Makran

Coordinates: 25°18′19″N 60°38′28″E / 25.30541°N 60.64108°E / 25.30541; 60.64108
Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
This article is about the coastal strip in Pakistan and Iran. For the village in Iran, see
Makran (port ship). For the Iranian Infantry Fighting Vehicle, see Makran IFV
.
The Central Makran Range in Pakistan and Iran.

Makran (

boundary between Pakistan and Iran. In January 2025, a government spokesperson informed that Iran is investigating the possibility of moving its capital to the Makran region.[1][2]

Map showing Makran's location during the time of the Abbasid Caliphate. from the book of historical geography of the lands of the Eastern Caliphate.
The Makran in Pakistan.

Transfer of Iranian capital

In 2025 the government planned to move the capital from Tehran to near Makran and Chabahar.[3]

Etymology

The southern part of Balochistan is called Kech Makran on the Pakistani side and Makran on the Iranian side which is also the name of a former Iranian province.

Ichthyophagi (Ancient Greek for "fish eaters") for inhabitants of coastal areas, which has led to a suggestion to derive Makran from the modern Persian term māhī khorān, meaning "fish eaters".[6]

History

See also:
Kingdom of Makran

Earliest settlements

The Kech-Makran region in southwestern Pakistan, along

Miri Qalat was investigated by French and Pakistani archaeologists from 1987 to 2007. Later, the site of Shahi-Tump, near Turbat, was also studied.[7]

Large and massive quadrangular stone building were constructed already before 4000 BCE. Flints, worked stones, and bone tools used by the inhabitants were found by archaeologists, but no ceramics were yet used.

In this Period I the inhabitants of the Kech River Valley already cultivated wheat and barley, as well as lentils. They had domesticated cattle, goats, and sheep. They also caught fish from the Oman Sea.

During Period II, the building of massive architectural structures continued, and a quadrangular stone complex was built. Later, mud brick constructions also appear on top of some of these stone buildings.[8]

At Miri Qalat, some links with Uruk culture ceramics were also found.[9]

The related site of

Balakot, Makran
, going back to 4000 BCE, was also studied by archaeologists.

Ancient times

After the victory of the

Seleucid–Mauryan war, Baluchistan came under the rule of Chandragupta Maurya of ancient India. Chandragupta and Seleucus made a peace settlement in 304 BCE. Seleucus I Nicator ceded the satrapies, including those in Baluchistan to the expanding Mauryan Empire.[10] The alliance was solidified with a marriage between Chandragupta Maurya and a princess of the Seleucid Empire. An outcome of the arrangement proved to be mutually beneficial.[10] The border between the Seleucid and Mauryan Empires remained stable in subsequent generations, and friendly diplomatic relations are reflected by the ambassador Megasthenes, and by the envoys sent westward by Chandragupta's grandson Ashoka.[10]

Sasanian Empire

Naqsh-i-Rustam, dated to 262 CE, had noted "Makuran"/"Makran" to be one of the many provinces of the Sasanian Empire
:

Parthian version of the Shapur I inscription at Ka'ba-ye Zartosht.

And I (

Sogdia and Chach [Tashkent] and of that sea-coast Mazonshahr [Oman
].

— Shapur I's inscription at the Ka'ba-ye Zartosht (262 CE), translation by Josef Wiesehöfer (1996).[11][12][13]

Buddhist and Hindu past

Abū Rayḥān Muḥammad ibn Aḥmad Al-Bīrūnī states in his book Alberuni's India that the coast of India begins with Tiz, the capital of Makran.[14]

According to historian Andre Wink:

class=notpageimage|
Approximate location of the Sasanian Province of Makran and contemporary South Asian polities, circa 350 CE.[15]

Further evidence in the

Hinglaj, 256 km west of present-day Karachi in Las Bela.[16]

Wink has recorded Hiuen Tsang's notes on the language and script in use in easternmost Makran (eastern parts of Pakistani Balochistan and Sindh):

Baluch and alexandar's empire
Paths that Alexander the Great took

Hiuen Tsang considered the script which was in use in Makran to be "much the same as India", but the spoken language "differed a little from that of India".[17]

Early medieval times

The Hindu Sewa dynasty ruled much of Baluchistan up until the 7th century CE. The Sibi division carved out of Quetta division still derives its name from Rani Sewi, the queen of the Hindu Sewa dynasty.[18]

In 635 or 636 CE, the Hindu

Brahman dynasty of Sindh controlled parts of Balochistan.[19]

Islamic conquest

Central Makran range

The first Islamic conquest of Makran took place during the

reconnoitre the Makran region.[20][full citation needed
]

In late 644 CE Caliph

Indus River. In mid-644 the Battle of Rasil was fought between the forces of the Rashidun Caliphate and the Rai Kingdom; the Raja's forces were defeated and forced to retreat to the eastern bank of the Indus. The Raja's army had included war elephants, but these had posed little problem for the Muslim invaders, who had dealt with them during the conquest of Persia. In accordance with the orders of Caliph Umar, the captured war elephants were sold in Islamic Persia, with the proceeds distributed among the soldiers as share in booty.[21] In response to Caliph Umar
's questions about the Makran region, the messenger from Makkuran who brought the news of the victory told him:

