Indo Nordic Author’s Collective

The Siddhis of India

The Chronicle of an African Diaspora- Two Part Paper
PART I
Dr Uday Dokras,Phd-Stockholm SWEDEN
Architect Srishti Dokras
“Remember, remember always, that all of us, and you and I especially, are descended from
immigrants and revolutionists”

Franklin D. Roosevelt

The Siddhis of India are basically formed from 2 groups of Africans. The Ethipians
and the Bantu.Here is their story about the presence in India

1
 Indo Nordic Author’s Collective

The western dream is one that is harbored by many of those living in countries which are less
developed or going through massive war. For a majority of people living in such countries, the
first impulse is to head to the developed west at a chance for a better life. Buiit that is not always
so. A Diaspora may result from conquerors settling into a land, Visitors accepting a country as
their home and merchants wanting to trade froma area they may call home later on. The
permutations and combinations are many

A diaspora is a scattered population whose origin lies in a separate geographic

locale.. Historically, the word diaspora was used to refer to the mass dispersion of a population
from its indigenous territories, specifically the dispersion of Jews. While the term was originally
used to describe the forced displacement of certain peoples, "diasporas" is now generally used to
describe those who identify with a "homeland", but live outside of it.
Some notable diasporas are the African diaspora which primarily includes the descendants of the
Africans who were transported to the Americas during the Transatlantic slave trade; the Assyrian
Diaspora which originated during and after the Arab conquest of Iraq, Syria, Turkey and Iran,
and continued in the aftermath of the Assyrian Genocide; the southern Chinese and Indians who
left their homelands during the 19th to 20th century; the Irish who left Ireland during and after
the Great Famine; the Scottish who emigrated on a large scale after the Highland Clearances;
the Romani from India; the Italian diaspora and the Mexican diaspora; the exile and deportation
of Circassians; the Palestinian diaspora following the flight or expulsion of
Arabs from Palestine; the Armenian Diaspora following the Armenian Genocide; the Lebanese
Diaspora due to the Lebanese Civil War; the fleeing of Greeks from Turkey after the fall
of Constantinople the later Greek Genocide, and the Istanbul pogroms, and the emigration
of Anglo-Saxon warriors and their families after the Norman Conquest, primarily to
the Byzantine Empire
Recently, scholars have distinguished between different kinds of diaspora, based on its causes
such as colonialism, trade or labor migrations, or by the kind of social coherence within the
diaspora community and its ties to the ancestral lands. Some diaspora communities maintain
strong political ties with their homeland. Other qualities that may be typical of many diasporas
are thoughts of return, keeping ties back home (country of origin) relationships with other
communities in the diaspora, and lack of full integration into the host countries. Diasporas often
maintain ties to the country of their historical affiliation and influence the policies of the country
where they are located.
In 2019, according to the United Nations with 17.5 million Indian diaspora is world's largest
diaspora, followed by 11.8 million Mexican diaspora and 10.7 million of Chinese diaspora. One
of the largest diasporas of modern times is that of sub-Saharan Africans, which dates back
several centuries. During the Atlantic slave trade, 9.4 to 12 million people from West
Africa survived transportation to the Americas and arrived there as slaves. This population and
their descendants were major influences on the culture of British, French, Portuguese,
and Spanish New World colonies. Prior to the trans-Atlantic slave trade, millions of Africans had
moved and settled as merchants, seamen, and slaves in different parts of Europe and Asia. From
the 8th through the 19th centuries, an Arab-controlled slave trade dispersed millions of Africans
to Asia and the islands of the Indian Ocean.

2
 Indo Nordic Author’s Collective

Currently, migrant Africans can only enter thirteen African countries without advanced visas. In
pursuing a unified future, the African Union (AU) will allow people to move freely between the
54 countries of the AU under a visa free passport and encourage migrants to return to Africa.
African Diaspora may be a new term for many people. But it is a term commonly used to
describe the mass dispersion of peoples from Africa during the Transatlantic Slave Trades, from
the 1500s to the 1800s. This Diaspora took millions of people from Western and Central Africa
to different regions throughout the Americas and the Caribbean.

Murad Janjira Fort- The Siddhi ( Assyrian) Bastion in India

United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs. Population Division. December
2017. p. 3. Retrieved 8 February 2019. In 2017, with 16.6 million persons living abroad, India
was the leading country of origin of international migrants. Migrants from Mexico constituted
the second largest 'diaspora' in the world (13.0 million), followed by those from the Russian
Federation (10.6 million), China (10.0 million), Bangladesh (7.5 million), the Syrian Arab
Republic (6.9 million), Pakistan (6.0 million), Ukraine (5.9 million), the Philippines (5.7 million)
and the United Kingdom (4.9 million). Since 2000, countries experiencing the largest increase in
their diaspora populations were the Syrian Arab Republic (872 per cent), India (108 per cent) and
the Philippines (85 per cent).

