When maritime trade was in the hands of South Indian and Lankan Muslims

Culture & Art
By Editor_1
The one of the oldest reference to a Mosque in Colombo is contained in this  illustration of the first Fort of the Portuguese built in 1518 - Sri Lanka Genealogy Website
0
By P. K. Balachandran

Muslims of Ceylon, and of the Coromandel Coast and Kerala in India were in the vanguard of maritime trade in South and South East Asia from the 3rd Century BC till the Portuguese and other Europeans arrived and imposed their military-backed monopolistic trading regimes from the 16th Century onwards.

Tamil-speaking and of mixed Arab-Tamil ancestry, these Muslims who were trading peacefully in the region for centuries, were outmanoeuvred by European traders. The latter were not only ruthless, armed, and technologically better equipped than the Muslims, but had the backing of State power. And they came not just to trade, but to conquer.

In contrast, the Muslims were apolitical. Conquest was never on their agenda. Their Europeans rivals not only had the support of the Metropolitan power in Europe (Lisbon, Amsterdam or London) but also of local Indian or Lankan kings who flocked to the Europeans either out of fear or for political and military support against their rivals.

The story of the rise and fall of the Coromandel Muslims is told engagingly by Dr. J. Raja Mohamad in his Maritime History of the Coromandel Muslims published by the Director of Museums, Government of Tamil Nadu.

The dominant Muslim communities on the Coromandel Coast, Kerala and Ceylon were known as the Marakkayar (also known as Maraikar, Marikkar or Marcars) and the Labbai or Lebbe in the Tamil speaking areas and as the Mappillai or the Mopla in Kerala. They were also known as Sonakar. Their lingua-franca was Tamil (or Malayalam in Kerala) or Arvi (Arabu Tamil). Almost all traced their origin to what is now Yemen.

These communities were so evident in the ports in the region that English records described the ports on the Coromandel Coast as ‘Moor ports’. Cuddalore was known as ‘Islamabad’ and Porto Novo (Parangipettai) was ‘Mohammad Bandar’ (Mohammad port). The Rowthers made a name for themselves as traders in Arab horses. The Marakkayars (boat people) and Lebbais were both expert mariners and traders.

The Zamorin, the Hindu ruler of Calicut in Kerala, got Muslims to man his ships. He decreed that the Arab traders should marry Malayali women and bring up at least one of their sons as a Muslim. Kunjali Maraikkar, who commanded the Zamorin’s navy, bravely took on the Portuguese when they challenged his sovereign. The Maraikkars raided Ceylon in support of local rulers harassed by the Portuguese.

Muslim interests were hurt when the Portuguese forced the acceptance of the permit or Cartaz system to enter ports. Before long, pliant Indian rulers declared that trade in spices, gold and silver were to be a Portuguese monopoly, which hit the Muslims hard.

The Portuguese stopped the Syrian Christian merchants and planters of Kerala from selling their pepper to the Muslims. By 1537, a Portuguese Jesuit, St. Frances Xavier, had entirely converted to Christianity the large fishing community on the Coromandel coast and North Ceylon called Paravas. Before long peal fishing, dominated by the Paravas and Muslims, went into the hands of the Portuguese. And by 1530, the Muslims also lost their monopoly over trading in horses to the Portuguese.

To control trade in the entire region, the Portuguese established their power over key maritime choke points like Hormuz in the Persian Gulf, and Malacca in South East Asia. Ceylon had passed into their hands quite easily.

Trading in Malaya and other parts of South East Asia, Muslims from the Coromandel Coast and Ceylon set up a number of settlements in these far flung areas. In their paper entitled: ‘The Changing Identities of the Tamil Muslims from the Coromandel Coast to Malaysia: An Etymological Analysis’ Shaik Abdullah Hassan Mydin and Mohammed Siraaj Saidumasudu say the Malayan Sultans relied upon the Coromandel Muslims for the progress and well-being of their States and royal trade.

“Such a scenario paved ways to the development of Tamil Muslims in Johor, Perak, Kedah and Acheh in 17th and 18th Centuries. As their importance and influence in trade grew, the Sultans of the Malay states and the aristocrats appointed them as royal merchants or ‘Saudagar Rajas’. Furthermore, they even married into royal families,” Mydin and Saidumasudu say.

