Somalis in Medieval India

[Riftvalley]

There are a few reports about “Abyssinian traders” Muslim traders in medieval India.

Given that some of main ports connected within Indian/African trade were Berbera/Zeila/Massawa and the fact that Somalis were reported in Yemen/Saudi as traders/ulema, I wouldn’t be surprised if some Somali traders and possibly scholars made their way to India just as Yemenis did.

Most of the research on East Africans in India relates to slavery/soldiers/guards; however, Numerous people visited and settled as traders. There is even a famous saint in Gujarat who said to have migrated from East Africa:

“One very prominent African man to migrate to India was a wealthy bead merchant and holy man [6],who would later assume his place in the history of India’s African Sufi community as the Saint Bava Gor.Prior to his arrival in India, Bava Gor studied Sufi doctrines with the Rifa’i Sufiorder during his travels to Mecca, the holiest city in Islam, and Basra in Iraq. It was while studying with Sufi ascetics that he earned the title Baba Ghaur (later Bab Gor and Bava Gor), meaning ‘master of deep meditation’ [7].

We can’t be certain if he came from the Swahili Coast/ Somalia or the Eritrean are due to a lack of evidence and the simplistic use of “ Abyssinian”. Most of the Siddi descendants seem to be Bantu of decen though.

 

[Bataati]

I don't know about India but this brief paper makes mention of a Abd al-Aziz al-Makdashawi in the Maldives. Read starting from East African Influences Section starting on Page 18.

The Maldive Islands and Their Historical Links With the Coast of Eastern Africa​

https://journals.co.za/doi/pdf/10.10520/AJA02578301_320

 

[Idilinaa]

I have actually made a post on this, it really it is sufficiently under studied.

I found a couple of references to Jabarti(Somali) in india that apparently came as scholars, ministers and nobles and descendants of them continue to be prominent families''Sayyids'' well into the 19th century it seems.
For example Husain Al-Jabarti

And there is a researcher in this video @43:20 talks about a new influx of Africans in 19th century in a place in hydrebad in a historical muslim African settlement, and he mentions that they found Somali clan names. Unfortunately he doesn't share much else other than a story of African sailors capturing an Island and building a fort but he says they pretended to be merchants lmaao they was most likely merchants, it also looks like they introduced the Somali shareero instrument you see a painting of one carrying it, sufi saint shrines without describing the name but says the saint didn't come as a slave but came as a trader(sounds familiar). That's some of the non-habshi refrences he makes.


When it comes india there is a clear status seperation between Somalis and other Africans they call Siddhi, even with Ethiopian(habshi). From what i've read. It similar to Arabia in this sense, because we didn't come as slaves , enuchs and labourers.

But it is safe to say a lot of this is under researched and overshadowed.