Mulagori

The Mulagori (Pashto: ملاګوري‎), also spelled Mullagori and Mallagori, is sub section of Momand Pashtun Ghoryakhel confederacy. Predominantly Mullagori inhabit to the Khyber Agency in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas, Pakistan and in Nangarhar Province, Afghanistan.

Origins

The Mulagori are believed to be one of the bravest tribes descended from Ghoryakhel. They were considered to be the fighters tribe of Pushtuns during the British rule in East India. They settled just north of the Khyber Pass during the time when Islam was brought to South Asia. There are two main settlements of Mulagoris, One type of Mullagori are called "Da Sasobi Mulagori" Sasobi Mulagoris are living in Sasobi area of Nangarhar Province of Afghanistan near Tirah hills while the other are called "Da Tatare Mulagori" that are living to the north-east of Khyber Pass. Other areas inhabited by the Malagori include Munda (near Shabqadar), Harichand in Charsadda, Badragga (Malakand Agency), Pirsaddo village in Mardan and in Peshawar close to Shah Qabul areas of Dabgari, and on Dalazak Road, Nangrahar province near Lal Pura, Kunar Province, and Hilmand (Afghanistan).

They hold to a tradition that when Muhammad of Ghor was killed by enemies, some of his family members came to the hills of Tatara in the Khyber Agency and laid the foundations for a village named Bara Dara. They felt safe there; at that time the hills were deeply forested, protecting them from enemies. In addition, the forests provided wild fruits and vegetables sufficient for their survival.

The name Mulagori is derived from mulla (religious leader) and Ghori (from Muhammad of Ghor). British colonial governmental records misspelled the word Ghori as Gori. In his book, The Pathan Borderland, James W. Spain believes the Mulagori to be the descendants of the Mulla Ghor (son of Ba-Yazid Ansari, the Pir Rokhan of the Pakhtuns, and Pir Tarik of the Mughals).^[1] The Pashtun historian Bahadur Shah Zafar Kaka Khel, in his book Pukhtana da Tarikh pa Ranra key, is of the opinion that the Mulagori are a subgroup of the Mohmand tribe.

Abdul Latif Yaad in his book Pukhtane Qabile writes that Mulagori are basically a part of Mohmands. He tells a story that once few persons in Mohmands went somewhere. One of them was a mullah he separated from them. One of the group members told that MULLA GORAI and after that, the person was known as Mullagoray. He adds that according to Famous Pashto Poet, Hamza Shinwari said Mulagoris are behaving and talking like Mohmands so they are basically a part of the Mohmands.

However, some oral sources has further clarified the situation about Mulagori's origin. They opine that Mulagori are in fact a section of Dawezai Momands. In the Dawezai area in Momand Agency, more than 600 Mulagori families still reside. On the basis of this, Mulagori are Mohmand / Momand, and in Momands belongs to Dawezai sub-section. Interestingly, everywhere Mulagori resides near Momands, and in most cases are in matrimonial relations with them. Historically, Mulagori have remained in a very cordial relations with the other sections of Momands, and have supported each other's causes, in case of tribal wars with other tribes like Afridis etc.

Sub-tribes

The forefather of the Mulagori was said to have had four sons, and each son fathered a sub-section of the Mulagori tribe. The four sub-tribes are named for the sons:

• Pahar Khel
• Taar Khel
• Daulat Khel
• Ahmed Khel

Some other sub-tribes were also came into existence like:

• Miyan Khel
• Chamyar Khel (In Shakoor)
• Ara Khel (In Pir Sado)
• Ali Khan Khel (Pir Sado)
• Bayan Khel (Afghanistan)

The Taar Khel make up 50% of the total population of Mulagori living in the Khyber Agency. They are the best educated and have influential jobs, while the Pahar Khel dominate in the affairs of their tribe.

Noted Mullagori

• Khan Bahadur Adam Khel - Prominent tribal head during the colonial era.
• Haji Akhtar Mohammad - A well known social worker who helped hundreds of Mulagoris to work and settle in the Middle East (mainly in Libya) in 1980's. The current economic growth in the Mulagori tribe is mainly associated to his efforts.
• Manzar Faryady: President Mullagori Adabi Jirga and Prominent Poet of Khyber Agency, His Wrote three books, Kalai Goloona for school children, Dilkash is a collection of Ghazals etc. and a book on Pashto Naaths.
• Afzal Khamoosh - Afzal Khamoosh belongs to Shakoor village of Charsadda. He is one of the famous leader of Kisan Tahreek. His struggle for tenants of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa will always be seen with respect. He is president of Mazdoor Kistan Party.

Employment

There are about 250 marble factories in the area, which employ not only Mallagori tribesmen but also the residents of nearby villages.

Demographics

The Mulagori inhabit two main areas in Khyber Agency: the Plan areas (lower area) and the Lowarha Mena (Upper area). The Tatara Hill, a tourist resort, separates the Mulagori from the Afridi and the Kabul River separates them from the Mohmand tribe. There are a considerable number of Mulagori families residing in Mohmand Agency, across the Kabul River.

Sights

Most of the Mulagori area has dry hills with wild grasses and the local fruit trees of Gurgure. Tatara is a picnic spot dating from the colonial era. It is a small village of 1,000 to 1,500 with green hills, springs and cool summer weather during the summer, and is also the location of a shrine to Hazrath Masoom Baba. The people of Tatara are known for their hospitality. Another picnic spot in the area is Warsak Dam, at which there is a rest house for visitors provided by the Pakistani government. The village of Shaheed Mina, located on the bank of the Kabul River, is also a popular picnicking spot.

And after a long time another exciting place for a picnic was made: Muraddand Dame, in Oct 2013 was completed. It is one of the beautiful places for a visit.

Population

As of 2011, the Mulagori population is about 50,000. The chief villages are Lora Miana, Paindi Lalma, Sher Braj, Murad Dand, Tatara and Nehar Ghara (Khyber Agency), Shakoor and Ziam villages in (Charsadda), Pir Sado (Mardan) Munda (Mohmand Agency), Sasobai and Dur Baba (Nangarhar).

Education

The Mulagori are underserved in schools built by the Pakistani government. In a population of about 50,000, there is no middle (or high school) for girls and no college for boys. While the Pakistani government built a high school for Mulagori boys in 1975, there is no middle school for girls in the Mulagori area of the Khyber Agency. Although the Frontier Corps has opened a cadet college in the Mulagori area, despite promises no seats are given to Mulagori students. Former governor Iftikhar Hussain Shah promised to build a Higher Secondary School for Mallagori students when he visited Jamrud. Work begun on Lowara Mina High School; after six rooms were built, the government withdrew its support for the remainder of the project.

References

1. "The Pathan Borderland" by James W. Spain, Moutin, 1963. ASIN: B0000CR0HH