Entrance to bazaar, Shah Faisal gate, Kohat, 1928

Entrance to bazaar, King's gate, Kohat, 1928. Photo by Lieutenant Colonel H. E. Crocker of the Britis Army.

It was later renamed to Shah Faisal Gate in the honour of King Shah Faisal of Saudi Arabia. In 2021 Ziaullah Khan Bangash of PTI changed the name of the gate to Bab i Khatam-i-Nabowat. 

Mausoleum of Shaikh Imam al-Din (a Khalil Pashtun), Palosai, Peshawar

Mausoleum of Shaikh Imam al-Din (a Khalil Pashtun), Palosai, Peshawar. 

According to Persian inscription on the site, Shaikh Imam al-Din died in 1650 AD and the mausoleum was constructed in 1653 AD. 

 

He was grandson of Shaikh Qasim Sulaimani, a renowned saint of Akbar's reign.

A zoo in Peshawar in early 20th century

The zoo in Peshawar city of British times was located in the Shahi Bag. It was closed down some time before 1931. The Peshawar district Gazetteer of 1931 reports: 

"The Shahi Bagh or Royal Garden is the property of Government, and its spacious and shady ground are now on the way to becoming the pleasure grounds of Peshawar city. Here until recently flourished a famous zoo, which unfortunately failed, on account of economic difficulties; but its place has been taken by an enclosed purdah park for women and a number of playing grounds including the Muslim and Hindu Gymkhana clubs." (Page-299)

A lion in zoo, Peshawar, N.W.F.P, 1920 (c). Postcard photo.

Hyena in the Peshawar zoo, 1928. Photo by Lieutenant Colonel H. E. Crocker of the British Army.

A corner of zoo in Peshawar, showing lions cages and enclosures, NWFP, probably 1920s.

A corner of zoo in Peshawar, showing lions cages and enclosures.

Gramophone in a Pashtun village, Kohat district, N.W.F.P, 1928.

 

A Wazir father and son, Waziristan, 1939

 

A Wazir Pashtun family, Sham plains (North Waziristan), 1939. Caption: "Sadha Khan at home".

A camel-ambulance for carrying injured British soldiers during Waziristan campaign, 1939.

Mangal tribesmen (Pashtun) attacking the baggage train of British invading army near Kuroh, Second Anglo-Afghan war, 1879

Mangal tribesmen (Pashtun) attacking the baggage train of British invading army near Kuroh, Second Anglo-Afghan war, 1879. 

From "London Illustrated News". 

Source: https://www.meisterdrucke.uk/fine-art-prints/Richard-Caton-Woodville-junior/259398/The-Afghan-War,-Attack-on-a-Baggage-Train-near-Koruh,-by-Marauders-of-the-Mangal-Tribe-.html

Ibrahim Khan Gardi (an Afghan mercenary in the service of Marathas)

A scene from an Indian tv series. Ibrahim Khan Gardi is portrayed as a 'patriotic' Indian Muslim with unwavering loyalty to Marathas and his 'country'. 

In reality, the mercenary was ready to join Ahmad Shah Abdali after he was captured. According to an eyewitness account (Kashiraj), when the captured Ibrahim Khan Gardi was presented before Ahmad Shah Abdali, the former made the plea that he wanted to join Ahmad Shah Abdali and that he would sacrifice his life for him. Ahmad Shah Abdali was not impressed and handed him over to the charge of his Grand Wazir who tortured him to death.

"A good Indian – dead"

Photo of a dead Pashtun, NWFP, 1935.

 Colonel Bunn of the British Army who was travelling through NWFP and took the photo, has captioned it as "A good Indian – dead" (i.e. "The only good Indian is a dead Indian").

History of the Utman Khel tribe (اتمان خیل)

Utman Khels are Karlanri Pashtuns whose territory lies between Swat and Bajaur. According to a local legend the Utman Khels are the descendants of Baba Utman, a follower of Sultan Mahmud of Ghazni. 

