Rustak
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.
Rustak
Town in the Badakhshan province of Afghanistan, situated in 37 8' N. and 69 47' E., on the left bank of the Rustak river j 3,920 feet above the sea. Lying in a rich and feitile tract, and within easy reach of the Oxus, it is the most important commercial centre in Badakhshan, with 2,000 houses and 185 shops With the exception of a few Hindu shopkeepers, the inhabitants are all Tajiks and speak Persian. Bokhara silk is worn by the upper classes and cotton clothes by the rest some of the material for the latter is imported from the Russian markets and some from Peshawar, while a not inconsiderable quantity is woven from locally grown cotton Barley, rice, wheat, and other grains are produced, but not sufficiently for export ; and fruit trees abound. Arms, and practically all articles made of iron, are manufactured locally. Bajauri traders used to visit Rustak every year in large numbers, bringing merchandise from India through Chitral, and returning with horses. Owing to the prohibi- tion of the export of horses from Afghanistan, this trade has, howevei, fallen off in recent years. The town contains schools foi religious in- struction, supported chiefly by public charity. The fort, situated to the north of the town, is a square of about 100 yards, the Rustak Mirs still reside there, but they no longer have any power, the govern- ment being entirely carried on by Afghan officials.
