Most of the Sidis live in Gujarat, a state in western India. Mediums of reaching Murud-Janjira Beach Car Janjira state had always faced rivalry with the Marathas especially with the Angrias, a Maratha Koli family with forts and ships. Around that stand Khasha Siddi Masjid and ruins of houses. Culturally, the Indo-Africans have been accepted into the vast spectrum that is India – as have many immigrant groups ranging from the Jews who fled Israel two hundred years after Christ, to the Zoroastrians who fled Iran in the advent of Islamic imperialism. July 30th 2020 follow. Several others followed with the first Arab Islamic conquest of the subcontinent in 712 AD. “Siddi kingdoms were established in western India in Janjira and Jaffrabad as early as 1100 AD. This group of Indo-Africans are sometimes known as the Royal Sidis, and they only marry amongst themselves or with upper class/caste native Muslims. SHARE . The Murud – Janjira Fort is the prime highlight of this tourist hotspot. “..the most famous among the Indo-Africans was the celebrated Malik Ambar (1550-1626). Siddi Ambar the Little is accordingly considered the first Nawab of Janjira state. The Siddis were employed largely as security forces for Muslim fleets in the Indian Ocean, a position they maintained for centuries.” – Tom Mountains Ambedkar Journal Website HABSHIS AND SIDDIS: AFRICAN DYNASTIES IN INDIA. Another group of Indo-Africans, known as the Shemali, originated in Kano, Nigeria, and came to India via Sudan and Mecca following their Hajj pilgrimage. This group of Indo-Africans retains quite a few African customs, and Baba Ghor and the story of their arrival in India is proudly remembered. Little is known about Africans who moved from the African continent to the Indian subcontinent, some as slaves, but others purposefully and freely. This process of assimilation was interrupted with the advent of British rule in India in the 19th century. India has always welcomed immigrants from around the world, giving them acceptance and taking from them certain cultural attributes that have further enlarged the Indian mosaic. A former alternative name of Janjira was Habshan (i.e., land of the Habshis). A B S T R A C T Janjira - The Undefeated Fort Janjira Fort is situated on the Murud beach in the Arabian sea along the Konkan coast line. The British segregated the Indo-Africans from the local population, thus impoverishing the process of assimilation. Janjira Murud. The first of all the beaches here is the Janjira-Murud beach. Only a small number of Indo-Africans have tried to immigrate back to Africa, mostly during the British rule of Zanzibar. Although Africans have been crossing the Indian Ocean into India for over a millennium, most of those who make up the Indo-African population came in the past five hundred years. Perhaps the most interesting example of Indo-Africans in Indian history was the establishment of the Habshi State in Bengal during the 15th century. According to one legend, in the year 1489 the Ahmadnagar Sultanate sent its Admiral Piram Khan (of Ethiopian descent) with orders to capture the Murud-Janjira castle from Ram Patil. It was ruled by Abyssinian Muslims called – SIDDI. Jambur, a village in the Gir forest is an exclusive Sidi settlement. Interestingly, while in Zanzibar she became a respected member of the Indian Muslim community and was a highly demanded performer for their weddings and other such occasions. Ivory, gold and other valuables from Zimbabwe and the Congo found their way to the East African coast to areas such as Kilwa, Mombassa and Zanzibar from where they were further shipped across the Indian Ocean and on to India, Southeast Asia, China and even Japan. In Pakistan, which also has a small Indo-African population, Indo-Africans are substantially more visible as performers and athletes. The African Diaspora in the Americas was an unwilling one, but the Indo-Africans came willingly to India, and regardless of their ups and downs in Indian history, they have chosen to stay there. Ibn Battuta recalls that at Alapur, north of Delhi, the governor was “the Abyssinian Badr…, a man whose bravery passed into a proverb”. Sultan Shahzada 1486 -1487 There are conflicting theories on the origin of the name Siddi. Malik Ambar, whose original name was Shambu, was born around 1550 in Harar, Ethiopia. It was actually built by the Nawab of Janjira and was intended for administration purposes. Under the extensive Indian affirmative action programs, most Indo-Africans are classified as scheduled tribes, which entitles them to reservations in university seats and other government support. Those Sidis who settled in Janjira prospered as warriors and great sailors. He was subsequently killed by another high-ranking Indo-African general who remained loyal to the original ruling family and placed the young son of the murdered king upon the throne. Their