PESHAWAR DISTRICT III
the shape of his weapon are exactly those found in contemporary
pictures of the wars of Aurangzeb or the early Marathas. He thinks
that its completion was probably interrupted by the Musalman usurpa
tion in Mysore. The inner shrine is no doubt much older, as Perur
is a place of ancient sanctity. The modern portion of the temple is'
richly sculptured, but in a coarse and clumsy fashion in rough material.
For this reason the effect is disappointing, though the labour bestowed
upon the building must have been immense. The priests declare
that the principal portion of the temple was built by Alagadri Naik,
brother-in-law of Tirumala Naik of Madura (1623-59). An annual
festival in the Tamil month of Margali (December-January) is very
largely attended by the people of this District and of Malabar.
Peshawar. District.-District in the North-West Frontier Province,
and the most north-western of the regularly administered Districts in
the Indian Empire. It lies between 33 43' and 34° 32' N. and
q1° 22' and ']2° 45' E., with an area of 2,611 square miles. It is
bounded on the east by the Indus, which separates it from the Punjab
District of Attock and from Hazara. On all other sides it is encircled
by mountains, at the foot of which, except on the south-east, the
administrative border runs. These hills are inhabited by independent
tribes, whose territories lie in the following order, beginning from the
north-east corner, where the boundary leaves the river. The Utmanzai,
Gadun, Khudu Khel, and Salarzai clans are hamsdyas of the Bunerwals ;
north of Mardan lies a small piece of Utman Khel country, west of
which is Sam Ranizai sloping up to the Malakand pass; beyond Sam
Ranizai comes the main Utman Khel country, which stretches as far
as Abazai on the Swat river; the country between the Swat and Kabul
rivers belongs to the Burhan Khel, Halimzai, and Tarakzai Mohmands ;
from the Kabul river to Jamrud at the mouth of the Khyber Pass is
Mullagori country; the hills between the Khyber and the Kohat Pass
are the abode of the Malikdin and Aka Khel Afridis; on both sides of
the Kohat Pass live the tribes known as the Pass Afridis, beyond whom
on the south side of the District live the Jowakis, whose territory runs
nearly as far as Cherat. East of Cherat the range is inhabited by
Khattaks, and forms, except for the Khwarra and Zira forest on the
banks of the Indus, part of Kohat District.
To the north-east great spurs, separated by intricate lateral valleys,
run into the District, the Mora, Shakot, and Malakand passes leading
through them into Swat. From the north-west out-
1Ying ranges of the Hindu Kush run down the Physical
aspects.
western border, loftily isolated peaks to the north
merging in the confused and precipitous heights on the south bank of
the Kabul river. South of the Khyber, the range sinks to a mean level
of 4,000 feet, and at the point where the Kohat pass leads out of the
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