Forest Research
Institute at Dehradun is great place for a walk, and the museum here is a
definitive reference on how to design one. You walk through the campus and a
patch of forest to reach a river and a village. You will not miss the shrill
excitement of Plum-headed Parakeets, they are everywhere. Plum-headed Parakeet (Psittacula
cyanocephala) is a parakeet endemic to the Indian Subcontinent. The above
is female who is greyish headed while it is the male below who has plum red
purplish blue head.
Siddis:
the African Indians
Not many are aware that
there are African Indians and are very much part of this country. They are
referred to as Siddis and categorised as tribes. I was at Hubli, towards the
forest of Western Ghats, about an hour and half in local bus is Yellapur where
there is a large concentration of Siddis. I haven’t really spoken to African or
people from African origin, except some cursory lines here and there like an
African student asked me about some address many years back so on. Though I
have seen them in news, movies (particularly Hollywood, the Afro-american) and
documentaries, my interaction were next to nothing. So imagine my predicament when
a young man, who very much had negriod features and looked like any other
African, calls himself Ganpath and speaks in chaste Hindi with a hint of
Marathi!! Mr.Ganpath, a law student was to take me around and answer my
queries, though he admitted he doesn’t know much about Siddis. After lunch we caught
a bus to Gulapur about twenty km interior. We met Mr Krishna, a middle aged man
who lived in a modest house, there was poverty all around. He was watching
kannada news and seemed quite irritated when I asked him about Siddis, he pulled
his hair “This curly hair and dark skin is what we 
have got, otherwise I don’t
know anything about Africa. Why we came here? Why are we are here? I don’t know
anything. We don’t know anything about our background”. He continued ogling at
the TV. I felt quite sad. Most Siddis live in
impoverished conditions their main source of livelihood is agricultural labour.
Few among them own pieces of land while others live on encroached lands.
Some work as watchmen, security guards, truck drivers, masons, logs
cutters, and similar occupations. They lost their distinctive culture and even
language in course of time after they were brought as slaves to India.
have got, otherwise I don’t
know anything about Africa. Why we came here? Why are we are here? I don’t know
anything. We don’t know anything about our background”. He continued ogling at
the TV. I felt quite sad. Most Siddis live in
impoverished conditions their main source of livelihood is agricultural labour.
Few among them own pieces of land while others live on encroached lands.
Some work as watchmen, security guards, truck drivers, masons, logs
cutters, and similar occupations. They lost their distinctive culture and even
language in course of time after they were brought as slaves to India.
There is a negative image
of Siddis among all groups irrespective of their religion, whether Hindus,
Muslims or Christians. “There is not much social interactions between Siddis
and non Siddis of the same religion. Inter marriages between them is nil.
Therefore belonging to different religions is not positively detrimental to
Siddi identity” (from In the Search of an
Identity: An ethnographic Study of Siddis in Karnataka by Kiran Kamal
Prasad). I was reading somewhere else that “when they are invited to functions
& ceremonies such as marriage, etc, food will be served separately and they
will be made to clean vessels & floor after serving the food. Wide spread
ragging because of their distinct physical feature often one of the reasons for
discontinuation of their education. The illiteracy, school dropout rate, child
marriages, child abuse, neglecting girl child education, teasing Siddi children
in schools and social discrimination on the basis of race still continued.”
Siddis are quite
enterprising people and known for their fierce skills, the reason they were
recruited and finally ended up as slaves. Siddis have distinct negroid features,
they have migrated from Africa as slaves, one account hold the view that they were brought to India by
Portuguese in 17th century while other account (Russel &Hiralal)
puts it at 15th century, some even think 8th century. Siddis
are predominantly followers of Islam but there are also Hindus and Christians. Clearly
they adapted to the local convenience and survival demands, but it is
interesting to note all the Siddis show a marked similarity in beliefs in
animism and spirits. Largest concentration of Siddis is in Junagadh (Gujarat)
while in north Karnataka the Siddi tribes are mostly followers of Hindu
pantheon and speak a mix of Konkani and Marathi. The community has lost touch
with its roots. They have lost the knowledge of African languages and
traditions and have adopted the local culture and religion. An instrument
‘mugarman’ used by the Siddis in Gujarat bears a distinct resemblance to Ngoma
drum used in Zimbabwe even today (Helmut K. Anheier).
There is a reference to
Siddis as ‘Habsh’, in local it came to be referred to entangled hairs but
gradually it started to mean untidy and now a derogatory word. I gather the Siddi
term got consolidated after this group was declared as tribes by the
government. Incidentally Habsi tribes are largest tribe in Oman, and that Banu
abs is an ancient Bedouin tribe the descendants carry tribal variation like
absi, abzi so on, we have Abyssinia locally Habesha, now it comes under Ethiopia.
