The conquest of Marwat by the Nawab of Mankera

About fifty seven years ago (1819), Abezar Khan, grandfather of Arzullah Khan, the present chief of the Isakhels, over powered his rival, Nawaz Khan, grandfather of Khan Mir Khan, the present chief of the Begu Khels; whereupon the latter, with a remnant of his party, after first unsuccessfully invoking aid from Khan Sarwar Khan, Nawab of Tank, went to the Mankera Nawab of Multan, who dispatched an army to his assistance, under Manak Rai, his hindu chancellor. A pitched battle was fought, at a place called Lagharwah, in which Abezar Khan was defeated with great slaughter. The Nawab then seized Marwat land for himself.

A 'Dum' named Jarasi, the local poet laureate of the time, celebrated the sad event in a ballad, which is still sung all over Marwat. His grandson, Muhammad Nur, chanted it before me and a large assemblage of greybeards on a cold night early in February 1874. We all sat in a circle round a great log fire. The audience were at first grave and silent; but soon carried away by the wild, sweet, though rather monotonous strain, began to nod their heads in time, as it rose and fell on their ears; and, when the singer repeated the names, and told of the brave deeds of those who had fallen in the fight, as each name was uttered, some old men would have a deep sigh, exlaiming aloud, "Ah! that was so and so's father, what a man he was!"

It was a very real and affecting entertainment, which brought back old times vividly to the minds of the Marwats, bridging the gulf of years in a minute, and afforded me a glimpse into the country as it was generations ago.

It may be said of Jarasi -

The last of all the bards was he,
Who sung of Marwat's Chivalry.

For with him ended the days of chivalry, and the class of minstrel poets to which he belonged.

Here is the Ballad :

Many fears crowded round my heart.
What a moment of grief it was! the Dreplaris had held council together.
They would not leave Nawaz alone. They drove him forth from spite.
Where were the companions of Nawaz ? They assembled together.

When they had mounted and started, they joined Nawaz Midad Khel with themselves.
from this place they marched and hastened to Khan Sarwar.
They said "Khan! today adversity has beset us;
Stretch forth thy hand over us, befriend us!"
The Khan said, "Ye erring men! I make not war.
Here in my castle I fear the strength of the united Marwat."
When the Khan dismissed them, they mounted --
Fine youths they were -- and went to Derah.
Manki said, "Go, Nawaz, and bow down before the Nawab."
God and the pure Prophet were his escort on the way.
Afterwards Hafiz Ahmad gave him a great army.

He dragged the guns and the Zamburaks* from Mankera.
When he came to Bluchø, the zamburaks were discharged.
Here a council of all the Marwats was held.
At Pezu is their rendezvous, there they collect from all quarters.
When the enemy came to Tang, the Marwats heard of it.
United Marwats marched against them in battle array,
And pitched their black tents at Khan Safi.
When the enemy came to Lagharwah, the roar of their Zamburaks was heard.
Next forenoon the armies spread out in line.
Manki said, "Nawaz, look on; I will join the battle first."
Fine are the warriors of the Isakhels; when do they separate from each other?
They mounted on to the guns, shoulder to shoulder --
Whether it was Bir or Gulbaz, each was raging with a flashing blade.
At their hearths they had sworn, "When shall we go back? -- Never!"
This time the Marwat horsemen did nothing in the field.
They left the foot, and carried themselves in all directions.
They (the enemy) slaughtered the Marwats, and hid the living in the dead.
Many Marwats they slew -- even to Skandara the sweeper!

Up in Darzai they made Soudala's house a bare plain.
Soudala weeps. Both his eyes they made blind.
Oh Gul Rang, son of Baz Gul! thouh hast suffered terrible things.
The flowers of Spring are withered up: strange deeds are wrought.

See! He (Manak Rai) has let loose horrifying parties everywhere.
He plunders - he is a tyrant - he does not even ask, "Who art thou?"
Though the others were plundered, they made a fight first.
Fools were the Tajozais, they neither went nor hid:
They were looted without fault. Their boat was ill fated.
Manki said, "Marwat have I plundered entirely.
I will demand one rupee more than twenty thousand;
Nor will a grain be lessened; nay, I shall take more."

* Small kind of cannon carried by camels.
ø Paniala, a village near the foot of Sheikh Badin mountain on Dera Ismail Khan side.

¯²{{{{²¯