Iranian Baloch of Pune
Sanjay Godbole
Godbole holds B.Com., LLB., M.A. in History, Anthropology, and Indio logy. A fellow of the England’s Numismatic Society Royal and Royal Asiatic Society Britain. He’s name entered in Linca book of Records for biggest historical curious and document collection in India.
The death of Shah Alam 1 Aurangazeb’s son in 1712 led to a war of succession amongst his sons. Later Muhammad Shah tried to pull the empire together. But the Mughal Empire had already started to break. In 1739 Nadir Shah of Iran, who had already taken Kabul from Mughal invaded and occupied the city of Delhi. Nadir Shah’s army looted the city and left it deserted. At that time the famous Peacock Throne and Koh-I-Nur diamond were taken to Iran. It’s said that when Nadir Shah came to India in 1739 A.D. many Baluchis traveled to India along with him.
The experts have difference of opinion about the term Baluch. Some say it means Nomad. While others claim that it is an Old Persian word meaning the cock’s crest. Some have traced their origins to Nimrod, son of Kush. But we do know that Baluchis first moved to this Iranian region in the twelfth century. This territory was known as Baluchistan in Mughal period. The Baluchis arrived in India and they spread throughout India in smaller groups. These Baluchis always introduced themselves as originating from Iran. Attracting attention of Indians by their appearance, these Baluchis were fair skinned, light eyed, and wore ethnic jewellery and nomadic drapery.
The Iranian Baluchis spread throughout India but settled mainly in Deccan. Especially in Maharashtra State in Pune, lonikalbhor, Shrirampur, Chinchwad, Neral, we find noticeable Baluchi colonies.
The Baluchi, here should be especially noted for the fact that they have retained their nomadic tradition and culture in India. Pune city is located 185 k.m. from Mumbai. Pune is a halting place of Baluchis in Deccan. The population of Baluchi people in and around Pune is about 7000. The Baluchis of Pune live in semi nomadic life style. They sell spectacles, goggles and locks. The Baluchis of Pune speak Persian dialect which is mixed with local Marathi and Urdu language. They also know Urdu and Marathi very well. The Baluchi drapery is typical; they wear odhni, Ghagara and Choli. The biological features of Baluchis clearly show that their race is from Iran. The chieftain of Baluchis is called Sardar. The group is under the command and order of their Sardar.
The Pune Baluchis are inhabitant of south – eastern Iran. They speak Kurabati Baluchi language which is an Iranian language of the Indo European family. Living for centuries as nomads, the Baluchis preserved many of their old beliefs. The Baluchi kabila is a union of tradition, custom and language. The number of families living together is the result of Baluchis early marriages. They are bound together by close kinship, same like a gypsy belief they are, the same blood, the same eyes, the same soul, the same body and one happiness. The life within the Baluchi kabila is regulated by moral and traditional norms. Their life which also determines the division of work.
In Iran various Baluchi groups speak different dialects, each with distinguishing characteristics. These dialects have been divided into three groups: Eastern, Western and Southern. Baluchis migrated to India to their present day location brought with them Farsi. Their semi-nomadic life in India created another dialect, for example, for “Zud” they use the word “Jaladi”, and for “Tajarat” they often say “Byapar mi kunim”.
The Baluchis in Pune are basically self sufficient, relying on their own skill to build tent houses. Their economy is based on small shops. They also raise chickens, ducks and pigeons. Some young men are moving in the cities for work. Before independence Pune Baluchis were also doing business of money exchange i.e. giving coins in exchange of notes on commission basis.
Baluch society is male dominated. Male elders are the heads of the families. Their desire is always important for the family. Baluchi marriages are arranged between the bride’s father and the groom. Once a woman is married, she passes from the authority of her father to that of her husband. Marriages are life long and marrying non-Baluchis is strictly forbidden. These Iranian Baluchis have honor code. This code includes hospitality, mercy, dealing with each other honestly and offering refuge to strangers.
Nomadic women the world over love jewellery but Baluch women have a special fondness for it. In many ways their trends differ. Their jewellery is just as much an expression of their personality as their dresses. The traditional Iranian motifs never really go away. Their ethnic jewellery includes stones, beads, metals and woven fibers. Baluchi garments are colorful. The women wear nose rings, earrings, marriage string, anklets and bangles.
Pune’s Baluchis have preserved their tradition through their songs. These songs cover many special themes. Their songs are also indicative of Iran’s folk culture and nomadic life. Some songs are so typical that they do not even exist in Iran and not heard of any where out of Baluch kabila. These Baluchis are fond of singing and dancing, especially in marriages they have performance of dance with songs. Some times the couplets are focusing that they are khanabadosh, homeless. Another noticeable feature of Pune’s Baluchi is, they have songs with one line in Persian and another line in Marathi. The Persian line is connecting the Marathi in meaning…*
The Baluchi women sing the songs when they cook or bake Roti or Nan. The Baluchi women also sing lullaby when they put their children in the swing to make them go to sleep. They sing various songs without accompanying any musical instrument. They like to recite Persian couplets so nicely that their artistic talent can be understood by us. Some of them also know by heart Sheir of Hafez. “Oh ! Khanum Koja mire” is a popular Iranian song among the Baluchis. They nicely perform their songs with some rhythm and facial expressions but all their styles have been developed from their nomadic traditions. Baluchis speak Marathi with Puneites, and when they come back in their kabila they speak only Persian in their homes.
As regards to my subject Romani studies I visited Baluchis and studied their way of life. I have produced Persian documentary on the life of Baluchis with Miss Roya Vaziri of Tehran. This documentary will be shown in Tehran University. A photo exhibition is also being arranged in Tehran showing the various occasional incidents and the life style of Baluchis. For the first time, an attempt is made to indicate life style of Baluchis of Pune in Tehran through Persian documentary and photo exhibition.
In the documentary “Baluchis of Pune”, Roya Vaziri has taken interviews of Baluchi chieftains, men, women and children. This film also carries special interview of Zinat, a Baluchi girl who is the first graduate and speaks English fluently. Also Molana Fiaz Balochi religious teacher has expressed his views. The Baluchis who migrated to India to their present day location brought it with them Farsi language, and still maintain Iranian tradition in Pune is depicted in the documentary. The economic condition of the Balochis is not good. We can only say in the words of Andre Malraux: “outside, not a leaf, and inside, not a stick of furniture, the walls, the sky and God”.
Name of the study: Iranian Baluch of Pune
Country: India
State: Maharashtra
Their Language: Kurbati – Persian
Population Appro: 7000
Religion: Shia - Islam
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تحقیق: بلوچهای ایرانی در پونا، کاری از محقق سنجه گد بوله. نویسنده عضو جامعه رویال مسکوک شناسی انگلیس و چند مرکز تحقیقاتی دیگر در هند و انگلیس میباشند. ایشان دارای سه مدرک فوق لیسانس در رشته های باستان شناسی، تاریخ و هندشناسی هستند.
كپي برداري از مطالب این وبلاگ با ذكر منبع بلامانع است