It is said that their original abode was in the mountains about Tank and Gomal from which they moved away in early 14th century AD and accompanied the Yousafzai by way of Kabul and Nangarhar to Peshawar. In the war between Yousafzai and Dilazak, the Utman Khel remained faithful to the former even though the latter were their Karlanri kinsmen. They contributed to the victory of Yousafzais over Dilazaks by effectively using shields of raw and tanned ox hides that protected them against the arrows of the enemy archers. They advanced boldly into the very lines of their enemies and routed the Dilazaks. 

The whole or part of Utman Khel tribe were found in Tirah in the times of Pir Roshan. Afzal Khan Khattak writes:

"It is stated that, in Pir Roshan's day, the Utman Khel tribe was in Tirah and that on enmity arising between them and the Afridis, they left Tirah and went and took up their quarters in Arang Barang of Bajaur".

 

References: (1) 'Hayat-i-Afghani' by Muhammad Hayat Khan (2) 'History of the Pathans' by Haroon Rashid;

 

Utman Khel tribesmen, 1890 (c). From "The tribes on our frontier" series of photos by Bourne & Shepherd.. Source.

Photos of a "Pathan woman", circa 1919

 

The above photo, captioned as "Pathan woman" was taken by Randolph Bezzant Holmes in 1919 (c). 

This photo was taken in a studio and features a model. It is very doubtful if the woman in the photo is an actual Pashtun. She appears to be either an Indian or a Hindkai of Peshawar. The photographer had studio in Peshawar city.

Here is another photo of the so called Pathan woman with caption "Pathan woman spinning", taken by the same photographer in his studio.

Original caption: 'The burqa of the Pathan Frontier'.

Handcoloured photo by R.B.Holmes.

The royal seal of Ahmad Shah Durrani

On the seal-ring of Ahmad Shah Durrani was engraved the phrase: 

"الحکم لله، یا هو، یا فتاح، احمد شاه در درّانی" 

(“Judgment is God’s, O Conqueror—Ahmad Shah, Durr-i Durrani”) 

He had the great seal made in the shape of a peacock’s fan, round and elongated like a flask, and it was used on all decrees (farmans) and orders (hukams).

Reference: Siraj al-Tawarikh

Credit: Malek National Library

Source

Absolutely true. Same seal on land documents of our village which was given as a reward to our village's grandfather Ghazi Karim dad by Ahmad Shah Abdali for his great contribution in the battle of panipat, as said by elders of our village. Village Mian gujar daudzai Peshawar. pic.twitter.com/LgnTaryAZM

— Kashif Ahmad (@kashifad04) December 23, 2021

Pashtun flags bearing the insignia of blood-red hand

The war flags of Umra Khan and Sar-tor faqir had insignia of blood-red hand. The following image From "London Illustrated News" (issued on 18th September 1897) is captioned as :

"Chief among the fanatical mullahs, or priests, who have been stirring up the tribesmen on the North West Frontier of India is the Mad Mullah of the Swat valley. His standard bears the same insignia as did of Umra Khan in the Chitral campaign, namely a blood-red hand upon a green field."  

 

The blood-red hand was noted on the flag of Afridis who were making peace offerings to a British officer in 1930. The following photo is captioned as follow in "The Graphic" :

The above picture shows an Afridi jirgah, or peace assembly, meeting a British political officer to whom a native Political is presenting the two headmen of the clan and their peace offering of a couple of goats. The tribal banner of Afridis is embroidered with a red hand.

Photo of a Pashtun belonging to the Utmanzai sub-tribe of Yousafzai, 1861

 

Photo of a Pashtun belonging to the Utmanzai sub-tribe of Yousafzai, 1861. From "The People of India" by John Watson and John Kaye.

"The subject of the Photograph is nearly as fair as an Englishman, with dark eyes, and is five feet nine inches in height. His dress consists of a green cotton turban, with border and ends of crimson silk and gold; a dark blue loongee or waist cloth, sometimes worn over the shoulders as a scarf, and sometimes as a girdle, with a border of crimson silk, and ends of crimson silk and gold. This, with loose trousers of cotton cloth, completes the costume. In cold weather a sheep-skin choga or pelisse, or a tunic of quilted cotton, is worn over all. The "Rohilla" costume in the Deccan is a blue cotton shirt, white or blue drawers, and white, red, or blue turban, with a blue quilted jacket for cold weather." 

