrechi of Shorawak), both being clans of the great Chahuman, or Chohan, Agnikula. The latter have established some important and extensive colonies in India, and have given their name to a district (Bahraech) in Oudh; the Nuwwabship of Jhajjar (Delhi district) was another colony of this tribe, the late chief of which, a Bahraechi Pathan, was executed for his treachery in the Indian Mutiny of 1857. We shall speak of the Baloch later on, but must here notice such of their nationality as are now found within the area above assigned to the Dadikai, First, however, it will be convenient to dispose of the Bahrechi in Shorawak of Afghanistan.

James Tod writes that The warriors assembled under Visaladeva Chauhan against the Islam invader included the Baloch ruler. With folded hands arrived the Baloch. The Baloch was evidently Hindu at this time ; and as I have repeatedly said of Jit or Gete origin.

Baloch in Sistan

H. W. Bellew writes that The Baloch require particular attention. They are not included in the Afghan genealogies, and yet they are recognised as of kindred stock by the Afghans. The reason of their exclusion from the Afghan genealogies is because they do not conform to the Pukhtunwali, nor speak the Pukhto language. The Baloch are feudal in their government, and not republican, as are the Afghan and Pathan ; and they speak a distinct language called Balochki (" of the Baloch "), which is a Persianized Indian dialect, resembling the Sind language more than any other. The Baloch differ also from the Afghan in physical appearance, dress, manners, and customs ; but not more so than does the Sikh Jat from the Musalman Jat of Panjab, nor than is explainable by the different political conditions of their existence for long centuries past. The Baloch were originally the Baldecha of the Chohan Agnikula Rajput, and occupied the Nushki district to the south of the Bahrech above mentioned. It would be interesting to investigate the history of this tribe, which has evidently come under more direct, complete, and prolonged Persian influence than any other of the tribes of Afghanistan. They seem to have greatly increased in numbers and power, and have given their name to a distinct nationality, and to a large tract of country, in which are found many different tribes, some of a remote antiquity, all included together under the general name of Baloch. These we shall speak of presently, when we come to investigate the tribes of Balochistan. But it is very curious to mark the differences between the two neighbouring clans of the former Chohan Rajput — Bhardecha and Baldecha : the Bahrech Afghan of Pukhto speech and republican constitution, and the Baloch of his own national speech and feudal government, both long since converted to Islam of the orthodox Sunni creed ; but the one under influences from the side of India, the other under influences from the side of Persia. The differences now marking the Baloch and the Afghan, and separating them into distinct nationalities, are apparently the result of political causes ; but we cannot now stop to discuss this subject.

The Baloch, like the Bahrech, are distinguished for their nomadic and predatory habits, and their devotion to the camel as a means of livelihood and wealth ; but the one speaks Balochki, the other Pukhto. The Bahrech claims descent from the Israelite Kais, or Kash, Abdurrahman, Pathan (probably representing Kash or Kush, the son of Rama, the great ancestor of the Solar

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[Page-172]: race of Rajput, founder of the Kashwaha or Kachwaha tribe) ; and the Baloch from Arab ancestors, whose home was at Aleppo (probably from the ancient Arabitai of the river Arabius of Arrian, the modern Hab, or " Arabic" AlHab) ; in either case a mere Musalman conceit on their conversion to Islam. The Bahrech, with the rest of the Afghan, prides himself on being Bani Israil ; whilst the Baloch scorns the idea of a common descent with the Afghan.

James Tod writes that Baloch clan is found in Sindh.

References

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