Siddis: Tracing African Roots in Indian Soil
The history of the distinctive Siddi community in India traces its roots to the African continent. In today's India, the Siddis are one of the marginalized communities. There is a lack of awareness among the people in the country about the Siddis. As a research scholar, I was very much interested in understanding the community and their historical background. However, the dearth of accurate historical data on them deterred me from conducting research on the topic. Nevertheless, this is my small attempt to gain an understanding of this underrepresented group and their contributions to Indian society in the past. Let's begin with Gujarat, a state that lies along the western coast of India and has the longest coastline in India. Gujarat has been home to some of the important port cities of India. In the ancient times, Bharuch or Broach on the banks of River Narmada as a significant prosperous entrepot in Gujarat emerged. The Periplus of the Erythraean Sea ,...