 "..They make excellent soldiers, and their valour and endurance are beyond question. Many of them, from time to time, have entered the service of native princes, under the designation of Rohillas; and at one period they were numerous, with members of other Afghan frontier tribes, in the service of His Highness the Nizam. In the Deccan, however, they were found turbulent and lawless, and their numbers have been gradually reduced. They are in general bad shots, though they carry guns; and their favourite weapons are a broad, heavy sabre, and knife or dagger, with which, protected by a large black shield, they are undoubtedly formidable antagonists. Many of the Ootmanzyes, and Yoosufzyes in general, are as fair and ruddy as Europeans, with light brown hair and beards, and blue, grey, or hazel eyes; and they are a strikingly handsome, athletic race, capable of immense endurance of fatigue. Their women are said to be very beautiful in youth, though often coarse and masculine as they grow old, and in comparison with others."

Portrait of an Afghan prince, circa 1850

 

Portrait of Shams al-Din son of Amir Dost Muhammad, king of Kabul', circa 1850. Source

Pashtun intermediaries dominated the horse trade between Central Asia and India

During the medieval period, Pashtuns dominated the horse trade with India even through the horses were bred by Turkoman and Uzbek nomads in Turkestan. After the Pashtun dealers had bought the horses at low prices from the nomadic tribes of Turkestan, they were fattened for one or two months in the various meadows around Kabul. During October and November, the horses were brought to India and sold through extensive network of horse fairs or melas. 

Figures for horse trade between Central Asia and India during the Mughal period, range from 25,000, as mentioned by Bernier, to Manucci’s 100,000. The eighteenth-century figures have about the same range. Babur himself mentions that in the early sixteenth century, about 7 to 10,000 horses were imported through Kabul into India. Based on the statistics of the A’in-i Akbari, Moosvi calculates that about 16,000 horses must have been imported annually to replace the existing number of Turkish horses in the Mughal army, arriving at an Indian total of 1,000 Persian and 21,000 Turkish horses. This would result in a massive trade volume of at least three million rupees. The horse trade was important not only in terms of horses delivered for the Mughal army but also in terms of taxes that could be raised. According to Abul Fazl, Akbar enforced a tax of two to three rupees on every horse imported through Kabul and Qandahar. According to Manucci, horse-dealers had to pay 25 per cent of the value of their horses on crossing the Indus. In the end, however, overtaxing could always endanger supply itself or force dealers to look for alternative outlets. 

The Pashtuns had a widely acclaimed reputation for using the horse trade as a springboard to gain political power. For example, the Lodi sultans of Delhi had started their careers as horse-traders from the North-West. This fairly common pattern in which the horse trade ushered in, directly or indirectly, political power and even state formation, once again repeated itself during the eighteenth century when we see the emergence of a string of Pashtun chieftaincies along the major horse-trading routes from Kabul to southern and eastern India.

The military threat posed by the Pashtun horse- traders is demonstrated in one of the anecdotes of Aurangzeb, in which the emperor reprimanded Amir Khan, his governor in Kabul, for letting into the country 11,000 horses fit for service but accompanied by one groom for every two horses. According to Aurangzeb:

 It is a very strange act of negligence on the part of Amir Khan who has been trained by me and knows my mind. It is as if 5,500 brave Turanis have entered the imperial territory from foreign parts. Well, such [was the number of the] men who wrested the kingdom of Hindustan from the hands of the Afghans. . .. In future, he should know it to be his duty to avoid this sort of action, and he should remedy the past in this way, that whenever the droves of horses arrive, he should allow only one groom to every 20 horses, and that groom should be a useless old and helpless man.

