Marriage Practices among Siddi -With Special ...

Marriage Practices among Siddi -With Special Reference to Hindu, Christian, And Muslim Siddi of Uttara Kannada District, Karnataka, India

Author Name : T. T Basavanagouda, Rajani. A

ABSTRACT

Siddis are mainly settled in the western coastal districts of India, in the States of Gujarat, Maharashtra, Goa, and Karnataka. They are people of African Negroid descent who were brought to India from East Africa and Ethiopia to Goa by the Portuguese, British, and Arabs as enslaved people, soldiers, or servants, then settled in India for nearly five centuries. Today they have lost any knowledge of African languages and don't know where their ancestors came from or why they decided in India. When these enslaved people were set free, some escaped into the forests of the neighboring State of Karnataka. It is believed that those who the Portuguese traders brought were Christian Siddis. The Siddis brought by Arab traders were Muslims. Among Siddi families in Karnataka are Roman Catholics, Hindus, and Muslims. In Karnataka, the community is mainly found in Haliyala, Yellapur, Ankola, and Mundagod taluks of Uttara Kannada District. A small number are located in neighboring districts like Dharwad and Belgaum.The present research paper deals withthefieldwork conducted in Siddi settlement at “Vada” in Haliyal taluk, “Bylandhur," and “Beltheri gadhe," in Yellapur taluk of Uttara Kannada district by Karnataka State Tribal Research Institute, Mysuru.

Keywords: Siddi, Customs, Practice, Rituals, tribal society