Daraban Tehsil

There are various theories as to the origin of the word Daraban.[4] The word “Daraban”, according to some accounts actually came from term ”Durruh-Bund” which means the closed pass. Centuries back the people who settled down in present-day Draban aimed to close the pass which connected Draban with Sherani hills. Sherani hill tribe in those days was in habit of pillaging villages in Damaan below their hills. The term "Durruh_Bund" in due course of time became the name of the village of people living in present-day Draban. ”Durruh-Bund” got shortened as Daraban and now in further reduced form the word is pronounced as Draban. According to another popular narrative the words Daraban and Darazinda, the chief town of F.R Sherani originate in similar sound, are Persian in origin and can be traced back to Dara Shikoh, a son of Mughal king Shajahan. Daraban as per this account gets translated as Dara's forest, here came to hunt wild animals, while Darazianda was his zindan, or prison, there he kept his prisoners. The former account as to the origin of the name of the town seems more plausible and is very much attested by the history of enmity and hostility between Sherani tribe and Miankhel Pashtoon possessors of Draban.

Not much is known about the earliest history of Daraban, perhaps it grew out of small villages lying in the foothills of Sulaiman Mountains and later on, due to its geographical setting grew in size and population. Some of tribes came to Daraban from Zhob by their family wars mostly Miankhel also live in Zhob Balouchistan specially mallakhel came from Zhob to Daraban before independence. Its early inhabitants could have been either Saraikis or Pashtoons or both. The idea of Saraikis being the indigenous people of the region is bolstered by the fact that the region is part of Pashtoon but the Saraiki people over there and the Baoloch is only name in this tehsil. In addition, Saraikis constitute the majority of District Dera Ismail Khan, so it seems plausible that Pashtoons were the later arrivals in Daraban and areas around it. On the other hand, it is equally possible that Pashtoon nomadic tribes founded Daraban. If the name Daraban really originated in ”Durruh-Bund” then Pashtoons were its founders, as they aimed to close pass leading to the mountains because of their quarrels and blood feuds with the Sheranis. The Pashtoons have been coming into this western part of Dera Ismail khan through Gomal Pass since the 13th century. These Pashtoon Powindas followed patterns of seasonal migration; they journeyed in caravans to Dera Ismail Khan and other lands beyond Indus and returned to Afghanistan with the onset of hot weather. With the passage of time some of these nomads began to settle on the land on permanent basis. The lodhi tribe is believed to have settled in the area of Draban in the time of Shahbu -din -Ghori in the beginning of the 13th century. In between (1555 and 1600 AD) Miankhels tribe invaded the area and after defeating the Lodhis became the new possessors of Draban. The Miankhels are still most influential in terms of politics and economics in Draban and neighbouring Musazai town. Historical pattern of Pashtoons leaving their mountains and settling on the plains of Damaan continues even today. Many Sheranis of the Sulaiman Mountains have settled in Draban permanently. In addition, Nasir, another Pashtoon tribe has, casting aside its nomadic way of life, has started living in permanent settlements in the peripheries of Daraban. The said tribe, being the newest arrival, has not been accorded proper acceptance as a legal residents of Daraban, and their hasty attempts at getting political influence has given rise to whole sorts of conflicts between Drabanwals and the Nasirs.

The region constituting present day Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa was eventually colonised by the British. The effects and remains of colonialism could be observed even this remote part of Dera Ismail khan. The British built chains of Frontier Constabulary forts in the region to hold in check independent Pashtoons of the mountains. Darazinda, Draban, and Zarkani have FC forts built by the British. From these forts the British launched punitive expeditions in the mountains. Daraban boasts an FC fort, Assistant Commissioner court and large colonial style rest house, all relics of the Raj . Within the compound of the Assistant commissioner residence lies the grave of a British officer who died in action in Zarkani in colonial times. The British also built two bridges over the two perennial water streams flowing from the Sulaiman Mountains. The larger one was known locally as Kali Pul, and smaller one was called Sawi Pul . Kali Pul some years ago was sold in auction after the government replaced it with a new, modern one. The British connected Dera Ismail Khan through telephone with FR Sherani and Zhob Balochistan. This telephone line is no longer in service and its poles and wires lying in utter neglect continue to be stolen by thieves.

