"Most of the Africans, who were packed into slave ships and brought to
India, were from Ethiopia, Eritrea and Somalia, and were called Habshi
or Siddi. They were prized for their military prowess, and it's from
these men that generals, commanders and rulers emerged"
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/bengaluru/A-portrait-of-African-kings-and-queens-of-India/articleshow/49955866.cms
A portrait of African kings and queens of India
TNN | Nov 28, 2015, 06.17 AM IST
BENGALURU: Indian migration to Africa, Gandhi's days in South Africa,
Mandela's espousal of Gandhian methods -the long and warm relationship
between India and African nations is well known, but what's often
forgotten is that Africans arrived in India as early as the 4th
century -some as traders, some as slaves -and stayed on to become
rulers of states and trusted aides of local kings.
An exhibition, `Africans in India: A Rediscovery', which opened in the
city on Friday, aims to highlight this connection. The show, which
comprises photographs, paintings and documents retracing the
achievements of Africans in India between the 14th and 17th centuries,
is on loan from the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture of
the New York Public Library. It will be on show at the Indira Gandhi
National Centre for the Arts here till the end of December. It's an
interesting show that offers a glimpse into a time when multicultural
India drew people from across the world as traders, scholars, soldiers
and slaves.
"Not only were the African men and women creators of their own
accomplishments, but they also found themselves in societies in which
enslavement did not necessarily preclude social ascension, where being
a foreigner, having a different religion, being of a different race
were not insurmountable obstacles to reaching the upper echelons of
society," explains K M Chandrashekar, programme officer at the
Southern Regional Centre of Indira Gandhi National Centre for the
Arts.
Most of the Africans, who were packed into slave ships and brought to
India, were from Ethiopia, Eritrea and Somalia, and were called Habshi
or Siddi. They were prized for their military prowess, and it's from
these men that generals, commanders and rulers emerged. They were
usually employed in specialized jobs such as bodyguards in royal and
noble households, and as a conse quence became close to those in
power. So while they were enslaved, many managed to gain the trust of
rulers and eventually even seize power, explains the exhibition. Many
slave women become beloved queens as well.
Throughout the 15th and 16th centuries, Africans left their mark on
the political landscape. The African-ruled state of Sachin, for
instance, was established in 1791 in Gujarat. It had its own cavalry,
coats of arms and currency. In 1948, when the princely states were
incorporated into independent India, Sachin had a population of 26,000
-85% Hindu and 13% Muslim. Another state that was ruled by a dynasty
descended from African traders was Janjira in present-day Maharashtra.
Received on Fri Nov 27 2015 - 20:36:39 EST