Saleh Khana

Cherat Saleh Khana 1926

Saleh Khana

Mount Pakka

Saleh Khana is a large village in the Nowshera District of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. It is inhabited only by Pashtuns of the Khattak tribe and a few of them from the Afridi tribe.

The village lies just below the hill station of Cherat and linked with another lower Part of village, Kotli Kalan, which is usually referred to as "Shangreh". Both Upper and Lower Parts used to be a single village until there was a bloody dispute. The dispute was taken up by a local grand jirga (Pashtun meeting) and eventually the villages split into two in order to keep the peace and prevent further bloodshed.

The name Saleh Khana derives from Arabic meaning "home of the good". The village is known for their slogan "The few the proud", as well as its markets and unique dusky green mountainous scenery.

Saleh Khana is the main village that makes up the Oriya Khel tribe, the other five villages are: Kotli Kalan ie.(Shangreh), Bakhteh, Sappere(Chapri), Kotli khurd and Shahkot. When travelling outside the tribe the inhabitants from the other surrounding villages refer to themselves as being from Saleh Khana due to it being so well known.

People & History

Pashtuns of this village have migrated from their homeland in the Tirah valley present day Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, to their current village during the mid 17th century.

After brutal tribal wars in the 17th century the Oriya Khel tribe migrated east and settled in Jalozai in Khattak tribe territories. Great hostility from surrounding clans lead to a major blood feud between the Oriya Khel and Khattak clans

The feud was so big that a Loy Jirga (Pashtun grand council) took place in order to end the bloodshed, this jirga was carried out by the great leader and pashtun warrior poet, Khushal Khan Khattak. The details of this can be found in the books written by Khushal Khan Khattak. As a result of this jirga to end the tribal feuds, the Oriya Khel were given the current lands that they now reside in today, hence they moved up into and inhabited the mountainous region of Cherat.

People of Saleh Khana are Muslims and are firm followers of Islam, they also live by and adhere to an ancient Pashtun social code of conduct which promotes Honour, Pride, Bravery, Protection of Women, Revenge, Hospitality called the Pashtunwali. The Pashtunwali is followed by all Pashtuns from Afghanistan to Pakistan as a social code of conduct and how they carry themselves.

Today 60% of the inhabitants of Saleh Khana have migrated to developed countries around the world, primarily to Europe, United States of America, Canada. United Kingdoms, Birmingham,Ayelsbury region; during the 19th and 20th century in order to seek work and send money back home to the village.

However, as time has gone by a lot of families have decided to stay and reside in UK,US, European countries and now view themselves with a duel identity. However Pashto and Pashtunwali always takes precedence over all other identities.

Language

The Pashto dialect here is both Kha/Sha,mozja (not monga) Saleh khana afridi pashto (Afridi pashto).(Maidan Wardak Province Wardaki?) Pashto accent spoken in Pakhtunkhwa on the Afghan and Pakistani side. However it is unique in its own terms.

Tribes and Clans

Saleh Khana is inhabited by the khattak tribe of the Pashtuns. The tribe is then divided into clans (khels), these are:

• Durran Khel (split in to kotli kalan and salehkhana)
• Gunh Khail (Afridi tribe)tirah valley.
• Mund khail
• Qurban Khail
• Mes Khel
• Amirjan Khail
• Amin Khail

Each clan has its own mullah/leader which is their village clans representative in a Pashtun council called the jirga, to settle village disputes and progress. The Gunh Khel clan is made up of the Malak/Malakanan (the Chiefs) of Saleh Khana and thus all village decisions are made through them. Some of the notable Malakanan were: Malak Bahadar, Malak Kajeer, Malak Sher Zada, Malak Akbar Zada.

Every clan has its own Mohallah and every Mohalla has its own Masjid and own representatives for a tribal/clan meeting which is called a Jirga in Pashto.