Who are the Siddis?
When you imagine how an Indian is ‘supposed’ to look like, what do you think? Most likely, you think of certain features or skin tones including (as described on shaadi.com) “dusky”, “wheatish”, and “fair”.
However, a country of 1.4 billion people cannot possibly be described so narrowly. I am glad that Indians have recently become more aware of Northeast Indians, who contribute immensely to the culture and often don’t look like most Indians. This article is about another such group: the Siddi people.
Western India and Southern Pakistan’s Siddis came from Eastern Africa. There are many theories about the origin of the name “Siddi”. Some believe it came from the captains of the Arab slave vessels that brought them to India. These captains were referred to as “Sayyid”. Others believe it comes from “habshi”, a catch-all term for Africans on the Indian subcontinent derived from the Habesha (which is further derived from the Arabic word for Abyssinian).
Arrival of the Siddis
The first Siddis arrived in India sometime between 600 and 750 A.D and were soldiers in the armies of Arab invaders in the northwest. Most Siddis were brought to India in the Middle Ages by the Deccan Sultanates of South India. They rapidly assimilated into Deccan Islamic culture. Even though many were slaves, they became a powerful faction in the royal courts where historical figures brokered power. Many converted to Islam and became an opposing group to Iranian Shia immigrants in the struggle for power in Muslim kingdoms. Other Siddis adopted Hinduism.
Malik Ambar
The most prominent and often overlooked Siddi figure in history is Malik Ambar. Born in present-day Ethiopia, he was sold by his own parents into slavery. He was transported from Ethiopia to Yemen to Baghdad to finally the Sultanate of Ahmednagar. Constant infighting between native Deccani Indians and Persian immigrants in Deccan Islamic Sultanates led to a large appetite for conflict. The conflict was so common that Siddis like Malik Ambar’s main job was fighting. When his master died, Malik Ambar was freed by his master’s widow. He rapidly rose in the ranks of the Ahmednagar army, due to his military capabilities. His power grew over time and he began commanding his own army composed of other Siddis and native Indians. Eventually, the Nizam of Ahmednagar became his puppet.
A freed African slave becomes a ruler
An African freed slave was now in charge of one of India’s most powerful kingdoms. Just how powerful was Malik Ambar’s rule? His dominion commanded an army of 40,000 native Indians and 10,000 Siddis. With this formidable force, he defeated the famous Mughal emperor Jahangir several times in battle. Jahangir became so angered at his numerous defeats at the hands of Malik Ambar that he commissioned a painting of Ambar’s severed head. It is not a stretch to say that Jahangir considered Ambar his worst enemy. Malik Ambar died as regent of the Sultanate.
Siddis in India today
Like most of the other distinct communities in India, Siddi’s have both assimilated in the Indian cultural fabric and at the same time maintained some of their distinct cultural practices, preserving their African heritage.
Today, the Siddi people are estimated to be about 1.3 million between India and Pakistan. In India, they are mostly concentrated in southwestern India and are designated as a tribe.