Wardak

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Wardak (Pashto/Persian: وردک, also spelt Vardak) is one of the thirty-four provinces of Afghanistan. It is in the centre of the country. Its capital is Meydan Shahr.

The population, about 70,000, is a mixture of 70% Pashtuns, 20% Hazaras and 10% others. Most Wardak residents are Pashto speakers.

Bhim Singh Dahiya has mentioned about a inscription of Wardak near Kabul of the year 51 of Saka era, which relates the establishment of the relic of Lord Buddha in a stupa by Vagramarega who is shown as a scion of Kama Gulya. Here it is related with clan name Gulya of the Jats. [1] Wardak is associated with the history of Burdak Jat clan.

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Wardak people in Afghanistan

The Wardaks are Karlani Pashtoons by origin. This tribe came into being in the region of Barmal Ghar of the Sulaiman range of mountains and from there the whole group of the Karlanis spread into the regions they inhabit today. To their west lie the mountains of Hazarajat and to the other direction the Ghilzai tribes. Their area from north to south is like an oasis, surrounded by mountains to east and west. Their dwelling places lies in the Parapamisos mountains that divide Logar from Kharwara and the western range of mountains belong to Hazarajat. The river that flows to the south of their region is wrongly called the Ghazni river and waters a lot of their fields. Their northern territory is watered by the Logar river. The famous villages of this region are: Tangey, Sheikhabad, Saidabad, Shniz, Khwat, Jaghtu, Dai Mirdad and Chak.

Some Wardaks also live in the provinces of Kunar, Herat, Hilmand, Zabul, Ghazni and Baghlan. Those Wardaks that live in Kunar dwell in Loy Goriga, Ganshal and Jandul. The elders of Ganshal say that their original region is that of the Wardaks and they belong to the clan of Mayar. About 170 years earlier a few Wardak came to the region of Dir and some stayed there, while others went to Jandul and Ganshal. From Ganshal some families of the Wardaks went to Dangam 140 years ago. They became the farmers of the Salarzais and after some time they cultivated fallow land, which they later bought. Some Wardaks think that their ancestors fled and came here in the first governmental year of Amir Abdul Rahman Khan. Later they were given land by the Khan of Asmar and they stayed here. They cultivated their own land then. There is less trading by them and they are intermingled with the Salarzais and the Mamonds. All aspects of life, including their accent of language is influenced by those two tribes. Also, this part of Wardaks that live in Herat, have their own region, which is called Wardak area, and belongs to the administrative unit of Angil. Some Wardak live in Helmand province in the districts of Nadali and Nawe [[Barakzai[[. Other Wardaks live in the periphery of Rawalpindi in Chach and Natu. The abode of the Wardaks is very green, cultivated and fertile, but the autumn (fall) period is very short. Rice, wheat and barley are the products of it. Wardaks are all busy in agriculture and they are very hard working. Some of them are also cattle breeders. Their villages are very small. The names of their famous clans are the following:

Mamak, Mayar, Mirkhel, Noori, Larrem, Gadai, Malekyarkhel, Khwaremkhel, Adinkhel and Massrikhel. The clan of Mirkhel is the biggest by number and then come the Mayar.[2]

Districts in Wardak province

  • Maydan Shahr
  • Jalrez
  • Hisa-I- Awali Bihsud
  • Da Bihsud Markaz
  • Day Mirdad
  • Chaki Wardak
  • Saydabad
  • Nirkh
  • Jaghatu

References

  1. Bhim Singh Dahiya:"Jats: The Ancient Rulers", p.41
  2. http://wardak.org/ Information about Wardak people

External links


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