However, Muslims in South India and South India origin Muslims in South East Asia, did not keep pace with the growth of knowledge, especially technical knowledge, because of a fear of acquiring a modern western oriented education and losing faith in Islam in the process. In both South India and Ceylon the Muslims shunned European-run schools. Dr. Raja Mohamad noted that even though European steamships had started plying the vicinity of the Indian coast in 1826 itself, Muslim mariners stuck to sailing ships till 1900. Sheikh Mohammad Rowther’s shipping company was an exception. But it only proved the rule.

Ceylon

As in peninsular India, in Ceylon too, international trade was in the hands of the Arabs and their descendants. In his paper ‘Muslim contribution to maritime trading activities in Sri Lanka’ Asiff Hussein says when the “storm tossed ships of Dom Francisco de Almeida made landfall in the port of Galle (1505 CE), he found many Moors who were engaged in  loading cinnamon and elephants to be taken to Cambay (in Gujarat in Western India).”

Though the Portuguese religious fanatics hated the Muslims, and their ruler in Lisbon wanted Muslims to be banished from Ceylon, the Portuguese Governor of Goa (the headquarters of the Portuguese empire in the Eastern hemisphere), Fernao de Albuquerque, wrote on February 11, 1620 explaining that the Moors were “not prejudicial to Portuguese interests in the island,” and that their trading and maritime skills could be used by the Portuguese.

Like the Portuguese, the Dutch too were fierce traders and proselytizers but at times they also used the Moors to further their trading interests. In 1791 and 1792, they used Muslims mariners Sinna Pulle Marikkar and Lebbe Thambi Marikkar.

A German in the service of the Dutch, Johann Wofgang Heydt refers to a large of number of Moors exporting coconuts, coir, and arecanut to Madras, Calcutta and Bombay and other ports in India and bringing back rice and cloth. Colonial Secretary James Emerson Tennent noted that the Moors of Batticaloa had a monopoly of both internal and international trade in that area.

The Moors of Ceylon were closely connected to the ports of Ceylon and their major settlements were naturally there. They were to be found in large numbers in Trincomalee, Jaffna, Mannar, Kudiraimalai, Puttalam, Colombo, Beruwela and Galle.

As on the Coromandel Coast and the rest of South India, the educational backwardness of the Ceylonese Muslims stood in the way of their progress in all fields including international trade. Fear of conversion to Christianity prevented them from acquiring an English education, which in turn kept them away from technological progress and the adoption of modern techniques. The gap between them and the Europeans kept widening till some progressive Muslim leaders emerged and struggled hard to improve the educational levels and general awareness in the community.

-ENCL

 

 

Editor_1
You might also like More from author

Leave A Reply

Your email address will not be published.