Ref: "Mughal Warfare: Indian Frontiers and Highroads to Empire 1500-1700" by J.L.L.Gommans 

Nine Pashtun horse merchants, 1816 (c). From Fraser's album. Via Willaim Dalryample

Pashtun horse merchants and others, 1816 (c). From Fraser Album. The men in the colorful dresses are Pashtuns. All the men in the painting are Afghans except the white-bearded man in plain white clothes. The figures in the painting are named as follows: 1st figure. Khodadad Khan son of Meerza Bahram. 2d. Meerza Bahram, an Afghan born at Caubul, a horse merchant. 3d. Seyyeed Khan, a Dooraunee Patan, a merchant of Candahar. 4th. Nunmoo Lahoree, a trooper, and residing at Delhee. 5th. Moolah Seyed Oollah, a Dooraunee Patan, a horse merchant of Caubul. Source

Eight Pashtun horse merchants, 1816 (c). From Fraser's album. Via Willaim Dalryample

Mulah Seyedullah, a Durrani Pashtun, a horse merchant of Kabul, circa 1816-20. Detail from a painting in the Fraser Album

Pashtun horse dealers in Sindh, 1861. From Watson and Kaye collection.

Two Pashtun horse dealers in Kandahar, 1880 (c). Photo by Sir Benjamin Simpson 

Barikh Khan , a Pashtun horse dealer in Lahore. 1886's painting by Rudolf Swoboda.

A Durrani of Kabul, circa 1860

A Durrani of Kabul. The drawing is made from a photo taken in 1861. 

 Source: "The world's inhabitants" by George Thomas Bettany.

The real photo on which the above drawing is based. It is captioned as "Dooranee, Soonnee Mahomedan, Kabool". Source

A falooda (فالودہ) stall in Kabul city, 1840 (c)

 

A falooda (فالودہ) stall in Kabul city (Afghanistan). The man on the left is a Hazara and is carrying snow, 1840 (c).

James Atkinson (the painter) writes:

"The stall where this delicacy is sold is very neatly and tastefully fitted up. A pillar of snow stands in one corner, a fountain plays behind it, while pots of flowers and loaves of sugar are arranged on either side. The month of May is the season for the Fulloodeh, which is a white jelly strained from whey, and drunk with sherbet and snow. So fond are the people of it that they call it “Rahut-i-jan,” or the solace of life, and in the hot season a draught of it si truly refreshing. One of the Huzzareh’s in the foreground is carrying snow for sale. In the winter these people collect it in pits, lined with chaff, where it is rammed down and covered over. When required during the summer, it is cut in pieces, and taken to market on men’s backs. Another with a pole slung over his shoulders supports a pile of earthenware vessels filled with butter-milk separated from each other by pieces of wood. A third holds a bag containing “root,” (dried curds pressed into hard lumps) some of which he is bargaining to exchange for bread with the baker’s boy seated near him."

Hindu Shahi rulers of Gandhara and Kabul were Brahmans

The Arab geographer Al-Masudi (896-956) writes that from "Al-Qandahar" comes one of the five rivers which forms the Mihran (Indus river). The Al-Qandahar of Al-Masudi was most likely Gandhara region (Peshawar valley and surroundings), not the modern Kandahar (which is referred to as "Rukhaj" or "Rakhaj" الرخج by Masudi and other Arabs).

There is no mention of "Rajputs" or its Arabic version "Rajbuts" in the text of "Muruj al-Dhahab" of Al-Masudi. The text simply says that the country of Kandahar is also known as Rahbut (والقندهار يعرف ببلاد الرهبوط). The variant in some manuscripts is Rahyut (الرھیوط).

Masudi says that the surname of the rulers of Al-Kandahar was "Hahaj" (ححج). Alexander Cunningham speculates that Hahaj or Jahaj could be Janjuas of Potohar region. However there is no solid evidence in support of it.

The clear and correct information about the background of Hindu Shahis is provided by Al-Beruni (950-1050). The latter informs us that Hindu Shahi rulers were Brahmans. Rajatarangini, a much later source (written around 1200 AD), claims that Hindu Shahis were Kshatriyas.

Bazaar-i-Misgran , Peshawar, circa 1880

 

Bazaar-i-Misgran , Peshawar, circa 1880

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1928: Afghan Ladies in public garden without Burqa

Afghan ladies in Bagh-i-Umoomi (Public Garden), Paghman, Afghanistan, 1928. They are wearing light diaphanous veils introduced by Queen Soraya to replace the head-to-toe Burqa. No woman wearing the full head-to-toe burqa was allowed to enter the Park.