Draban is a melting point of cultures and languages. The coming of the Pashtoons over the centuries in this part of the land has resulted in their interaction with the local Saraikis. Now things have come to such a pass that both linguistic groups have become bilingual. Pashtoons speak Saraiki like native speakers and the Saraikis speak Pasthto fluently. It is only Nasir and Sherani people who speak only Pashto. Miankhels and other Pashtoons speak fluent Saraiki in addition to their own native tongue. Centuries of close interaction of Pasthto with Saraiki have given the former language a unique Saraiki touch. And Saraiki has under the influence of Pasthto acquired a unique flavour of its own. Pashto speakers constitute the majority of the region and own vast tracts of agricultural land and have dominant political influence in the area. Ethnic and racial strife between Pashtoons and Saraikis is non-existent, still Pashtoons like to marry only within their own community.

Daraban lies at the foot of Sulaiman mountains. The peaks of Takht e Sulaiman, which can be seen from Daraban, are a part of myth and folklore of the people who live in whole of Damaan. Daraban enjoys privileged geographic position in the whole of neighbouring region and this accounts for its burgeoning trade and population. The town is connected by road with neighbouring towns of Darazinada, Musazai, and Chaudwan. The inhabitants of these towns have to pass through Daraban while journeying to Dera Ismail Khan city. Daraban also lies on the national highway connecting Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa with Baluchistan. The highway was built by National Highway authority almost eight years ago and is playing vital role in the development and progress of this region. Traveling to Zhob and Quetta from Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa was quite difficult before the construction of this highway. Travelers had to suffer a long ordeal in travelling to Balochistan through a much longer route via the province of Punjab and Sindh. The highway has also resulted in increase of trade and commerce in Daraban and areas around it.

In terms of literacy rate and educational standards, Draban and its bordering areas lag behind the rest of Dera Ismail khan. A high school was established in the town in 1953, but only a decade ago it was upgraded to the status of higher secondary school.

The town of Draban itself offers little in terms of sightseeing, tourism or adventure. So it is neighbouring mountains where mostly people end up in their quest for enjoyment, recreation and fun. Near Darazinda, Peer Ghundai, another sight of abundant waterfalls and scenery is a major attraction. But it is trip to Takht-e-Sulaiman which is most common excursion for the people. The trip to this 3400 M high summit is undertaken in summer and usually takes two days journey on foot over difficult mountain terrain. On the summit there is a religious shrine and a Takht related with prophet Sulaiman. To the south of Draban lies the town of Musa Zai Sharif boasting an important khankah of Nashbaniah Sufi tradition. The shrine houses tombs of Dost Muhammad Qandhari, Usman Damani, Sirjuddin, Ibrahim, Ismail. The shrine of Musa zai is quite well known in the whole region and the devotees visit it from all over Pakistan, Afghanistan India and even from Arab countries. Khankah of Shaikh Ghulam Yaseen Sahib, known as Agah Sahib and tombs of his sons Faiz Muhammad Sahib, Muhammad Din Sahib is well known and people from all over of the Pakistan come to visit their tombs.

The following is an account of journey undertaken in 2001 by Salahuddin Sikander, the contributor of Daraban page on Wikipedia and his friends to Takht-i-Sulaiman. The account was published in Daily Dawn, Daily the Frontier Post, and daily the News .

Takht-i-Sulaiman, the highest peak of the Sulaiman range (3,382 metres (11,096 ft)) is shrouded in myth and mystery. Named after Solomon, the wise Jewish prophet, the peak, on account of its perceived association with the prophet, is believed to possess a strange healing quality.

People in Damaan also believe that Prophet Sulaiman, by exercising his miraculous power, had confined those mischievous Jinns inside it who had refused to obey his command. The evil-spirited Jinns are supposed to remain imprisoned almost all the year, and in Safar, the second month of the Islamic calendar, they are allowed to go free for a while. During this month, after darkness falls over the region, mothers restrict their children within their homes as a precaution against the evil effects of these Jinns.

Takht-i-Sulaiman rises to a height of 3382 meters above sea level. A trip to the mountain is undertaken mostly in summer, and in winter heavy snowfall makes it difficult to approach it from late November until March. The locals believe that infertile women can be blessed with fertility when they visit Takht-i-Sulaiman.

Religious connotations apart, Takht-i-Sulaiman is a mountainous area, with opportunities of trekking and climbing. It can be reached either through Balochistan or NWFP.

• http://www.dawn.com/weekly/dmag/archive/021201/dmag9.htm
• http://draban.blogspot.com/