otc high blood pressure treatment blood pressure guidelines medications blood pressure pills that is safe for the liver high blood pressure medication levothyroxine blood pressure medication that reduces blood pressure is there any difference in blood pressure pills high blood pressure child medication blood pressure medication recommendation nose blue blood pressure medication blood pressure is 150 68 should i take my medication blood pressure medication while nursing taking a bunch of high blood pressure pills aerobic exercise and blood pressure medication good blood pressure medication acupuncture treatment for low blood pressure best over the counter pills for high blood pressure blood pressure pill amlodipine besylate high blood pressure signs and treatment moderna vaccine blood pressure medication which blood pressure drugs do not cause tinnitus blood pressure medication fights cancer blood pressure medication skin rash side effects of high blood pressure medication impotence medication to avoid on blood pressure medications high blood pressure rx medication peripheral neuropathy caused by blood pressure medication high blood pressure in pregnancy treatment nice runny nose do to blood pressure medication how to get off of blood pressure pills hiv medication and high blood pressure niacin treatment for high blood pressure two drugs for blood pressure that caused cancer high blood pressure causing medications high blood pressure medication names canada blood pressure medication side effects alcohol i take 3 blood pressure medication blood pressure pills that help with anxiety what iv drug raises blood pressure list of doctors who formulated blood pressure medications how to remember blood pressure medications sleeping pills blood pressure how fast does blood pressure medication take effect sweet n low high blood pressure medication home treatment for blood pressure high blood pressure medication matrocet high blood pressure medication doses blood pressure drug bystolic iberstaron blood pressure medication blood pressure medications st alphabetical celexa and high blood pressure medication does blood pressure pills irritation skin can i take combivent with high blood pressure medication blood pressure medications beta blockers list what to do if blood pressure medication does not work drugs to lower your blood pressure red beet pills for blood pressure taurine and blood pressure medications how ling for garlic pills to lower blood pressure blood pressure medication list and side effects can i take aspirin with high blood pressure medication blood pressure medication teaching about hot tubs water pills high blood pressure over counter what is an arb medication for blood pressure resveratrol high blood pressure medication high blood pressure medication and weight loss gum disease and blood pressure medication benzenesulfonic acid in blood pressure medication taking two blood pressure pills by mistake allergy pills for high blood pressure blood pressure prescription drugs safety blood pressure medication in pregnancy trazodone and blood pressure medication which blood pressure medication is linked to skin cancer list of blood pressure medications with the least side effects could blood pressure medication make blood thicker disadvantages of high blood pressure medication blood pressure medications ludipril typical drugs for high blood pressure otc water pills for high blood pressure blood pressure medications that do not doncause bowel blockage high blood pressure after corrosion treatment how soon does high blood pressure medication work blood pressure medication teaching amertyrine high blood pressure medication increased blood pressure and heart rate after drug overdose over the counter drugs high blood pressure blood pressure medication 25 is blood pressure medication a nitrate most effective blood pressure pills blood pressure medical does red yeast rice interfere with high blood pressure medication can apple cider vinegar pills lower blood pressure does blood pressure medication give you headaches high blood pressure medication and driving should you take blood pressure pills with food inn blood pressure drugs can you eat bananas if taking blood pressure medication popular high blood pressure medication blood pressure medication los blood pressure medication second drug low blood pressure and hypertension medication do water pills lower blood pressure high blood pressure pill aqunadine high blood pressure cholesterol medication how does medication lower blood pressure acetaminophen blood pressure medication blood pressure medication 30 mg that works around the heart what does grapefruit do to blood pressure medication can red yeast rice be taken with blood pressure medication pharmaceutical treatment for high blood pressure are blood pressure pills statins blood pressure pills that start with r blood pressure medication and male impotence taking baby aspirin with other high blood pressure medications what is the medical name for a blood pressure cuff leg cramps and blood pressure medication blood pressure pill name starts with p natural high blood pressure treatments blood pressure medication names losartan higher blood pressure with radiation treatment medical marijauna high blood pressure how to avoid medication for high blood pressure what time is best to take blood pressure medication medication for palpitations and high blood pressure latest news on blood pressure treatment what if i take two blood pressure pills does xanax interfere with blood pressure medication amlipan blood pressure medication vitamin e and blood pressure medication tell me the side effects of high blood pressure medication herbs pills to lower blood pressure blood pressure medication urge to urinate what medication will safely replace lisop as blood pressure medicine active ingredient in high blood pressure medication blood pressure medications cause adrenal tumors is biktarvy ok to take with high blood pressure medication alembic blood pressure medication sandoz blood pressure medication exercise high blood pressure medication grapefruit pills blood pressure treatment for high blood pressure at home blood pressure medication for patients with osa cycle on off blood pressure medication blood pressure drugs that do not cause heat sensitivity blood pressure medications that do not cause coughing what blood pressure medications do not cause rosacea pfizer blood pressure medication side effects do garlic pills really help lower blood pressure should i take medication for anxiety induced blood pressure treatment for uncontrolled blood