Police and Levies with the body of Arab Gul (famous Khattak outlaw and raider from Karak), 1930s

Police and Levies with the body of Arab Gul Khattak, 1930s. Photo by C.E.Bruce

Arab Gul Khattak belonged to the Darish Khel village of Karak. Initially he was a soldier in the British-Indian army. After committing honour killing, he was forced to seek refuge in Waziristan where he created a gang of raiders. He looted wealthy Hindu traders of Karak and kidnapped them for ransom. It is said that he used to help poor and needy people and enjoyed Robinhood like reputation in Karak. Once he raided Karak town with a few hundred men and looted Hindu houses there for two days.

Umra Khan of Jandul and a case of blasphemy

In late 19th century, Umra Khan of Jandul (now located in Lower Dir district of KPK) was gaining tremendous power and influence. The growing power of Umra Khan was alarming and worrisome for not only the 'Khans' of surrounding regions but also for Amir Abdur Rahman, the ruler of the Kabul kingdom. Amir Abdur Rahman desired to annex 'Yaghistan' (Bajaur, Dir and Swat) to his kingdom. And for that goal to realize, he had to first curb the influence and power of Umra Khan. For that purpose, he sent Mullah Makarani, an influential scholar, to Jandul in 1882. The real name of Mullah Makarani was Abu Bakar and he was a native of Kabul city.

In 1884 a Hindu Baniyya of Mayar village of Jandul was accused of cursing the Prophet and Islam. Mullah Makarani demanded the death of that Hindu from Umra Khan. The latter refused to do so since that Hindu denied the charge. Mullah Makarani summoned Umra Khan to discuss the matter of blasphemy with him. But Umra Khan distrusted that agent of Amir Abdur Rahman and suspected treachery. Therefore, he did not comply with the summon and insisted that the meeting between two should be at some neutral place. Both parties agreed that the meeting would be at the village of Mian Killi. However, Umra Khan attacked Mullah Makarani's party at Mian Killi. He captured Mullah Makarani and kept him prisoner for three days. 

On release Mullah Makarani proclaimed Umra Khan as apostate and declared him "wajib al-qatal (one who has to be killed as per sharia), and he declared 'jihad' against Umra Khan. The Mamund clans (Tarklarnis) and Salarzais (Tarklanris) under the Khan of Nawagai joined the 'jihad' of Mullah Makarani against Umra Khan.  The latter defeated that large lashkar of Makarani with his small Janduli lashkar. However, the matter got further complicated and worsened. The jihad of Mullah Makarani was joined by the Khan of Dir, Mianguls of Swat and the Utman-Khel tribe. Umra Khan failed to disperse the large coalition force formed against him. He evacuated Barwa (now Samar-bagh) and retired to Jandul. But soon disputes arose between the allies of Mullah Makarani over the territories captured from Umra Khan. The latter was waiting for such an opportunity to arise. He suddenly pounced upon the lashkar of the Khan of Nawagai and defeated him. In that attack of Umra Khan, the brother of Khan of Nawagai got killed. Fearing retribution, Mullah Makarani fled to Kabul and never returned to Yaghistan. Umra Khan recovered all of his lost territories and conquered all the territory up to Chakdarra in one sweep. 

References: 
 
1- "Military Report on Dir , Swat and Bajour" by Intelligence Branch India (confidential)
2-  "History of the Pathans", Vol-2, by Brig (r) Haroon Rashid

A heavily armed inhabitant of Bajaur, 1835-1840. Illustrations by Imam Bakhsh Lahori for the memoirs of General Claude-Auguste Court (French general of Ranjit Singh), Lahore.

Shabqadar fort (in Charsadda district, KPK), 1910 (c)

Shabqadar fort (in Charsadda district, KPK), 1910 (c). Photo by Holmes.

Silk market (Bazaar i Abresham Gran), Peshawar

 

Silk market, Peshawar, 1889. Source

Silk market (Bazaar i Abresham Gran) and Hasting's Memorial (now Chowk Yadgar) in the distance, Peshawar, 1910 (c). Photo by Holmes.

Silk Market, Peshawar City, c1900s. Postcard photo by Mela Ram and sons.

Silk market, Peshawar city, 1899.

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