O Commander of the faithful!
It's a land where the plains are stony;
Where water is scanty;
Where the fruits are unsavory;
Where men are known for treachery;
Where plenty is unknown;
Where virtue is held of little account;
And where evil is dominant.
A large army is less for there;
And a less army is use less there;
The land beyond it, is even worse [referring to Sind]

Umar looked at the messenger and said: "Are you a messenger or a poet?" He replied, "Messenger". Thereupon Caliph Umar instructed Hakim bin Amr al Taghlabi that for the time being Makkuran should be the easternmost frontier of the Islamic empire, and that no further attempt should be made to extend the conquests.

It was reconquered by the usurper

Chach of Alor in 631. Ten years later, it was described to be "under the government of Persia" by Xuanzang who visited the region. Three years later however, when the Arabs invaded, it was regarded as the "frontier of Al-Hind".[22] The Brahmin King of Sindh, Maharaja Chacha met the invaders outside Broach and defeated them with heavy slaughter also killing their very Commander-in-Chief Abdul Aziz in the process.[23][24]

Baloch attack on Mahmud Ghazni

Baloch raiders plundered Mahmud of Ghazni's ambassador between Tabbas and Khabis. In revenge, his son Masud defeated them at the latter place, which lies at the foot of the Karman Mountains on the edge of the desert. [25]

Modern era

Map of the Baluchistan Agency

From the 15th century onward, the area was ruled by the Rind, Buledai, Hammal Jiand, and Gichki.

Hammal Baloch lived during the 15th century and his father, Jiand was the ruler of Makran. He is best known for his resistance against

Gawadar
.

The sultanate held onto the Makran coast throughout the period of British colonial rule, but eventually, only Gwadar was left in the hands of the sultan.

Princely State of Makaran

On the independence of Pakistan, Makran became a district within the province of Balochistan, with the exception of an area of 800 km2 (310 sq mi) around Gwadar. Makran (

enclave of Omani Gwadar, which was under Omani
rule until 1958.

Makran state was ruled by Gichki Nawabs,[28] who were of Rajputs origins.[29][30] Their ancestor, Jagat Singh had migrated from Rajputana in the 17th century and became Muslim. In 1958 the Gwadar enclave was transferred to Pakistani control as part of the district of Makran. The entire region has been subdivided into new smaller districts over the years.

Ancient Corridor of Makran

Between 2500 B.C. and 1700 B.C., a maritime trade route existed in the Indian Ocean and the Persian Gulf [31][32](which continued into later periods), connecting three primary regions as described in ancient Akkadian inscriptions found in Iraq:

1- Meluhha: This land, referred to as Meluhha in ancient texts, likely corresponds to the Maluku Islands in present-day Indonesia or possibly southeastern India. It was central to trade activities during that era.

2- Magan: Known as Magan in Akkadian records, this region extended from Gujarat in India to Balochistan, Makran, Oman, Yemen, and the coasts of Somalia and Sudan. It served as a crucial hub for raw materials and maritime navigation.

3- Dilmun: Identified as Dilmun, this area encompassed the Persian Gulf region, parts of southern Zagros, southern Khuzestan, Bahrain, and areas along the southern Persian Gulf. The name persists today in places like Bandar Deylam in southern Iran.

According to these inscriptions, ships carrying up to 20 tons of goods (20,000 kilograms each) traversed this trade route regularly.

Geography

Makran.makoran pars1744 Amesterdam
Gwadar in Makran
Gwadar beach in Makran region-today the economy of Makrani Baloch is largely based on use of the ocean.

The narrow coastal plain rises rapidly into several mountain ranges. Of the 1,000 km (620 mi) coastline, around 750 km (470 mi) are in

Pasni, Ormara
and many smaller fishing villages.

There is only one island off the coast of Makran,

Astola Island, near Pasni although there are several small islets. The coastline has a number of lagoons and bays. The main lagoons are Miani Hor, Khor Kalmat, and the Jiwani Coastal Wetland. The main bays are from east to west: Ormara East Bay, Ormara West Bay, Pasni Bay, Surbandar Bay, Gwadar East Bay, Gwadar West Bay and Gwatar Bay (which includes Jiwani Bay). This latter bay shelters a large mangrove forest and the nesting grounds of endangered turtle species. The Mirani Dam
provides irrigation, flood prevention and water supply to Gwadar city.

Demographics

Religious groups in the Makran Division of
Kalat State (British Baluchistan
era)
Religious
group 		1911[33] 1921[34] 1931[35] 1941[36]
Pop. % Pop. % Pop. % Pop. %
Islam 71,758 99.74% 71,625 99.67% 68,213 99.64% 86,406 99.72%
Hinduism 137 0.19% 216 0.3% 233 0.34% 206 0.24%
Christianity 40 0.06% 11 0.02% 11 0.02% 20 0.02%
Sikhism 2 0% 8 0.01% 3 0% 17 0.02%
Others 5[a] 0.01% 0 0% 2[b] 0% 2[c] 0%
Total population 71,942 100% 71,860 100% 68,462 100% 86,651 100%

See also

Notes

  1. ^ Including 4 Parsis (Zoroastrians) and 1 Buddhist.
  2. ^ Including 2 Jews.
  3. ^ Including 1 Parsi (Zoroastrian) and 1 Jew.