 African-Americans, The 2010 US Census stated 43 million overall, but between 35 and 50
million or 12-15% of the US population are Black or of Sub-Saharan African descent. They
tend to be descendants of slaves brought to the New World in the 1600s-early 19th century
until the practice was made illegal in 1865 after the US Civil War (the US or Union defeated
the seceded Confederacy in the southern states). And there was sizable West Indian-
Caribbean immigration of African descendants into the US in the 20th century.
 African Australians - part of the African diaspora in Australia.
According to the Oxford English Dictionary Online, the first known recorded usage of the
word diaspora in the English language was in 1876 referring "extensive diaspora work (as it is
termed) of evangelizing among the National Protestant Churches on the continent". The term
became more widely assimilated into English by the mid 1950s, with long-term expatriates in
significant numbers from other particular countries or regions also being referred to as a

3
 Indo Nordic Author’s Collective

diaspora. An academic field, diaspora studies, has become established relating to this sense of
the word. In English, capitalized, and without modifiers (that is simply, the Diaspora), the term
refers specifically to the Jewish diaspora in the context of Judaism.
In all cases, the term diaspora carries a sense of displacement. The population so described finds
itself for whatever reason separated from its national territory, and usually, its people have a
hope, or at least a desire, to return to their homeland at some point if the "homeland" still exists
in any meaningful sense. It has also been noted that diaspora may result in a loss of nostalgia for
a single home as people "re-root" in a series of meaningful displacements. In this sense,
individuals may have multiple homes throughout their diaspora, with different reasons for
maintaining some form of attachment to each. Diasporic cultural development often assumes a
different course from that of the population in the original place of settlement. Over time,
remotely separated communities tend to vary in culture, traditions, language, and other factors.
The last vestiges of cultural affiliation in a diaspora is often found in community resistance
to language change and in the maintenance of traditional religious practice.
In 3 papers-Vasundhaiva Kutumbakan an African Experience, India-Africa: Rediscovering Trade
Relations through Cultural Assimilation and Rediscovering Trade Relations through Cultural
Assimilation, noted author and researcher Manish Kanwar, (Researchgate) noted that Africans
came to India in diverse environments over the eons. They played a vibrant role in the court-
politics of several Kingdoms. They came as immigrants, merchants and sometimes, as slaves and
were absorbed in the military and organizational services. Their involvement in the court-politics
increased so much sometimes that they emerged as king-makers also. India is a relatively liberal
society which absorbed foreigners into its midst. Africans were not exceptions in this regard.
They intermingled with the local people in every aspect, through the ages. Inter-marriage, no
doubt, accounts for the fact of their racial and cultural identity being blurred over the centuries.
This paper tries to study about a small community of Africa, their prospects, problems and
importance. They can prove to be a bridge between Indo-African relations. We are moving
towards a new era of relationship after the India–Africa Forum Summit. Africa has abundant
potentialities and world has acknowledged them. The world is indded a “Vasudhaiva
Kutumbakam” which stands for “a Universal Family”.

India had first trade with Arab then Portuguese through whom Africans came in contact.There
are traces of African’s role in socio-political and military life duringthe period of Delhisultanate,
Nizamshahi, Adilshahi, Qutbshahi,Imadshahi, Mughal India and also in Hyderabad till
India’sindependence. Much before the arrival of the Portuguese in India, a significant number of
African had already occupied the seats of power, not only in armies and naval forces of various
rulers, but also in civil administration.African migration with the specialreference to Indian
Ocean trade, the two African kingdoms, Janjira and Sachin, the socio-economic condition of
Siddis and their role and place in Indian society. Writings of Strabo, Pliny, Ptolemy, Periplus,
and Cosmos also indicate the ancient trade relation between Indian Sub-Continent and east
African coast. Africans who played an importantrole in different Indian dynasties. Some of the
Africans who rose to positions of considerable importance were: Malik Kafur, Malik Amber,
Malik Sarwar,Mubarak Shah, Ibrahim Shah, Malik Andil, Malik Sandal, Yaqut Dabuli Habshi,
Ikhlas Khan, Dilawar Khan, Khavass Khan and Ulugh Khan. Their role in the History of India is
significant. Indian culture has been enriched, influenced by the African culture and
AfricanDiaspora played a significant role in India.

4
 Indo Nordic Author’s Collective

The Siddhis of India are basically formed from 2 groups of Africans. The Ethipians
and the bantu
Sunni Muslims of the Siddi dynasty of Danda-Rajpuri and Janjira State who were of
Abyssinian (Habesha) origin ruled the Sachin State of Gujrath. This state was a princely
state belonging to the Surat Agency, former Khandesh Agency, of the Bombay
Presidency during the era of the British Raj. Its capital was in Sachin, the southernmost town of
present-day Surat district of Gujarat State.For more details of the Siddhis read my
comprehensive paper on The Siddhis of India-The Chronicle of an African Diaspora. To
understand this dynesty we must take a quick glimpse at the mother land-Ethiopia.

However the majority of the Siddhis in Karnataka are descended from Bantu
peoples from Southeast Africa that were brought to the Indian subcontinent as slaves by
the Portuguese between the 16th and 19th centuries. During the Goan Inquisition, some of these
slaves were freed and some escaped into the forests of the neighbouring Karnataka state. As the
bulk of the Inquisition's records are now destroyed, a thorough reconstruction of the Siddhis'
history in India and in Karnataka is very difficult. However, the few records that exist present a
picture of oppression and ill treatment that the slaves were subjected to. A few of them, however,
are also said to have escaped slavery. While most of them were victims of slave trade, some of
them also were imported by the Sultans in the 15th-16th centuries as military mercenaries.
Others were sailors on the trade routes to the east. Bantu peoples are the speakers of Bantu
languages, comprising several hundred indigenous ethnic groups in sub-Saharan Africa, spread
over a vast area from Central Africa across the African Great Lakes to Southern Africa.
The total number of languages ranges in the hundreds, depending on the definition of "language"
or "dialect", estimated at between 440 and 680 distinct languages. [2] The total number of
speakers is in the hundreds of millions, ranging at roughly 350 million in the mid-2010s (roughly
30% of the population of Africa, or roughly 5% of the total world population).[3] About 60
million speakers (2015), divided into some 200 ethnic or tribal groups, are found in
the Democratic Republic of Congo alone.
The larger of the individual Bantu groups have populations of several million, e.g.
the Shona of Zimbabwe (12 million as of 2000), the Zulu of South Africa (12 million as of 2005)
the Luba of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (7 million as of 2010),
the Sukuma of Tanzania (9 million as of 2016), or the Kikuyu of Kenya (8 million as of 2019).

