'Military Report on Persian Seistan' [‎82v] (169/188)

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SEI—SHA
The Khadhhuda is the head of the Gurgij tribe, a nomad Baluch race,
said to number about a thousand families scattered between Gudar-i-Shah
and Band-i-Seistan, some in Afghan territory and some in Persian.
Sehkuha possesses 48 ploughs of cultivable land which yields 1,728
Jcharwars of yrain (j wheat and ^ barley). Of this the Government
revenue amounts to 576 Jcharwars.— {Maula Bakhsh.)
SEISTANL —
This tribe is said to represent the original inhabitants of Seistan; but in
reality it is a mixture of all sorts of tribes and races, thrown here at
different periods by the waves of conquest or revolution. With the excep
tion of the Kalantari section (who, perhaps, may represent the aboriginals),
they have no possession in the soil, but are the subjects or tenants of the
possessing tribes. They are divided into innumerable sections, according to
origin or occupation, and are collectively known under the term < dihkan, or
villager'. .
Their position in the country is that of serfs, their families and property
being very much at the disposal of the lord of the tribe amongst whom
they are settled, whilst their liberty is completely so. They constitute
the bulk of the population, and are distributed amongst the village com
munities all over the district j but it is difficult to arrive at even an approxi
mate calculation of their numbers.
I am inclined to believe that they collectively outnumber all the other
tribes put together. They perform all the agricultural work of the country,
and furnish all its handicraftsmen and artizans, such as carpenters, weavers,
cobblers, smiths, barbers, musicians, labourers, etc. Some of them are em
ployed as shepherds, and others as fowlers, huntsmen, and fishermen, etc.;
whilst all are bound to take up arms in defence of the tribe amongst whom
they live, and, it is said, they have proved very brave and faithful adherents.
Amongst the Seistanis, or Dihkans, are found Turk, Tatar, Uzbeg, Kurd,
Moghul, Arab, Afghan, Pathan, Hazara, Brahui, and Baluch families.
In early times the Seistanis were a more influential and numerous element
in the polity of Seistan than they are at the present day. Timur during
his few years' devastation of this country completely broke their power.
He is said to have transported 7,000 of their families of the Kikha section
to Mazanderan, and the Sarbandis and Shehrakis bodily to Hamadan.
Some of the principal divisions of the Seistanis, or Dihkans, at the present
day are the Kikha, Bozi, Saiyad, Panjaka, Sargazi, Sangburi, Sangchuli,
Shaikhlangi, Karakoui, Kazak, Bamari, Kamar, Khamar, Bahrai Jauri,
Khushdad, Mahmudzai, etc.; also Baghwan, Chaman, Julah, Chupan, etc.
— (Bellew.)
SHAGHALAK—
A village on the Milak Canal possessing 8 ploughs of cultivable land
Government revenue 96 khartvars of grain,— {Ahmad Bin.)
SHAHJAHAN.—
See NA H R-I-S HAHJAHAN—
SHAHRABAD—
A village of about 70 houses on the Shehraki canal. It possesses 14
ploughs of cultivable land annually yielding 504 kharwars of grain ({j wheat
and £ barely). The Government revenue amounts to 168 per
annum .—(Mania Bakhfh.)
SHAH RI STAN—
Shahristan is now in ruins. It is situated on an island between two
branches of the canal, to the left of the road from Khwaja Ahmad to Milak