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POVINDAH , a class of See also:warrior nomadic traders in See also:Afghanistan, who belong chiefly to the Nasir and Suliman Kuel tribes of Ghilzais. Their name, which designates their occupation, is derived from the same See also:root as the See also:Pushtu word for " to graze." They are almost wholly engaged in the carrying See also:trade between See also:India and Afghanistan and Central See also:Asia. They assemble every autumn in the plains See also:east of See also:Ghazni, with their families, flocks, herds and See also:long strings of camels and horses, laden with the goods of See also:Bokhara and See also:Kandahar; and forming caravans See also:march through the See also:Kakar and Waziri countries by the See also:Zhob and See also:Gomal passes of the Suliman hills. Entering Dera See also:Ismail See also:Khan See also:district about See also:October they leave their families and flocks, their arms and some two-thirds of their fighting men in the See also:great grazing grounds which See also:lie on either See also:side of the See also:Indus, and while some wander in See also:search of employment, others pass on with their merchandise to the great cities of India, and even by See also:rail as far as See also:Calcutta, See also:Karachi and Bombay. In the See also:spring they again assemble, and return by the same route to their homes in the hills about Ghazni and See also:Kalat-i-See also:Ghilzai. When the hot See also:season begins, the men, leaving their belongings 'behind them, move off again to Kandahar, See also:Herat and Bokhara, with the See also:Indian and See also:European merchandise which they have brought from Hindustan. For generations the Waziris have carried on See also:war to the See also:knife with these See also:merchant traders. To meet the opposition that awaited them on the road the Povindahs used to move heavily armed, in bodies of from 5000 to 10,000, and See also:regular See also:marches and encampments were observed under an elected khan or See also:leader. But since the Gomal Pass was taken over by the See also:British and opened up in 1889 there has been See also:comparative See also:security on the border. During the Second Afghan War the tribes on the Tank border were stirred up by emissaries from See also:Kabul, and the Suliman Khel joined the Mahsud Waziris in their daring See also:raid on the See also:town of Tank in See also:January 1879. See also:Colonel Boisragon; who commanded at Dera Ismail Khan, moved out against the Povindah settlements in the mouth of the Gomal Pass and severely punished them. The Povindahs paid a See also:fine of nearly Rs. 6o,000 (£6000), and agreed that in future their migratory bands should be disarmed on their entry into British territory, their weapons to be deposited in a military See also:arsenal, and returned to their owners when they again crossed the border.
End of Article: POVINDAH
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