The Ethiopian Empire formerly known by the exonym Abyssinia (derived from the Arabic al-
Habash), or just simply known as Ethiopia was a monarchy that spanned a geographical area in
the current states of Ethiopia and Eritrea. It began with the establishment of the Solomonic
dynasty by Yekuno Amlak from approximately 1270 and lasted until 1974, when Emperor Haile
Selassie was overthrown in a coup d'état by the communist Derg. It was throughout much of its
existence surrounded by hostile forces in the African Horn however it managed to preserve and
develop its ancient form of Christianity based kingdom.It is perhaps this reason that Abyssinians
sailed to amongst other places- India particularly the Gujrath Coast which is closest to Ethiopia.
Founded in 1270 by the Solomonic Dynasty nobleman Yekuno Amlak, who claimed to descend
from the last Aksumite king and ultimately the Biblical Menelik I and the Queen of Sheba, it

5
 Indo Nordic Author’s Collective

replaced the Agaw kingdom of the Zagwe. While initially a rather small and politically unstable
entity, the Empire managed to expand significantly under the crusades of Amda Seyon I (1314–
1344) and Yeshaq I (1414–1429), temporarily becoming the dominant force of the African Horn.
Yeshaq's reign was however challenged by Sultan Jamal ad-Din II which led to Yeshaq's
death. Under the rule of Zara Yaqob (1434–1468), the Hadiya Sultanate was invaded by Ethiopia
and the captured Hadiya princess Eleni converted to Christianity leading to her marriage to Zara
Yacob. Muslims in the region as well as Adal Sultanate rejected the marriage alliance and began
launching several invasion attempts into Ethiopia finally succeeding under Imam Mahfuz.
Mahfuz's ambush and defeat by Emperor Lebna Dengel brought about the early 16th
century Jihad of the Adalite Imam Ahmed Gran, who was only defeated in 1543 with the help of
the Portuguese. Greatly weakened, much of the Empire's southern territory and vassals were lost
due to the Oromo migrations. In the north, in what is now Eritrea, Ethiopia managed to
repulse Ottoman invasion attempts, although losing its access to the Red Sea to them.
Reacting to these challenges, Ethiopia started to expand westwards, conquering the Lake
Tana area and much of Beta Israel territory in Begemder. In the 1630s
Emperor Fasilides founded the new capital of Gondar, marking the start for a new golden age
known as "Gondarine period". It saw a relative peace, the successful integration of the Oromo
and a flourishing of culture. With the deaths of Emperor Iyasu II (1755) and especially Iyoas
I (1769) the realm eventually entered a period of decentralization, known as "Era of the Princes".
The Shewa region de facto seceded and constituted a kingdom of its own, while within the
Empire, regional warlords contested for power, with the emperor being barely more than a mere
puppet.
Trade by African Diaspora in India
The evidence of African trade in India has a significant history. Indo-African trade relations are
one of the imperative segments to understand African settlements in different parts of Indian sub-
continent. Several Africans rose to positions of authority as generals and governors, in the Janjira
and Sachin kingdoms they rose from king-makers to Emperors.. From ancient times, three
valuable export commodities which were prized in Africa: pepper, silk and cotton. The migration
from the African sub-continent into India went up only in the sixth century A.D. but we have had
an incredible trade-relation from time immemorial. From the Sixth century through the fifteenth
century the history of the East African coast is somewhat illuminated by Arabs, Persians and
Europeans. During the course of the sixteenth century the Portuguese dominated the Indian
Ocean and its shoreline. Portugal was determined to remove Muslim merchants, especially
Arabs, in the Indian Ocean system. Trade and natural resources have been the principal reason
behind the age-old links between Africa and India. Cultural assimilation and African diaspora
through the ages which has a vital facet to further strengthen the Trade Relations. India-Africa.

6
 Indo Nordic Author’s Collective

BANTU SPEAKING AREAS OF AFRICA

The Indian Ocean as a diaspora crucible: Few need introducing to the Western movement of
slaves from Africa across the Atlantic Ocean. Much has been documented and studied about this
horrific part of history. But this wasn’t the only slave route that existed; a far older eastern
movement of slaves was forcibly taking people to the opposite side of the world. Between the
first and 20th century, beginning with Arabs and the Ottomans, and later continued by the
Portuguese, the Dutch, French and the British, an estimated 4 million African’s were taken from
their homes, mostly in East Africa, and across the Indian Ocean.

Voluntary migrations: During this time there was also a voluntary migration of African’s as
travellers and traders to countries around the peripheries of the Indian Ocean and further east.
India and Pakistan were major destinations for African slaves who were favoured by the warring
Maharajah’s, admiring their physical strength and loyalty, and who, continuously feuding with
each other, needed protection. As well as soldiers or bodyguards African’s worked for the
wealthy or colonial powers of the time as domestic slaves, concubines, agricultural workers, wet
nurses. With the abolition of the slavery, came the end of this horrific mass forced movement of
people around the mid-nineteenth century.
7
 Indo Nordic Author’s Collective

At the time of abolition slaves were freed by their owners, or they had already earned their own
freedom, but were unable to return to their homeland. So, they stayed and formed their own
communities, becoming part of South Asia’s complex cobweb of cultures. Whilst many aspects
of their African ancestry have disappeared as they have become assimilated in to their host
countries society, some remain. Many retain their African appearance and all have a passion for
music and dance, which retains a truly African style and rhythm.