history speaks of the African ability to integrate into a land other than that from where they originated. Most were mercenaries or prisoners of war of the Muslim rulers. After his arrival in India, Ambar was able to raise a formidable army and achieve great power in the west Indian realm of Ahmadnagar. Siddi Ambar the Little is accordingly considered the first Nawab of Janjira state. Though the interior of the palace is not open to tourists, the fort can be visited. The beach conducts numerous water sports and boat journey, which is an attention seeker for sports lovers. According to Professor Amy Catlin, an ethno-musicologist from UCLA, who is making a special study of Sidi culture, “In Gujarat, affinities with African music include certain musical instruments and their names”, she says, “and also the performance of an African-derived musical genre called “goma”. Habash Khan I am grateful to him for his help in writing in this article. This portrays the valor of the Siddis. The Janjira Fort at Murad was “once the stronghold of Abyssinian Sidis, who played an important role in the history of Bombay in the latter half of the 17th century”. This beach is truly an analogy of love at first sight because of its sceneries of waters, glistening sand surrounded by green hilly areas. The latter group are believed to have been soldiers with Muhammad bin Qasim's Arab army, and were called Zanjis. Memorials of Sovereignty: Funerary Architecture of the Siddis of Janjira at Khokri (Maharashtra) Arts Asiatiques, vol 74 (2019), pp. Spanish Proverb:- “Africa empieza en los Pirineos”. Scholars generally consider the Indo-Africans de facto Indians as they mostly speak Indian languages, although some groups do retain many African words. In 1733, the Maratha Empire took aggressive action and embarked on a campaign against the siddis of Janjira. The first Siddis are thought to have arrived in India in 628 AD at the Bharuch port. Their descendants still live in and around the coastal village of Murud. Habshi Amir al-Umara (1487-1490) Afro-Indians, like all other groups that sought shelter in India, were given the freedom to assimilate without the pressure to lose their ancestral traditions. It is filed under Thoughts/ Articles and tagged with africa in india, blacks in india, india ethnic tribes, racial minorities india, siddi tribe in india, siddi tribe photographs, siddi village sasangir, siddis of gujarat. Prominent Indo-Africans in history of India. Murud is the nearest town to the fort which is located at about 165 kms from Mumbai. Opposite of that is a big sweet water tank. It seems they had recently interviewed a rural settlement of Indo-Africans. A king of Ahmadnagar had had enough of his manipulative mother & conniving nobles, so he took a sabbatical. Originally the fort was a small wooden structure built by a Koli chief in the late 15th century. The African Dynasties of India: African Kings of India. Janjira fort is around 6 Kms away from Murud beach and one would cross a river and hill top to reach there. However one views Afro-Indians, their mere existence has much to tell us about Africa’s place in the world community beyond just the dark days of slavery. They are a vast and diverse population spread throughout India with separate histories and unique roles within the Indian strata. Mubarak Shah, his son, later succeeded him. These men are looked upon as knights; they are greatly esteemed; they wait on the kings in their apartments.”. It was the dynasty that built the famed Janjira fort! The island fortress was under control of Adil Shahi dynasty until the reign of Ibrahim II where Janjira fort was lost to the Siddis. The sunset view makes it more captivating as it joins islands forts Janjira and Padmadurgad. This entry was posted on Tuesday, March 18th, 2014 at 10:03 pm. “Siddi kingdoms were established in western India in Janjira and Jaffrabad as early as 1100 AD. Habshis were present in Colombo, in Ceylon, where Ibn Battuta reports that Jalasti, “the wazir and ruler of the sea”, had “about five hundred Abyssinians”. Visit for other original content. The name of the fort is a concatenation of the Konkani and Arabic words for Island, "morod" and "jazeera". We go back in time and explore the ruins of a once grand fortified city in Vasai which today is lost and forgotten. Indo-Africans trace their ancestry primarily from the East African coast from Sudan, Abyssinia (now Ethiopia) to Mozambique, but some came from as far off as South Africa and even Nigeria. Sidi Badr Habshis ruled Bengal 1486-1491 by overthrowing the ruler Jalal-al Din. Indeed, the island Janjira was formerly called Habshan, meaning Habshan’s or African’s land. Malik Sarwar, described as a Habshi, was appointed governor of Jaunpur. How did a young boy sold as a slave in Ethiopia rise and become so powerful in India? The monsoon winds that blew across the Indian ocean powered