THIS is apropos of Manzoor. H. Kureshi’s clarification on ‘Who were the Mughals?’, an article written by Dr Mubarak Ali in The Young World (Dec 4)

Although his explanation regarding the origins of Mughals is impressive and well investigated, I have some issues I would like to put forward. I am a student of history and most renowned historians call the Mughals Chugtai Turks. Mr Kureshi already mentioned that Mughals were descendants of the Barlas tribe. The Barlas tribe was a remnant of original Mongols. Before going further I would like to put forward a general case to explain my point.

I am by caste a Chandio. Chandios are said to be migrants from Balochistan who originally came from Iraq. Now generations after generations we call ourselves Sindhis and not Baloch or even Iraqis.

It is simply because a faction of this tribe has embraced Sindh as its motherland and for generations call themselves Sindhis. Emperor Babur in his Tuzuk-i-Babari also calls himself a Turk for the simple reason that he belonged to the Turk land where they had embraced the land as theirs.

The Barlas tribe under discussion is said to have embraced Turkic and Persian languages and customs as natives of that land, according to some sources.

Moreover, it was an ancestor of Timur, known by the name of ‘Kara’, who married the daughter of Chugtai (son of Genghis Khan). Timur’s mother was a Mongol and so was Babur’s. But family tree is made under father’s ancestry.

In all these matrimonial alliances it was the Mongol women who married into Timur’s ancestry, and then Timur, and then Babur. The only thing that tells us about the side of Timur’s father also being of Mongol origin is that they belonged to the Barlas tribe.

Now, are we questioning the number of historians who quoted Mughals as specifically not Mongols but Turks? If that is the case, then all related books need revision which is almost impossible.

We cannot certainly just state as Manzoor. H. Kureshi does that Mughals were ‘Barlas Mongols’. My analysis though not exhaustive of this matter says it would be right to call Mughals ‘Barlas Turks’. Someone should resolve this quest.

S.A. CHANDIOHyderabad