Generally known throughout South Asia as Habshi’s, a word that derives from the Arabic word
Habish, on a more local level they are known as Sheedi in Pakistan, Sidi in India and Kaffir
(with no racist connotations) in Sri Lanka. Numbers vary depending on whom you ask and the
lack of a recent and accurate census in either countries, has only led to the inaccurate estimates.
But generally it is accepted that Pakistan has the largest population upwards of 50,000, followed
by India with a loosely estimated population of around 25,000. Sri Lanka has the smallest with as
few as 300 people remaining. Yet, what is particularly fascinating in India about the history of
Africans on the sub-continent, is the position of power that some were able to attain becoming
powerful rulers in their own right. The State of Bengal was ruled by Ethiopians for three years
before being defeated and two Princely State’s, Janjira and Sachin in Western India controlled
hundreds of miles of coastline for centuries. Descendants of these dynasty’s still survive today.

Largely due to their scattered presence and their lack of a real unified social group, the African
Diaspora of South Asia have largely been over-looked by academics and researchers, unlike
those who crossed the Atlantic. Yet it is a trade route of much greater age and one of equal
importance that needs further study and documentation, so that the history of these Afro-Asian
communities will not be lost in future generations.

Military Legacy: The Mughals, a Muslim imperial power in northern India from the early 16th
century through the early 19th, relied on African soldiers, with one Emperor reportedly protected
by 700 armed Sidi on horseback.In 1843 an African called Hosh Mohammed Sheedi commanded
an army against the British at Dabbo which, despite losing, delayed the annexation of the
Province of Sindh to Imperial Britain.From an ocean fortress north of Mumbai, between the 17th
and 20th century the Sidi controlled a 300km stretch of coastline from Mumbai to Goa. See my
paper on Janjira the Siddhi Fort.In 1490, an African guard, Sidi Badr, seized power in Bengal
and ruled for three years before being murdered. Five thousand of the 30,000 men in his army
were Ethiopians.

SIDDIS:
The Siddi (pronounced [sɪd̪d̪i]), also known as Sidi, Siddhi, Sheedi or Habshi, are an ethnic
group inhabiting India and Pakistan. Members are mostly descended from the Bantu
peoples of Southeast Africa, along with Habesha immigrants. Some were merchants,
sailors, indentured servants, slaves and mercenaries. The Siddi population is currently estimated
at around 850,000 individuals, with Karnataka, Gujarat and Hyderabad in India
and Makran and Karachi in Pakistan as the main population centres. Siddis are primarily
Muslims, although some are Hindus and others belong to the Catholic Church.

Though they have fully integrated into modern day India, yet they have managed to retain small
aspects of their African heritage especially in their appearance and their music. Despite Gujarat
and Karnataka having equally large populations that are un-connected and are separated more

8
 Indo Nordic Author’s Collective

through religion than their common African heritage. The Sidi of Gujarat are predominantly
Muslim with those in Karnataka mostly Christian or Hindu.

There are conflicting hypotheses on the origin of the name Siddi. One theory is that the word
derives from sahibi, an Arabic term of respect in North Africa, similar to the word sahib in
modern India and Pakistan. A second theory is that the term Siddi is derived from the title borne
by the captains of the Arab vessels that first brought Siddi settlers to India; these captains were
known as Sayyid.
Similarly, another term for Siddis, habshi, is held to be derived from the common name for the
captains of the Northeast African Abyssinian ships that also first delivered Siddi slaves to the
subcontinent. Siddis are also sometimes referred to as Afro-Indians. Siddis were referred to
as Zanji by Arabs; in China, various transcriptions of this Arabic word were used,
including Xinji (辛吉) and Jinzhi (津芝).

Ikhlas Khan, African prime minister of Bijapur, c. 1650/ Flag of the Siddis from Murud-Janjira, an important vassal of
the Mughal Empire.

The first Siddis are thought to have arrived in India in 628 AD at the Bharuch port. Several
others followed with the first Arab Islamic conquest of the subcontinent in 712 AD. The latter
group are believed to have been soldiers with Muhammad bin Qasim's Arab army, and were
called Zanjis.
Some Siddis escaped slavery to establish communities in forested areas, and some also
established the small Siddi principalities of Janjira State on Janjira Island and Jafarabad

9
 Indo Nordic Author’s Collective

State in Kathiawar as early as the twelfth century. A former alternative name of Janjira was
Habshan (i.e., land of the Habshis). In the Delhi Sultanate period prior to the rise of the Mughals
in India, Jamal-ud-Din Yaqut was a prominent Siddi slave-turned-nobleman who was a close
confidant of Razia Sultana (1235–1240 CE). Although this is disputed, he may also have been
her lover, but contemporary sources do not indicate that this was necessarily the case.
Siddis were also brought as slaves by the Deccan Sultanates. Several former slaves rose to high
ranks in the military and administration, the most prominent of which was Malik Ambar.
Later the Siddi population was added to via Bantu peoples from Southeast Africa that had been
brought to the Indian subcontinent as slaves by the Portuguese. Later most of these migrants
became Muslim and a small minority became Hindu. The Nizam of Hyderabad also employed
African-origin guards and soldiers.