an extensive trade system that shipped spices from Kerala through Northeast Africa and on to Rome and other parts of the European continent since before the time of Christ. This manual mentions that the Aksumite port of Adulis, on the Red Sea coast of Africa, “traded extensively with various parts of Western India, which supplied Ethiopia with both textiles and spices.” Later texts mention trade with Ceylon as well. 00:00. Some Indo-Africans, descended from powerful soldiers, administrators, and even rulers, are indistinguishable from the general population, for their ancestors were considered higher class and married freely amongst the elite Indian population. Their fort still stands today in Murud – a small fishing village – as does the Sidi Palace on the outskirts of the village. The palace of the Nawabs of Janjira at Murud is still in good shape. Located 50 k.m. In Western India (the modern Indian states of Gujarat and Maharashtra), the Siddi gained a reputation for physical strength and loyalty, and were sought out as mercenaries by local rulers, and as domestic servants and farm labor. It is further said that Siddi is an expression of respectful address commonly used in North Africa, like Sahib in India. Specifically, it is said to be an honorific title given to the descendants of African natives in the west of India, some of whom were distinguished military officers and administrators of the Muslim princes of the Deccan. Well the story goes like this. In studying and recording the group’s music, they had recognised a common melody and similar themes in the music to that which was sung by a certain ethnic group in Tanzania. Ibrahim Shah, succeeded his brother Mubarak Shah, and ruled for forty years. Photo: The Kenneth and Joyce Robbins Collection/ By Special Arrangement) 8/24 The fort of … The fort and its buildings lacks architectural ornamentation. Shivaji’s all attempts to capture Janjira … Sidis also settled in Murud, once the capital of the erstwhile state of Janjira (from the Arabic ‘jazirah’ meaning an island) on the western coast of Maharashtra. 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. The Janjira Fort in the middle of the Arabian Sea was also built by the Nawab’s ancestors. Different communities speak different languages and culturally most consider themselves Indian save for a few African cultural remnants. Later, the fort was strengthened by Malik Ambar, the Abyssinian-origin Siddi regent of Ahmednagar kings. The word "morod" is peculiar to Konkani and is absent in Marathi. Many of the Indo-Africans who arrived from eastern Africa came as sailors and traders engaged in the vibrant Indian ocean trade and stayed on in India, usually around the main ports, from Kerala in the south to Gujarat in the north. Amongst them are the three major cannons, Kalal Bangdi, Landakasam and Bhavani, the cherished weapons of the Sidis, built from five metals.”- Discover India. Murud Janjira is a good example of water body fort located near the south Konkan coastline. Early in the 20th century, a woman named Langi Nur-Bai arrived in Zanzibar from India where she had been a drummer and singer. Little research has been done on this unique population, but slowly literature on this small group is growing. At the gate, the sculpture of six elephants by a tiger is very impressive. Like these groups, the Indo-Africans have full claim to being Indian, even if they maintain some of their ancestral traditions. The term Indo-Africans refers to Indians of African origin and was coined by Professor Abdulaziz Lodhi of Uppsala University, Sweden. Bassein: The Forgotten City. Under the leadership of a wealthy merchant known as Baba Ghor, the Shemali became prosperous through the mining and trade of the precious stone Agate. Major historical figures from Murud-Janjira include men such as Sidi Hilal, Yahya Saleh and Sidi Yaqub. A study of this Indo-African population offers a realistic portrayal of Africans as traders, warriors, and sailors. Major historical figures from Murud-Janjira include men such as Sidi Hilal, Yahya Saleh and Sidi Yaqub. These tombs were infact those of a Siddi dynasty that had ruled Murud for more than 300 years, through the periods of the early Islamic Sultanates, the Mughals and even the British, Marathas and Portuguese, building a small but powerful state. Siddi signifies lord or prince. In the year 1736, Siddis of Murud-Janjira set out to recapture Raigarh from the ravaging forces of Baji Rao, on 19 April 1736, Chimnaji attacked the gathering forces in the encampments of the Siddis during the Battle of Riwas near Riwas, when the confrontation … Being the capital of the Siddis, Janjira was once inhabited by a large number of people. Murud was once known in Marathi as Habsan ("of Habshi" or Abyssinian). The Siddis of Janjira were Abyssinians by origin. 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