Kalat Town
This article has been extracted from THE IMPERIAL GAZETTEER OF INDIA , 1908. OXFORD, AT THE CLARENDON PRESS. |
Note: National, provincial and district boundaries have changed considerably since 1908. Typically, old states, ‘divisions’ and districts have been broken into smaller units, and many tahsils upgraded to districts. Some units have since been renamed. Therefore, this article is being posted mainly for its historical value.
Kalat Town
Capital of the Kalat State in Baluchistan, situated in 29 degree 2' N. and 66° 35' E., 88J miles from Quetta on the south of the Sarawan division. It is known to the natives as Kalat-i-Baloch and Kalat-i-Sewa ; jthe former to distinguish it from Kalat-i-Ghilzai in Afghanistan, and the latter after its legendary founder. The popula- tion (190 1) does not exceed 2,000 persons. The inhabitants are chiefly the Khan's troops, numbering 491, and his retainers, with a few Hindu traders. The town occupies a spur of the Shah-i-Mardan hill on the west of the Kalat valley. A wall surrounds it, with bastions at intervals. Its three approaches on the north, south, and east are known respectively as the Mastungi, Gilkand, and Dildar gates. Three suburbs lie close by. Commanding the town is the miri or citadel, an imposing structure in which the Khan resides. Kalat fell into the hands of the Mirwaris about the fifteenth century, since which time the place has remained the capital of the Ahmadzai Khans. In 1758 it withstood three assaults by Ahmad Shah Durrani, and in 1839 was taken by the British under General Wiltshire. A year later it surrendered to the Sarawan insurgents. Below the citadel lies a Hindu temple of Kali, probably of pre-Muhammadan date. The marble image of the goddess, holding the emblem of plenty, stands in front of two lights which are perpetually burning. The trade of the town is chiefly retail business. Taxes on trade are col- lected by a system of contracts. Police functions are carried out by an official known as mir shab, assisted by watchmen (kotwals).
