Sulaiman Range
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.
Sulaiman Range
Sulaiman Range (28° 31' to 32° 4' N. and 67° 52' to 70° 17' E.)
Range of mountains in North-western India, about 250 miles long, lying between the Gomal river on the north and the Indus on the south, which separates the North-west Frontier Province and Punjab from Baluchistan. Its backbone consists of a main ridge running north and south, flanked on the east by parallel serrated ranges. On tlie Baluchistan side these flanking ranges gradually take an east and west direction to meet the Central Brahui range. The height of the range gradually decreases to the southward. The geological formation of the southern parts is distinct from that of the northern. In the former, sandstones, clays, and marls predominate ; in the latter, pale marine coral limestone rests on Cretaceous sandstone. Petroleum has been worked in the Marri hills. On the southern slopes vegetation is scarce ; in the central part olives abound ; farther to the north the higher elevations are covered with edible pine (chilghoza), the fruit of which is collected and sold. In this part of the range much magnificent scenery is to be found, of which the extraordinarily narrow gorges constitute the most striking feature. These clefts afford a means of communication with the Punjab, the principal routes being through the Gat, Zao, Chuharkhel Dhana, and Sakhi Sarwar Passes. The highest point of the range, 11,295 feet above above the sea, is known to Europeans as the Takht-i-Sui.aiman ('Solomon's throne') and to natives as Kasi Ghar. Sir Thomas Holdich describes the takht as a ziamt or shrine, situated on a ledge some distance below the crest of the southernmost bluff of the mountain. It is difficult of approach, but is nevertheless annually visited by many pilgrims, both Hindu and Muhammadan. The inhabitants in the northern parts of the range are Afghans, and in the south Baloch. About thirty miles north-west of Fort Sandeman lies the picturesque little sanitarium of Shinghar. Farther south is the Punjab hill-station of Fort Munro (6,363 feet), in Dera Ghazi Khan District. Straight-horned mdrkhor (Capra falconeri) are to be found at the higher and mountain sheep (Ovis vignei) at the lower elevations.
