History of the Qaraunah Turks in India c6.13

c6.13

Now it is very difficult to determine with perfect accuracy the origin of the Qaraunahs.⁶ Colonel Yule in a highly learned and elaborate note examines the statement of Marco Polo and comes to the conclusion that his account is a ‘mistaken one.’⁷ Agreeing with Khanikoff he says that probably Marco Polo confounded the Qaraunahs with the Beluchis “whose Turanian aspect shows a strong infusion of Turki blood and who might be rudely described as a cross between Tartars and Indians.” The Qaraunahs are often mentioned, he says, in the histories of the Mongol regime in Persia, first as a Mongol tribe forming a *tuman*, i.e., a division or corps of 10,000 in the Mongol army and afterwards as daring and savage freebooters scouring the Persian provinces, and having their headquarters in the eastern frontiers of Persia.⁸ Marco Polo also mentions the figure 10,000 in describing the Qaraunahs. Cordier, the learned annotator of Marco Polo’s Travels, says, he was informed by a learned Goklan Mulla that the word *Qarnas* means *Tirandaz* or *Shikari* (i.e., archer or hunter) and was applied to this tribe of Mongols on account of their professional skill in shooting, which apparently secured them an important place in the army. In Turki the word Qarnas means *Shikam-parast*—literally, ‘belly-worshipper’—which implies avarice. This term is in use at present, and Cordier was told by a Qazi of Bujnurd that it was sometimes used by way of reproach. The Qarnas people in Mana and Gurgan say it is the name of their tribe, and they give no other explanation.⁹ Better light is thrown on the subject by Ney Elias, the translator of the *Tarikh-i-Rashidi*, who caused enquiries to be made into the origin of the families of Qarnas by Mr. Maula Bakhsh Attache at the Meshed Consulate General. The Maula wrote to him: ‘These people speak Turkish now, and are considered part of the Goklan Turkomans. They, however, say that they are Changez Khani Moghuls, and are no doubt the descendants of the same Qarnas or Qarauanahs, who took such a prominent part in the victories in Persia.’¹⁰