Black History Moment: African Elites in India

[J-Nice]

Ikhlas Khan and Sultan Muhammad Ali Shah of Bijapur. Los Angeles County Museum of Art. From the Nasli and Alice Heeramaneck Collection

THE book is a chequered and prismatic compilation of illustrated writings by specialists in history, numismatics, architecture and art history of South Asia.
In a country given to varying shades from light to dark skin tones, identifying an African is no simple a task. With dominant cross-cultural influences, identification of an African Muslim from that of an Indian Muslim is equally challenging. The presence of Sub-Saharan Africans in India is unique, for nowhere in the world a handful of Sub - Saharan Africans ruled over non-African population for so long. References to

African elites are available as early as 14th century as reported by the Arab traveller Ibn Battuta.

The book elucidates upon the role of the Sub-Saharan Africans as merchants, soldiers, statesmen and eunuchs who rose to prominence in different parts of India between the 15th and 20th centuries, discreetly silent, however, on issues pertaining to racial discrimination and exploitation that surface with the very mention of the African slave trade.

The Habshis (Arabic word for Abyssinians or Ethiopians) or Sidis (derived from the Arabic sayyidi, ‘my lord’) are studied in three sections. The first section deals with former slaves who rose to power in quick succession in medieval Deccan during the 15th and 17th centuries. The career of Malik Ambar, the ex-slave, whose presence irked Emperor Jehangir enough to fantasise about killing him, while the Emperor himself is poised atop the globe in a Mughal miniature, makes for a fascinating study. The artistic and architectural legacies of Malik Ambar and his contemporaries are also discussed.


The second section deals with the medieval states of Delhi, Bengal, Gujarat and Khandesh, with specific reference to numismatics and architecture, while the section three elaborates on the prominent Africans in the Mughal Empire and the succeeding princely states of Janjira and Sachin. The last three chapters on the representation of Africans, history and present status of the marginalised African population in Hyderabad and intricacies involved in identifying Africans in miniatures, more or less, conclude the process of mapping the African presence in India.

In the age of instant communication and multimedia, the simultaneity of word and image is naturally enhanced. This, in effect, has altered the general perception and influenced recent publications, such as this, in approach and layout. More often than not, the text elucidates on the well-produced visuals with an inherent narrative sequence; the tone and tenor of the book resulting in communication through visual correspondences as a tool for instant persuasion and conviction. The book unravels and traces the path of discovery, taking the reader along in the expedition undertaken—a history that engages like a jigsaw puzzle; a history that culminates into the present.

 

[J-Nice]

bump

 

[Northern Son]

very interesting

 

[88m3]

YES, FRIEND ! YES!!!

 

[Serious]

49 mins
@GetInTheTruck

 

[2Quik4UHoes]

Some of the GOAT Habshis was Ethiopians so I'ma always fukk wit em.....

 

[Blackking]

so these kings of India , were east african muslims

 

[GetInTheTruck]

49 mins
@GetInTheTruck

Sup.

 

[2Quik4UHoes]

so these kings of India , were east african muslims

They sure were, and they were punkin the shyt outta them Hindus too. Even today they get at em if they got to. Those my Urdu speaking brethren, most of them Sunnis but it's also a sizable number of Sufis in their ranks. And them brehs still remember where they come from. Both of their names come from Ethiopia, Siddi = Sidamo which is the section of Ethiopia where slaves were captured mostly and Habshi = Habesha for the traders that brought em and eventually the traders became the slaves themselves. Brehs had armies and navies and rode on anyone that tried to test, all them sultans and kings in India was calling Habshis to handle business for em cuz they was just tough like that.

 

[Blackking]

They sure were, and they were punkin the shyt outta them Hindus too. Even today they get at em if they got to. Those my Urdu speaking brethren, most of them Sunnis but it's also a sizable number of Sufis in their ranks. And them brehs still remember where they come from. Both of their names come from Ethiopia, Siddi = Sidamo which is the section of Ethiopia where slaves were captured mostly and Habshi = Habesha for the traders that brought em and eventually the traders became the slaves themselves. Brehs had armies and navies and rode on anyone that tried to test, all them sultans and kings in India was calling Habshis to handle business for em cuz they was just tough like that.

east african has so many historical W's.... it's just

 

[Julius Skrrvin]

Sup.

I wonder if they'll feel the same way in 200 years when we write articles about Indian elites in Africa?

 

[GetInTheTruck]

I wonder if they'll feel the same way in 200 years when we write articles about Indian elites in Africa?

 

[Julius Skrrvin]

Remember, our successes there won't be 'punking' people or 'handling shyt'. We'll be considered vultures to be maligned, right?

 

[Blackking]

Remember, our successes there won't be 'punking' people or 'handling shyt'. We'll be considered vultures to be maligned, right?

it depends on how its done.

the way Indians do one another with the caste might be the most disgusting social system in history. So the way they have done and would do africans would probably be and not




plus you know there is only one group that actually increases the populations swag whether they are in the position of oppressed or oppressor. The rest of the groups just are stylistically.

 

[Julius Skrrvin]

it depends on how its done.

the way Indians do one another with the caste might be the most disgusting social system in history. So the way they have done and would do africans would probably be and not

go on and tell me how the caste system is any more oppressive than any other feudal social construct (it's not), by all means. I'm not denying that Indians promote nepotism and economic consolidation in other lands. I'm not denying that we have cutthroat, exploitative business practices. But that's how you win in the 21st century... My bone to pick is with the double standard some of yall have.... And the disparaging language you use.

plus you know there is only one group that actually increases the populations swag whether they are in the position of oppressed or oppressor. The rest of the groups just are stylistically.

whatever makes you feel better, man.