Siddi Folk dancers, at Devaliya Naka, Sasan Gir, Gujarat./Sidis of Madras

Harris (1971) provides an historical survey of the eastward dispersal of slaves from Southeast
Africa to places like India. Hamilton (1990) argues that Siddis in South India are a significant
social group whose histories, experiences, cultures, and expressions are integral to the African
Diaspora and thus, help better understand the dynamics of dispersed peoples. More recent
focused scholarship argues that although Siddis are numerically a minority, their historic
presence in India for over five hundred years, as well as their self-perception, and how the
broader Indian society relates to them, make them a distinct Bantu/Indian. Historically, Siddis
have not existed only within binary relations to the nation state and imperial forces. They did not
simply succumb to the ideologies and structures of imperial forces, nor did they simply rebel
against imperial rule. The Siddi are recognized as a scheduled tribe in 3 states and 1 union
territory: Goa, Gujarat, Karnataka and Daman and Diu.
Hyderabad
In the 18th century, a Siddi community was established in Hyderabad State by the Arab Siddi
diaspora, who have frequently served as cavalry guards to the Asif Jahi Nizam of Hyderabad's
army. The Asif Jahi rulers patronised them with rewards and the traditional Marfa music gained

10
 Indo Nordic Author’s Collective

popularity and would be performed during official celebrations and ceremonies. The Siddis of
Hyderabad have traditionally resided in the A.C. Guards (African Cavalry Guards) area near
Masjid Rahmania, known locally as Siddi Risala in the city Hyderabad.
Gujarat & Sachin State
Supposedly presented as slaves by the Portuguese to the local Prince, Nawab of Junagadh, the
Siddis also live around Gir Forest National Park and Wildlife sanctuary. On the way to Deva-
dungar is the quaint village of Sirvan, inhabited entirely by Siddis. They were brought 300 years
ago from Portuguese colonial territories for the Nawab of Junagadh. Today, they follow very few
of their original customs, with a few exceptions like the traditional Dhamal dance.
Although Gujarati Siddis have adopted the language and many customs of their surrounding
populations, some of their Bantu traditions have been preserved. These include the Goma music
and dance form, which is sometimes called Dhamaal. The term is believed to be derived from
the Ngoma drumming and traditional dance forms of the Bantu people inhabiting Central, East
and Southern Africa. The Goma also has a spiritual significance and, at the climax of the dance,
some dancers are believed to be vehicles for the presence of Siddi saints of the past.
Goma music comes from the Kiswahili word "ngoma", which means a drum or drums. It also
denotes any dancing occasion where traditional drums are principally used.The majority of the
Siddis in Gujarat are Muslims (98.7%), with very few following Hinduism (1%).

The Siddis of Karnataka There is a 50,000 – 85,000 strong Siddi population across India, of
which more than a third live in Karnataka. In Karnataka, they are concentrated
around Yellapur, Haliyal, Ankola, Joida, Mundgod and Sirsi taluks of Uttara Kannada and
in Khanapur of Belgaum and Kalghatgi of Dharwad district. Many members of the Siddi
community have migrated to Pakistan after independence and have settled in Karachi and Sindh.
Recently, they have come into the limelight by Sneha Khanwalkar's soundtrack 'Yere' for MTV
Sound Trippin'.
There are various hypotheses on the origin of the name Siddi. One theory is that the word was a
term of respect in North Africa, similar to the word sahib in modern India and Pakistan. A
second theory is that the term Siddi is derived from the title borne by the captains of the Arab
vessels that first brought Siddi settlers to India. These captains were known as Sayyid. The term
seems to have found currency following a description in a letter written by one William aboard
the S.S. Nepal, a ship that sailed from England to South India and Ceylon. In the letter he
describes the crew of the ship as "composed of seven English quarter masters and forty three
lascar seamen, six English engineers, thirty-five men (Muslim) and fifteen Sidimen or negroes
for coal shifters."
Similarly, another term for Siddis, habshi (from Al-Habsh, the Arabic term for Abyssinia), is
held to be derived from the common name for the captains of the Ethiopian/Abyssinian ships that
also first delivered Siddi slaves to the subcontinent.[4] The term eventually came to be applied to
other Africans and not only to emancipated Siddis. In time, it came to be used to refer to their
descendants as well. It is sometimes pronounced "Hafsi" and is considered an insult.
The majority of the Siddhis in Karnataka are descended from Bantu peoples from Southeast
Africa that were brought to the Indian subcontinent as slaves by the Portuguese between the 16th

11
 Indo Nordic Author’s Collective

and 19th centuries. During the Goan Inquisition, some of these slaves were freed and some
escaped into the forests of the neighbouring Karnataka state. As the bulk of the Inquisition's
records are now destroyed, a thorough reconstruction of the Siddhis' history in India and in
Karnataka is very difficult. However, the few records that exist present a picture of oppression
and ill treatment that the slaves were subjected to. A few of them, however, are also said to have
escaped slavery. While most of them were victims of slave trade, some of them also were
imported by the Sultans in the 15th-16th centuries as military mercenaries. Others were sailors
on the trade routes to the east.
In 2013, the New York Public Library held an artistic exhibition entitled Africans In India: From
Slaves to Generals and Rulers, which retraced the lives and accomplishments of prominent
Siddis from the past. Lasting until July, it included 100 reproductions of paintings and modern
photographs.
Religion followed by Siddis in
Karnataka

Religion Percent

Hindus   41.8%

Muslims   30.6%

Christians   27.4%

Distribution of religions
Source: 2011 Census.