References

  1. ^ "Iran eyeing Makran for new capital, says government spokesperson". Retrieved January 7, 2025.
  2. ^ "Iran eyes Makran in southern coast as new capital after Tehran: All you need to know". Retrieved January 10, 2025.
  3. ^ https://www.etemadonline.com/%D8%A8%D8%AE%D8%B4-%D8%B3%DB%8C%D8%A7%D8%B3%DB%8C-9/694168-%D9%BE%D8%B2%D8%B4%DA%A9%DB%8C%D8%A7%D9%86-%D8%AF%D9%88%D9%84%D8%AA-%DA%86%D8%A7%D8%A8%D9%87%D8%A7%D8%B1-%D9%85%DA%A9%D8%B1%D8%A7%D9%86
  4. ^ "Makran". Encyclopædia Britannica. Archived from the original on 7 March 2024. Retrieved 18 June 2016.
  5. ^ Hansman 1973, p. 555.
  6. ISBN 978-0-486-27587-1
  7. ISBN 978-3-00-051309-1
    .
  8. ISBN 978-3-00-051309-1
    .
  9. ^ Van De Mieroop, M. (2008). A history of the ancient Near East. Malden, Massachusetts: Blackwell.
  10. ^ a b c Kosmin 2014, p. 33–34.
  11. ISBN 978-1860646751
    .
  12. ISBN 978-1-61069-391-2
    .
  13. ISBN 978-3-406-09397-5
    .
  14. Trübner, 1888. p. 208. Retrieved 2024-07-21.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link
    )
  15. ISBN 0226742210. Archived
    from the original on 2021-02-24. Retrieved 2022-04-16.
  16. ^ André Wink, Al-Hind: Early medieval India and the expansion of Islam, 7th–11th centuries, p. 135
  17. ^ André Wink, Al-Hind: Early medieval India and the expansion of Islam, 7th–11th centuries, p. 137
  18. ^ Syed Abdul Quddus, The tribal Baluchistan, p. 49
  19. ISBN 1-57958-468-3
    .
  20. ^ Al Baldiah wal nahaiyah vol: 7 page 141
  21. ^ Tarikh al Tabri, vol: 4 page no: 180
  22. ISBN 0391041738
    .
  23. ISBN 978-93-5322-097-6
    .
  24. ^ Munshi, Kanaiyalal Maneklal (1944). The Glory that was Gūrjaradeśa: The Imperial Gūrjaras. 1st ed. Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan.
  25. ^ Denzil Ibbetson, Edward MacLagan, H. A. Rose (1911). A Glossary of The Tribes & Casts of The Punjab & North-West Frontier Province. Vol. II. p. 43.
  26. ISBN 9780415939195.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link
    )
  27. ^ Pillalamarri, Akhilesh. "A Brief History of Balochistan". The Diplomat. Archived from the original on 2024-04-01. Retrieved 2024-03-13.
  28. ISBN 978-969-2200-02-8. Archived
    from the original on 2024-03-08. Retrieved 2024-03-13.
  29. ISBN 978-969-0-10047-4
    . The former rulers of Makran and Lasbela, Gichki and Jamots respectively, are Rajputs.
  30. JSTOR 4299552. Archived
    from the original on 2024-01-03. Retrieved 2024-03-13. The Gichki are the descendants of a Rajput family which settled in 17th century.
  31. ^ Blench, Roger (2009). "Remapping the Austronesian expansion" (PDF). In Evans, Bethwyn (ed.). Discovering History Through Language: Papers in Honour of Malcolm Ross. Pacific Linguistics. ISBN 978-0-85883-605-1. Archived (PDF) from the original on 20 April 2020. Retrieved 23 March 2019. http://www.rogerblench.info/Language/Austronesian/General/Blench%20Ross%20Festschrift%20paper%20revised.pdf
  32. ^ Manguin PY (2016). "Austronesian Shipping in the Indian Ocean: From Outrigger Boats to Trading Ships". In Campbell G (ed.). Early Exchange between Africa and the Wider Indian Ocean World. Palgrave Macmillan. pp. 51–76. ISBN 978-3-319-33822-4. Archived from the original on 26 July 2020. Retrieved 4 June 2020.
  33. JSTOR saoa.crl.25393764
    . Retrieved 8 September 2024.
  34. JSTOR saoa.crl.25394124
    . Retrieved 8 September 2024.
  35. JSTOR saoa.crl.25797115
    . Retrieved 8 September 2024.
  36. JSTOR saoa.crl.28215993
    . Retrieved 8 September 2024.

Bibliography

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25°18′19″N 60°38′28″E / 25.30541°N 60.64108°E / 25.30541; 60.64108

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