pressure decongestant medication high blood pressure can stiff days be used with high blood pressure medication how long does it take medication to lower blood pressure what if i miss a blood pressure pill tribenzor high blood pressure pills law lawsuit 2023 treatment of sudden drop in blood pressure zoloft and blood pressure medication orange high blood pressure pill cancer blood pressure pill why cant people with high blood pressure take keto pills how long for blood pressure to go down mini pill should i get second opinion before taking blood pressure medication blood pressure erectile dysfunction medication high blood pressure medication m lot ben medical device lowers blood pressure puppy ate blood pressure pill are there medications for low blood pressure dod blood pressure medication is losartan a blood pressure pill combination drugs for blood pressure marijuana and blood pressure medication interaction blood pressure medication interactions with grapefruit can you eat bananas while taking high blood pressure medication steps before going on high blood pressure medication blood pressure medication when to cut down foods to avoid on blood pressure medication blood pressure medications depression blood pressure medication non beta blocker tattoos and high blood pressure medication what is the medications used to lower blood pressure quickly high blood pressure medication leg swelling blood pressure medication men in your 40s blood pressure medication wieight loss blood pressure medication hy can blood pressure medication lower blood sugar does blood pressure medication make you pee natural treatment high blood pressure during pregnancy can you take l arginine with high blood pressure medication what class of blood pressure medication can can blood pressure pills reduce appetite faa approved medication for high blood pressure high blood pressure medication during pregnancy best blood pressure medication for type 2 diabetes blood pressure and pain medication pain medication that does not affect blood pressure best high blood pressure drugs on the market if you take incorrect medications to lower blood pressure low blood pressure treatments does your body have to adjust to blood pressure medication why water pill for high blood pressure drugs for treatment of very high blood pressure during pregnancy can i drink grapefruit juice with high blood pressure medication can blood pressure pills make you feel cold high blood pressure medication that helps with weight loss amlodipine blood pressure drug blood pressure medication for infants varicose veins blood pressure medication life extension high blood pressure medication does tylenol interfere with blood pressure medication can i take diamox with other high blood pressure medications prestige medical blood pressure cuff calibration drugs used for high blood pressure chamomile tea and high blood pressure medication narcotics stored alongside blood pressure medications in does nutrigrove blood pressure pills work extremely low blood pressure treatment blood pressure medication for iga nephropathy blood pressure medication low side effects can i increase my blood pressure medication what is the best blood pressure medication to take drugs that cause increased blood pressure does biotin interfere with high blood pressure medication cani od on high blood pressure pills blood pressure medication that also helps with jerking blood pressure medication categories first line treatment of high blood pressure medication for low blood pressure in usa armour thyroid drug interactions blood pressure meds hepatitis c treatment high blood pressure high blood pressure arb drugs low blood pressure treatment with essential oils high blood pressure medication list for pregnancy blood pressure medication and snake venom blood pressure medication low dose liquid blood pressure medications ivf drugs and high blood pressure left my blood pressure medication does it matter when you take blood pressure medication can you take blood pressure pills twice a day privilin blood pressure medication how big are blood pressure pills once you start blood pressure medication can you stop diuretic in blood pressure medication what medication reduce blood pressure new blood pressure treatment prescribed home medications for high blood pressure blood pressure medication side effects forums taking blood pressure pills dizzy when bend over a lot blood pressure medication and nyquil cinnamon pills and high blood pressure temporary high blood pressure treatment single agent blood pressure medication blood pressure medication made in china fda approved medications to reduce blood pressure immediate treatment for high blood pressure at home best time to take blood pressure pills muscle loss on high blood pressure medication blood pressure medication when needed treat high blood pressure without medication blood pressure medication side effects for men cbd pills for high blood pressure blood pressure regulation without medication blood pressure medication and pre workout high blood pressure alzheimer disease and antihypertensive treatment miss blood pressure medication blood pressure pills suicide peaceful emergency drugs for low blood pressure common blood pressure medications in canada systolic blood pressure define medical viril and high blood pressure pills can statin drugs help lower blood pressure do you have to wean off blood pressure medication new drugs for blood pressure when is high blood pressure medication necessary drugs for hi blood pressure cold medications and blood pressure taking 2 blood pressure pills mistake why doctors stopped prescribing blood pressure medication common high blood pressure medication canada what side effects does blood pressure medication have ulcer medication high blood pressure can high blood pressure medication elevate alkaline phosphatase blood pressure medication warning getting blood pressure medication jamaica alkaline water and blood pressure medication blood pressure going up and down with medication drugs reduce systolic blood pressure treatment for rapid high blood pressure low blood pressure alternative treatment do all high blood pressure medications cause weight gain medication for increasing blood pressure blood pressure medication for african american males vitamins for high blood pressure treatment aleve with blood pressure medication how to lower blood pressure without pills blood pressure triple pill who blood pressure guidelines for hygiene treatment what drug reduces blood pressure blood pressure medications enalapril met blood pressure medication