Baloristan

Baloristan was a historical region in north of Pakistan.[1] The region was consisted of Baltistan, Ladakh, Gilgit, Chitral and Kohistan.

This article is about a historic region in Pakistan. For the modern geopolitical equivalent, see Balawaristan.

Etymology

Balors means "highlanders", it is believed to have come from "Bala" meaning high or upper. Thus it means land of highlanders.[2] The Tibetian called the area Nang-kod, while the Mughals called the area Tibet-i-Khurd or Little Tibet.[3]

History

Historically, the Baltistan region was called "Great Bolor" and Dardistan and parts of Brooshal (e.g. Gilgit Valley) were called "Little Bolor." Great Boloristan is known to have sent ambassadors to the Chinese court. The Mons, an Indo-Aryan group, made the region as a hub of Buddhism.[4]

Chinese historian Faxian mentioned it as Pololo or Palolo, Tibetans called it Nang-khod, where Arab historians mentioned it as Baloristan, moreover Theodre Foster in his The London Quarterly Review has stated that to Muslim geographers the name of the region was not known, use of the name in very rare cases is found.[5] Prof Stobdan says Mughal historian called it Tibet-i-Khurd.[6] The people of this region though belonging to various ethnicities have historically been referred to as Balors, which means the highlanders or mountain people, a reference to the high-altitudes prevalent in this area. An alternative theory links the name to a mythic ancient king called Bolor Shah, who had first united the region and from whom local rulers in turn often claimed descent.[7][8]

Religious Scriptures

Hindu holy scripture Mahabharata mentions patola as a "land of daradas", narrates the epic journey of Arjuna along the river Indus and his visit to the kingdom of Gilgit during his military campaign to collect tribute to King Yudhisthira Rajasuya's sacrifice.

gollark: Sheer elegance.
gollark: Skillshare is some sort of apioform video library for skills.
gollark: If I use them at 1829471298418412Hz do I summon multiple Rob Pikes?
gollark: Ah, but if Rob Pike is summoned, I can capture him and force him to redesign Go.
gollark: (((osmarkslisp™ also has non-null-terminated strings, if only because python does)))

See also

References
  1. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2017-10-16. Retrieved 2017-10-02.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  2. Minahan, James B. (2012). Ethnic groups of South Asia and the Pacific : an encyclopedia. Santa Barbara, Calif.: ABC-CLIO. p. 19. ISBN 978-1-59884-659-1.
  3. https://www.google.com/books/edition/The_last_colony/IngMAQAAMAAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&bsq=Baloristan+buddhist&dq=Baloristan+buddhist&printsec=frontcover
  4. https://www.google.com/books/edition/The_last_colony/IngMAQAAMAAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&bsq=Baloristan+buddhist&dq=Baloristan+buddhist&printsec=frontcover
  5. Foster, Theodore (1866). "The London Quarterly Review". Leonard Scott. Missing or empty |url= (help)
  6. Tikoo, Tej K. Kashmir: Its Aborgines and Its Exodus. Lancer LLC.
  7. Amanullah Khan (1999), Gilgit Baltistan, a Disputed Territory Or a Fossil of Intrigues?, retrieved 2009-01-24, ... Princes of Gilgit-Baltistan assumed to be descendants of Bolor Shah ...
  8. "Seminar demands independent Bolor state", Daily Times, 2005-03-03, retrieved 2009-01-24, Speakers from the Northern Areas (Gilgit-Baltistan) demanded an independent Bolor state at a seminar ‘Great Bolor State and Kashmir Issue’ at the Rawalpindi Press Club on Sunday.


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