Habsh most likely came from Ge’ez, an ancient language. The origin of siddi
term is quite murky but I will stick to the view that siddi is as respectful
address that is commonly used in northern part of Africa, and later came to be referred
as honorific title. Another possible origin could be Arabic word ‘Saydi’
meaning prisoner of war or captive, there is also a word ‘Sayyid’ a title of
aristocracy or masters.
I met one elderly woman
(Ms lekshmi, I noted that naming of people here have fervour of neo coverts), who
laughed a lot while trying to recollect something about their past. She said
their forefather escaped from slavery and moved from jungle to jungle before
they decided to settle down here. Here she sings few songs, that very likely were
passed on for generations (visit me at http://youtu.be/d6KYcyTT030
to listen to this).
laughed a lot while trying to recollect something about their past. She said
their forefather escaped from slavery and moved from jungle to jungle before
they decided to settle down here. Here she sings few songs, that very likely were
passed on for generations (visit me at http://youtu.be/d6KYcyTT030
to listen to this).
Besides Karnataka,
Siddis are also found along the Western Ghats in Goa, Diu, Maharashtra and
Gujarat, and in Hyderabad. The main concentration is in Uttara Kannada district
of Karnataka and Saurastra region of Gujarat. While the Arabs traded in
Abyssinian people as slaves, the Portuguese traded in people from east Africa
and Mozambique. There are accounts of inhuman treatment but there are also instances
of some rising to the position of generals due to great gallantry particularly
in Janjira islands (of Kolaba district). After running away from bondage they
settled in forests braving all the wild animals and disease. In many villages
they were the first settlers but lost out to others mainly because of
cunningness, like for instance the ‘Havyak Brahmins’ who conned them into
bonded labours.
A significant event for
Siddis happened in 1989 when thousands gathered in Yellapur. This was earliest
attempt to bring Siddis from all communities under one banner for mobilising
their demands. It is this effort that saw to it that Siddis in Karnataka were
declared as ‘backward tribes’ in 2003. The contributions of Siddis in the field
of sports also need to be pointed out but somehow due to official apathy
fizzled out.
Baobab:
the African tree
Baobab tree (Adansonia
digitatais) is an amazing tree, it is also referred to as ‘upside down tree’
for its characteristic appearance because of its thin spreading branches and
huge trunk of a stem. 
They are adapted 
to store huge amount of water, originally from the arid region of Africa, some hold the view that these were
brought to India by the Siddis. I am not able to authenticate it. These are
wonderful trees and quite unique in many ways. There is one in Lalbagh
(Bangalore). Recently I happen to see 400year old Baobab near Golconda (the
picture herein), it is quite well maintained. Its stem looks like an elephant
foot. There is also a rather rare sight of three giant Baobab trees bunched up
together in the outskirts of Hubli (40km, Savanur). They are believed to be
about 1500 years old and were barricaded. I tried to pluck the fruit but
couldn’t. The fruits of these trees are supposed to be wonder fruit in terms of
nutrition value.
They are adapted to store huge amount of water, originally from the arid region of Africa, some hold the view that these were
brought to India by the Siddis. I am not able to authenticate it. These are
wonderful trees and quite unique in many ways. There is one in Lalbagh
(Bangalore). Recently I happen to see 400year old Baobab near Golconda (the
picture herein), it is quite well maintained. Its stem looks like an elephant
foot. There is also a rather rare sight of three giant Baobab trees bunched up
together in the outskirts of Hubli (40km, Savanur). They are believed to be
about 1500 years old and were barricaded. I tried to pluck the fruit but
couldn’t. The fruits of these trees are supposed to be wonder fruit in terms of
nutrition value.
From my scribble pad…
The
halt
Soon we too will be silent.
Like every silence that waits
in relapse.
Soon these hectic schedules will
halt
and the enactors will hush.
The time will still.
For the implicit to unravel
the mighty march of all that was
irrelevant.
Gently we step down the altar
to the bin of wonder
and astonishment that awaits all
the while.
Terror show
An accord with ourself is vital,
If for nothing but to retain veracity of the account.
The mounting keenness of hate that gradually works upto its reputation
the streets have seen it, so have the homes.
It doesn’t lurk as is assumed but is very sure of its intent.
It has no counterclaims or questions.
It works in absolute freedom as willed
and enters at the opportune moment
when doubts are about to be announced
contrition is to take its place.
In the aftermath, the aesthetes can conciliate,
atleast the absolute terror has the splendour
that a brilliant day cannot match.
Terror show
An accord with ourself is vital,
If for nothing but to retain veracity of the account.
The mounting keenness of hate that gradually works upto its reputation
the streets have seen it, so have the homes.
It doesn’t lurk as is assumed but is very sure of its intent.
It has no counterclaims or questions.
It works in absolute freedom as willed
and enters at the opportune moment
when doubts are about to be announced
contrition is to take its place.
In the aftermath, the aesthetes can conciliate,
atleast the absolute terror has the splendour
that a brilliant day cannot match.
.
