The Dards at Khalatse in Western Tibet. 



(With three plates). 



By the Rev. A. H. Francke. 



[Read June 6th, 1906.] 



In a previous article entitled " Notes on a Language Map of West Tibet/ ' J.A.S.B., 

 Part I, No. 4, 1904, I had to touch the Dard question of Western Tibet, in particular 

 that of Khalatse (Khalsi or Khalchi of the maps) ; and before entering the domain of 

 more recent investigations in that territory, it will be well to summarize what had been 

 said with regard to the same topic in the previous paper. 



According to the traditions of the present inhabitants, Khalatse was a Dard colony 

 before it became a Tibetan village. 



The names of the phaspiin-ships or clans of Khalatse indicate that the greater part 

 of the population was Dard, the name of one clan in particular pointing to the close 

 vicinity of Gilgit as the seat of its ancestors. The other clan is believed to have emi- 

 grated from Baltistan ; still, as its name is Dard, we may suppose that it originally 

 was Dard also. But it may have settled for some time in Baltistan before proceeding 

 to Ladakh. 



We find a last remnant of the Dard language in a prayer which is addressed to the 

 spirit of the house by the Gongmapa family, but which is used also in several other homes. 

 The prayer runs thus : — 



Give abundance, honour to thee, O god Zhuni ! 

 Crops also, honour to thee, O god Zhuni ! 

 A son also, honour to thee, O god Zhuni. 



The Mamani festival, which is held about i|- months after mid-winter, is considered 

 to be a Dard custom. A feast of cooked heads of goats and sheep with spiced omelettes 

 is given, in which all who like may participate. 



So much had been said about the Dards at Khalatse in the previous article. Since 

 then several more items with regard to the ancient Dard colony have come to light, as 

 follows. 



The Dards did not live on the site of the present village of Khalatse, but about a 

 mile above it in a ruined castle called ' aBrogpai mkhar (Dard castle). The Dards 

 apparently never lived in open villages or towns, but in fortified places. They also 

 did not build their houses separately, but had them all put together in a lump, like a 

 beehive. This style of building can be still observed in the existing Dard villages of 

 Da and Hanu where also remnants of the ancient fortifications can still be seen. The 

 castle above Khalatse must have been a very similar beehive-like structure, from what 

 can be made out from the ruins. Its destruction was very thorough indeed, but that 

 does not necessitate the idea that it fell under the assault of fierce enemies. The'scarc- 

 ity of wood in Western Tibet has to account for many more thorough destructions of 

 buildings in the country. When the ancient Dards left their home and settled down 



Mem. A.S.B. 4=9=06. 



