Light Within

What I got was signs in lieu of plaques, hot wind, remnants of crumbling columns, and a long view of the undergrowth of thorny bushes, some wildflowers, functional Persian wells and rocky hilltops covered with camel and sheep droppings. It was all prosaic and quiet and yet real enough to propel me into another fit of wonder: I was driving on the tract where Alexander and Muhammad Bin Qasim had treaded.

One does not have to travel to have fun alone. I understand that. But I know of few surer ways to achieve what I find to be probably my happiest state - wonder - to stick a figurative pin into a map and then experience the grand surprise of seeing someplace I have only identified on maps but not seen before, someplace that inevitably and overwhelmingly exceeded my expectations.

Inhabited for centuries, town Bela is a wonder in many ways. The town is situated in a plain called Lasbela in Balochistan (Pakistan) with its own distinct history. The tract derives its name from the word "Las" which means a plain – surrounded by hill ranges, the greater part of the area is a flat plain, and Bela is the main town at the apex of the plain over 100 kilometers from Karachi. From the early period of history till the rise of the Jamoot tribe in the middle of the eighteenth century, only a few facts are known and recorded about the history of Lasbela.

Time seemed to me to be a greater mystery in Bela. The whole town had the air of being in a time-warp, lost and with its fibers still connected to some bygone era. Bela has been identified with the ancient place Armabel - the place that was visited by Alexander. Mohammad Bin Haroon, one of the Generals of Mohammad Bin Qasim lies buried here. The last resting place of Robert Sandeman, the first British Chief Commissioner of Balochistan is also here. There are numerous sites and caves of prehistoric period around Bela in area of Kud River. There are boulder hills in the neighborhood, which are the remains of ancient settlements. The caves hewed out of solid conglomerate rock situated some 20 kilometers to the north of Bela town are other marvels worth visiting. The Grad Mosque in Bela is an exemplary accomplishment of Muslim architecture.

On his way back from South Asia Alexander passed through Lasbela, according to Thomas Holdich's account, "After Alexande's death, one of his generals, Seleukas Nickator, became ruler of central and Western Asia. For many centuries after this, nothing can be traced about the history. In early seventh century the ruler of Armabel (present Bela) was a Buddhist Somani. Chach usurped the throne of the dynasty of Sindh and marched to Bela in 636 AD. Chach was cordially received at Bela and was impressed with the loyalty of the people of Bela."

The area also lay on the route followed by the young Muslim General Muhammad-Bin-Qasim in 712 AD. On his way to Sindh, Mohammad-Bin-Qasim marched through Bela accompanied by his General Muhammad Bin Haroon. The power of the Arabs lasted towards the end of the tenth century. Afterwards, the area appears to have come under the influence of the Sumras, who asserted their independence when the power of the Abbaside caliphs declined. The Sumras gained a position of supremacy in the middle of the eleventh century. The Sammas under Jam Umar eventually overthrew them in 1333. The Sammas reigned till 1523 when they were defeated and their power was completely broken by Shah Hussain Argon. The succeeding period is again obscure. The chiefs of the Gujar, Ranjha, Gunga and Burfat tribes, who are still found in Bela, are said to have exercised a semi-independent power previous to the rise of the Jamoot tribe. When the British advancement extended beyond Sindh, Jam Mir Khan-II was exercising powerful political control over the affairs of these areas. In agreement with the British, the family ruled until Pakistan came into existence.

Geographically, the district can be divided into the alluvial plain that surrounds Bela and extends southwards up to the bay of Sonmiani and the hilly regions situated east and west of this plain. The plain itself consists of alluvium deposits of rivers. At the edge of the plain, around the margins of the adjoining hilly regions and near the coast, lie raised sea-beaches, some 15 to 25 meters above sea level. The east of the alluvial plain exhibits the greatest variety of rocks forming the hill ranges, which are separated by valleys. The hilly region is situated on the west of the alluvial plain and extends along the Makran coast.

"Lasi" is a geographical term, which applies to all the tribes other than Baloch and Brahvi, Med, Khoja and Hindus who are settled in Lasbela. The principal Lasi tribes are only five in number: Jamoot, Ranjha, Sheikh, Angaria and Burraf. These are called the Panjraj or the five tribal confederacies. Under each Raj are a large number of heterogeneous groups. The few Afghans are mostly nomads, except the Buzdars, who are flock owners and wander about. Minor tribes include the Gunjas, Sinars, Sangurs, Burfats, Chhuttas and Khojas. A good number of Hindus are also residing in Uthal, Bela and Hub. In many places that I had been, I01 heard the Lasis speaking a new dialect.

The land offers exciting landscape. The great span of arid wastelands with a fierce but hospitable tribal people makes the place very thrilling for cautiously curious going to this region. Desolate shrubs, hamlets and Persian wells, relieve the dull brown of the fields.

Not only is the earth good in Lasbela, but some of the people also leave an unforgettable impression. There was my host Muqeem Kumbhar, landlord and agriculturist by profession and local historian in leisure time. He had arranged an evening with a nomad family who had a large herd of camels. We were served Kurut – curry made by dried meat and dried milk. It tasted wonderful. As a sweet dish, there was honey on the food mat, wild honey straight from the wilderness. I must have looked more than usually astonished since Kumbhar explained that there are wild bees in droves and pesticides or some other problem must have driven them here from neighboring areas. The honey had a faint tang of wild berries, a beautiful, lingering taste.

After the dinner we sat under the star-studded sky to chat with the elders of the family. They had seen and knew so much and were more interesting than history books. Obviously, life of the nomads is incredibly difficult even in modern times despite having transistor radios, tape recorders, cell phones and florescent lights.

A trip to this region is a wonderful for those who know the art to become happy when they have an enriching experience. After three days in the area, I turned back for a last look. There was nobody there, nothing but the shrubs swinging with the wind!