Majority of the Siddis in Karnataka follows Hinduism. There is a significant number following
Islam and Christianity. The Haliyal taluk has populations of Muslims and Christians while the
Hindu populations are concentrated in the ghat areas of Yellapur and Ankola. Although Siddhis
opt for different religions they intermarry across religions without any reservations.
Hiriyaru worship
The one factor which binds the Siddhis, irrespective of their religion is the Hiriyaru or ancestor
worship. The dead are believed to be nearby, in the form of spirits. They are regarded as
witnesses to be consulted by a family in all its concerns. On occasions like births, marriages and
deaths, the ancestors are invoked. The home is organised around Hiriyaru, the spirits of departed
parents. It signifies a remembrance of the parents, thanking them for their care over several years
and also entreating them to keep a vigil over the family in future. It is obligatory for all relatives
to attend the function, thus renewing kinship relations.
Hiriyaru worship may be performed twice a year by the 'Kartha'(head) of the family. It normally
is held during the Navarathri festival in the first week of November. If this is not possible for
some reason, it may also be performed in April–May during the other major festival - Holi.
These obviously are not meant to coincide with the dates of the parents' deaths as the Siddis only
observe the first death anniversary. Hindu Siddhis usually have elaborate functions to mark the

12
 Indo Nordic Author’s Collective

event, but not so the Christian and Muslim Siddhis.Siddis mainly speak Konkani, the native
language of Goa which belongs to the Indo-Aryan family. Some also speak other languages, such
as Kannada and Marathi.
Almost all Siddis today subsist as agricultural and casual labourers, contractual or in some
cases bonded, some also work as domestic help. The earliest Siddhi settlers who fled Goa and
entered the Karnataka forests of North Canara, made the forests their home and started
cultivation. In some of the villages in these areas, they form the earliest settlers.
Art: The Siddis of Karnataka are known in recent years for their unique style of quilting called
kawandi. Siddis go through a complicated process of quilting that makes their style distinct from
surrounding groups. The process involves taking recycled fabric scraps and arranging them in
stylistic geometric patterns, sometimes embedded with religious symbols. Quilts are usually
made for family members by older women who can no longer work in the fields. The quilts are
put to use as mattresses, crib covers, or covers for cold monsoon nights. [11] The non-profit
organization Siddis Women Quilting Cooperative (SWQC) was created in 2004 in an effort to
provide a source of income to the community and quilt makers. In 2011 an exhibition titled
“Soulful Stitching: Patchwork Quilts by Africans(Siddis) in India” was shown in the Museum of
the African Diaspora, helping these quilt makers and the community to gain recognition. [12]
ethnogenesis ;Recent advances in genetic analyses have helped shed some light on
the ethnogenesis of the Siddi. Genetic genealogy, although a novel tool that uses the genes of
modern populations to trace their ethnic and geographic origins, has also helped clarify the
possible background of the modern Siddi.
Y DNA
A Y-chromosome study by Shah et al. (2011) tested Siddi individuals in India for paternal
lineages. The authors observed the E1b1a1 haplogroup (now called Haplogroup E-M2), which is
frequent among Bantu peoples, in about 42% and 34% of Siddis from Karnataka and Gujarat,
respectively. Around 14% of Siddis from Karnataka and 35% of Siddis from Gujarat also
belonged to the Sub-Saharan B-M60. The remaining Siddis had Indian or Near Eastern-
associated clades, including haplogroups P, H, R1a-M17, J2 and L-M20.
Thangaraj (2009) observed similar, mainly Bantu-linked paternal affinities amongst the Siddi. [15]
mtDNA
According to an mtDNA study by Shah et al. (2011), the maternal ancestry of the Siddi consists
of a mixture of Sub-Saharan and Indian haplogroups, reflecting substantial female gene flow
from neighboring Indian populations. About 53% of the Siddis from Gujarat and 24% of the
Siddis from Karnataka belonged to various Sub-Saharan macro-haplogroup L sub-clades. The
latter mainly consisted of L0 and L2a sublineages associated with Bantu women. The remainder
possessed Indian-specific subclades of the Eurasian haplogroups M and N, which points to recent
admixture with autochthonous Indian groups.
Autosomal DNA
Narang et al. (2011) examined the autosomal DNA of Siddis in India. According to the
researchers, about 58% of the Siddis' ancestry is derived from Bantu peoples. The remainder is
associated with local Indo-European-speaking North and Northwest Indian populations, due to
recent admixture events.

13
 Indo Nordic Author’s Collective

Similarly, Shah et al. (2011) observed that Siddis in Gujarat derive 66.90%-70.50% of their
ancestry from Bantu forebears, while the Siddis in Karnataka possess 64.80%-74.40% such
Southeast African ancestry. The remaining autosomal DNA components in the studied Siddi
were mainly associated with local South Asian populations. According to the authors, gene flow
between the Siddis' Bantu ancestors and local Indian populations was also largely unidirectional.
They estimate this admixture episode's time of occurrence at within the past 200 years or eight
generations.
Assimilation: Like Siddhi populations across the sub-continent, Siddhis in Karnataka also have
remained isolated, and economically and socially neglected. In 1984, at the instance of the
Secretary of the Rural Welfare Trust, Dandeli and few others, an "All-Karnataka Siddi
Development Association" was formed to bring Siddhis together and work for their integrated
development. K. V. Subbanna, the Magsaysay awardee also made some efforts in this direction
with his Ninasam.
On 8 January 2003, the Union government brought the Siddis under the list of Scheduled
Tribes with a view to empowering them constitutionally. Further, policies to provide homes for
homeless Siddis, water facilities, education, employment opportunities, roads, electricity, mobile
hospitals 2 acres (8,100 m2) of land to each Siddi family and the right to collect forest products
were also endorsed by parliament. It is hoped that proper implementation of these policies would
go a long way in helping the Siddhi community enhance their social and economic status.
Internationally too, awareness of sub-Saharan African diaspora in the east has been limited. [17] In
2006, however, 'The African Diaspora in Asia'(TADIA), a UNESCO backed initiative[17] has
also evinced interest in the rehabilitation of this tribe. Headed by Prof Angenot of Brazil, it has
become the academic link between the Siddis of Karnataka, Gujarat and Andhra Pradesh and
other research scholars. It aims at involving academic research, promoting cultural exchanges
and raising funds for education and employment generation programmes for the Siddis.

