'GAZETTEER OF PERSIA. VOL. III. PART I: A to K' [‎130v] (265/1278)

BALA RUD BILA RUD or BALAD RUD—
A stream, wliich rises near Qilab in the^foot hills of Pusht-i-Kuh in Southern
Luristan, and, passing 5 miles west of Dizful and 1 mile east of Bunvar,
joins the river Diz on the left bank, 11 miles below Dizful. Its bed is coarse
shingle. In midsummer it is dry except for pools ; in autumn it becomes
a flowing stream supplying many Sagwand camps ; after heavy rain it is
apt to become impassable for one or two days, the river coming down in a
torrent of tremendous force. On one occasion, when the Shah of Persia
was crossing it with an army, 50 horsemen are said to have been swept
away, and the force was delayed on its bank for two days.
There was formerly a brick bridge over this river on the road from Khu-
zistan to Kirmanshah, but it is now destroyed. There are still traces of
Alexander’s old road, a stone pavement and the ruins of a 5-arched bridge.
Colonel Bell found the river, at 15 miles from Dizful, 100 yards wide, with
st^ep banks of conglomerate. He says that rapids and shallows are numerous
in its course and that the bed consists of pebbles and large boulders. Stony
undulations, affording excellent grazing, border the river.
A route between Dizful and Kirmanshah crosses the Bala Rud between
Salihabad and Husaini.— (Rawlinson — Schindler — Bell—Persian Gulf
Gazetteer, 1908.)
BALAWAND—
A tribe of Luristan. Classed by some as Dulfan, Khang Mahmud, and
Lutf ’Ali. Under the influence of the Sardar Leader of a tribe or a polity; also refers to a military rank or title given to a commander of an army or division. Akram at present, but
formerly under ’Ali Riza Khan of Pusht-i-Kuh , Rabino states them to
number 300 families ; to live in the Hulailan districts in winter near Said
Manch; tribal divisions Bala wand and Kaushwand. Plowden gave
numbers at 1,000 families and said they paid 3,000 tumdns per annum
. revenue.— (Yusuf Sharif, 1889.)
BALINGAN BALAI— Lat. 32° 16' 40' N. ; Long. 48° 25 r 40' E.; Elev.
A village in the Dizful district of Northern ’Arabistan, 12 miles south
of Dizful town on the east side of the river Diz. It contains a small fort
and 25 horses of Kurds, Nais Arabs, under the protection of the Kathrr,
and Dizfulls. There are 6 rifles. Water is obtained from the river Diz.
It has gardens, much cultivation, and a large irrigation canal.— (Burton y
1903— Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. Gazetteer, 1908.)
BALINGAN DUMAN or PAIN— Lat. 32° 15' N.; Long. 48° 28' E.; Elev.
A village* of 30 houses and a small fort in Northern ’Arabistan, 1 mile
east of Kut ’Abd-ush-Shah. It is inhabited by agricultural Lurs, and has a
fighting strength of 150 men, with 20 rifles. Water is procured from the
Diz river.— ( Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. Gazetteer, 1908.)
BALINGAN PAIN, vide BALINGAN DUMAN—
BALINGISTAN— Lat. 28° 21' N.; Long. 51° 15' E.; Elev.
A village on the coast of the Dashti district of Ears, 6 miles north of
Lavar. It contains 20 houses. The people are poor and cultivate corn.—
( Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. Gazetteer, 1908.)