 According to B. G. L. Swamy, a renowned botanist, seeds of a huge tree, the Adansonia

digitata Linn., which is native to Africa, were probably brought by the Siddhis. [3]
 A popular Kannada film of the 70s, Bhootayyana Maga Ayyu, has a Siddi playing the role
of Siddi Byra in the movie.
 It has been reported that Siddis from Karnataka believe that Barack Obama shares their
genepool and that they wanted to gift a bottle of honey to him on his visit to India in 2010 [18]

 Shantaram Siddi, member of Karnataka Legislative Council (first man of African-origin to

be a legislator in India)
Sindh

14
 Indo Nordic Author’s Collective

Resident of village Syed Matto Shah, Tehsil Bulri Shah Karim, District Tando Muhammad Khan, Sindh

Sheedis are largely populated in different towns and villages in lower Sindh. They are very
active in cultural activities and organise annual festivals, like, Habash Festival, with the support
of several community organisations. In the local culture, when there is a dance it is not
performed by some selected few and watched idly by others but it is participated by all the
people present there, ending difference between the performers and the audience.
Sheedis in Sindh also proudly call themselves the Qambranis, in reverence to Qambar, the freed
slave of Ali, the fourth Rashid Caliph. Tanzeela Qambrani became the first Sheedi woman to be
elected as the member of Provincial Assembly of Sindh in 2018 Pakistani general election.
The culture of the Siddi is indicative of both the length of time they have been in India and
their East African origins. While they have assimilated in many ways to the dominant
culture, they have also kept some ancestral practices especially in music and dance. Like other
ethnic groups separated by geography, there are both differences and similarities in cultural
practices among the Siddi.
Generally, the Siddi primarily associate and marry members of their own communities. [58] It is
rare for the Siddi to marry outside of their communities although in Pakistan a growing number
of the Sheedi (as they are known there) intermarry as a way to dilute their African lineage and
reduce racial discrimination and prejudice.
Siddi communities, although classified as a tribe by the Indian government (in order to receive
benefits), primarily live in agricultural communities where men are responsible for the farming
and women are responsible for the home and children. Outside of their communities, men also
tend to be employed as farm hands, drivers, manual laborers, and security guards.
When it comes to dress, women and men dress in typical Indian fashion. For instance, Siddi
women wear colorful saris and don bindis. Men wear what is generally appropriate for men in
their communities.
Like in other aspects of life, the Siddi have adopted the common dietary practices of the
dominant society. But, an example of a staple meal would be a large portions of rice with dal and
pickles. Athletics has been an important part of the Siddi community and has been a means to
uplift youth and a means of escape from poverty and discrimination.

In contrast to the trans-Atlantic trade, those who were brought to India were sometimes able to
rise to positions of power through their position in the military. Some became so powerful from
their connection to Maharajah’s, where they initially worked as bodyguards or soldiers, that they
rose to become King’s in their own right controlling Kingdoms within India, the direct
descendants of which still survive today. Those not used as soldiers generally worked as
domestic helpers, concubines, ship-hands and in other industries such as agate mining.

Modern day research has focused largely on the Gujarat population who as Muslim’s fervently
worship the Sidi saint of Bava Gor, believed to be an Ethiopian wandering faqir and trader,
and every year is celebrated in a multi-day and night ceremony of music, dancing and spirit
possession called Urs. This has kept their music culture alive and strong with groups regularly
traveling within India and abroad to perform.

15
 Indo Nordic Author’s Collective

Sultan Muhammad Adil Shah of Bijapur and African courtiers, ca, 1640. Credit: The British Library
Board

India and Africa have a shared history that runs deeper than is often realised. Trade between
the regions goes back centuries – 4th century CE Ethiopian (Aksumite) coins have been
found in southern India. Several African groups, particularly Muslims from east Africa,
came to India as slaves and traders. On settling down in the country, they played important
roles in the history of the region.

Forgotten histories

Unlike slave experiences in other parts of the world, enslaved Africans in India were able to
assert themselves and attain military and political authority in their new homeland.

Sylviane Diouf, director of the Lapidus Center for the Historical Analysis of Transatlantic
Slavery in New York, told The Wire. “The people who became ‘elite slaves’ came mostly
from the countries that today are Eritrea, Ethiopia and Sudan. The Portuguese brought in
men and women from Mozambique. Later years also saw the arrival of people from
Tanzania and adjacent countries.”Africans in India were known as either Habshi or Sidi to
denote their African origins. Even after centuries of mixing with local populations, the name
Sidi remains for their descendants.

Contemporary situation

16
 Indo Nordic Author’s Collective

Sidis today number in the tens of thousands, and are found primarily in Karnataka, Gujarat
and Andhra Pradesh. A majority of them are Muslims, with a few Christians and Hindus. In
spite of their historical prominence and affluence, Sidi communities today are often
marginalised with little access to education. A majority of the Indian population is unaware
of their existence and roots. They are classified as a Scheduled Tribe in parts of Gujarat and
Karnataka.

African eunuch (3rd from left) and African queen Yasmin (2nd from right) at the court of Wajid Ali Shah. Royal Collection
Trust / © Queen Elizabeth II 2013.

Though they are now far removed from their African origins and have spent centuries with
other populations speaking local languages, they have retained some of their musical and
dance traditions.

17
 Indo Nordic Author’s Collective

In contemporary times, Africans from different parts of the continent continue to come to
India. Higher education is one of the peak draws, since Indian universities are known for
their quality, and are also inexpensive when compared to their counterparts in Europe or
North America. For those from English-speaking African countries, the language of much of
Indian higher education is an additional positive.

Assimilation: A feature common to the Siddis of Karnataka, as also of those of Maharashtra and
Goa, is that they exhibit a remarkable level of assimilation with local culture. This, in the
absence of any form of force. Even the uniquely Siddi custom of Hiriyaru has adopted symbols
from the local Hindu religion. Except for the racial characteristics of the tribe, there is little else
that can set them apart from other native populations. Almost all the siddis in present-day India
are mixed indo-African There are very few pure siddi populations in Karnataka today, most of
the pure Siddi population living in Gujarat. Many of them have lost their original African names
and culture however they have retained some forms of African traditions in the form of dance
and music.
There are references to Siddhi palace guards in Kodagu during the reign of Dodda Veerarajendra
(1763–1809) in the Kannada book Kodagina Itihasa. An account by Rev. G. Richter in 1870 also
makes a note of "African bodyguards" in the service of the same king. A Siddhi called Gajaveera
is noted to have joined hands with Sangolli Rayanna in his revolt against the British in 1829–30
near Kittur. In the revolt of 1844 at Sawantwadi in the Ratnagiri district of neighbouring
Maharashtra state, records show that two Siddhi brothers, Bastian and Benove, from Punsolli
near Dandeli had been enlisted by Phen Sawant, a noble of the Sawantwadi court.
The first notable act of this group seems to have been their looting of a British outpost during
the Supa Uprising when they confiscated government funds, took many chaukidars (watchmen)
captive and burnt several outposts. The leaders of the 'bundh' are said to have taken shelter in the
Darshanigudda ranges and at times escaped into neighbouring Goa territory. There are also
references to a formidable fight at Dandeli and one at a Somalinga temple. These activities
continued for several months and the British eventually sentenced some of them. The Portuguese
also deported more than 100 of these insurgents along with the Sawant brothers and their
families to Timor in the East Indies. Gunaba Shenvi, Siddi Bastian, his brother Anna Saheb and
the three Phadnis brothers were still at large and in July 1859, the British offered rewards of Rs.
1000 each for their arrest. Chintoba Phadnis and Siddi Bastian were eventually killed in an
encounter at Jagabet.
In India, Karnataka has the largest concentration of Siddis. According to latest estimates there
are around 3,700 Siddi families in the state with a total population of 18,000. Other Siddhi
populations in the sub-continent include around 10,000 in Gujarat and 12,000 in Hyderabad. A
few hundreds are also in Lucknow, Delhi and Calcutta. Fewer than 1,000 "Ceylon Kapris" live in
Sri Lanka.

18
 Indo Nordic Author’s Collective

FAMOUS SIDDHIS

Nawab Ibrahim Mohammad Yakut Khan II of Sachin (1833-1873)

 Shantaram Siddi, member of the Karnataka Legislative Council

 Jamal-ud-Din Yaqut (died 1240), confidante of Razia Sultana
 Yakut Khan (died 1733), naval admiral
 Hoshu Sheedi (1801-1843), Sindhi commander
 Noon Meem Danish (born 1958), Urdu poet
 Nawabs of Janjira State
 Nawabs of Sachin State
 Juje Siddi (born 1973), former Indian national football team and Salgaocar SC goalkeeper[66]
 Abdul Rashid Qambrani (born 1975), Pakistani boxer
 Malik Ambar (1548-1626), regent of the Ahmadnagar kingdom
 Abid Brohi, Pakistani Balochi rapper
 Sidi Sayyid, credited with the building of the Sidi Saiyyed Mosque, and who served in the retinue of Bilal
Jha Jhar Khan, an Abyssinian general in the army of the last sultan of Gujarat[67]
 Tanzeela Qambrani (born 1979), Pakistani politician, member of the Provincial Assembly of Sindh
 Zamor (1762-1820), Jacobite French revolutionary of possibly Siddi origin from Bengal. [68] He, as a boy
of 11, was taken from Chittagong, Bengal Subah, Mughal Empire (now Bangladesh) by slave traders.

FILMS & BOOKS

 From Africa...To Indian Subcontinent: Sidi Music in the Indian Ocean Diaspora (2003) by Amy Catlin-
Jairazbhoy, in close collaboration with Nazir Ali Jairazbhoy and the Sidi community.
 Mon petit diable (My Little Devil) (1999) was directed by Gopi Desai. Om Puri, Pooja Batra, Rushabh
Patni, Satyajit Sharma.
 Razia Sultan (1983), an Indian Urdu film directed by Kamal Amrohi, is based on the life of Razia
Sultan (played by Hema Malini) (1205–1240), the only female Sultan of Delhi (1236–1240), and her
speculated love affair with the Abyssinian slave Jamal-ud-Din Yakut (played by Dharmendra). He was
referred to in the movie as a habshee.
 A Certain Grace: The Sidi, Indians of African Descent by Ketaki Sheth, Photolink, 2013
 Shaping Membership, Defining Nation: The Cultural Politics of African Indians in South Asia (2007) by
Pashington Obeng.
 Inside a Lost African Tribe Still Living in India Today (2018) by Asha Stuart

19
Indo Nordic Author’s Collective

20