Beary
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|
| Total population | |
|---|---|
| 950,000+[1] | |
| Regions with significant populations | |
| Tulunadu, Chikmagalur district, Kodagu, Hassan district, Uttara Kannada, Persian Gulf States | |
| Languages | |
| Beary | |
| Religion | |
| Islam | |
| Related ethnic groups | |
| Nawayath, Mappilas, Labbay |
| Part of a series on |
| Islam |
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| Part of a series on |
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The Beary (also known as Byari) are a community concentrated along the southwest coast of India, mostly in the Mangalore district of the south Indian state of Karnataka.
The Beary community of Tulunadu is one among the earliest Muslim inhabitants of India, with a clear history of more than 950 years.[2]
Etymology
The word 'Beary' is said[by whom?] to be derived from the Tulu word 'Byara', which means trade or business. Since the major portion of the community was involved in business activities, particularly trading, the local Tulu speaking majority called them as Beary or Byari.[3]
Another popular theory is that the word "Beary" comes from Arabic word "Bahar" (Arabic: بحر). "Bahar" means "ocean" and "Bahri" (Arabic: بحري) means "sailor or navigator". It is said that the Beary community had trade relations with Arab businessmen travelling to Coastal South India, especially the coastline of Tulunadu Malabar. Inscriptions have been found in Barkur that proves the Arab trade links with Tulunadu.[citation needed]
A third theory says that the word "Beary" is derived from the root word "Malabar". The great Islamic Da'ee, Malik bin Deenar had arrived on the coast of Malabar during the 7th century with a group of Da'ees, or Islamic propagators. A member from his group, Habeeb bin Malik travelled through Tulunadu and preached Islam. He had also built Mosques in Kasaragod, Mangalore and Barkur.[4]
Other sources
Ahmed Noori, a journalist and himself a member of the Beary community, claimed that there are several documents available which suggest that at least 90 years prior to the invasion of Muhammad bin Qasim in North India, Arab Muslim businessmen were thriving in the South India. This would prove that Islam was prevalent in South India much before Muslim conquerors came to North India.[citation needed]
Noori disputes the claim that the first Muslims came to India along with Alauddin Khalji between 1296 and 1316 AD and points out that according to renowned historian, Henry Miers Elliot, (The History of India as told by its own Historians, Part I) the first ship bearing Muslim travellers was seen on the Indian coast as early as 630 AD. H.G.(Hugh George) Rawlinson, in his book: Ancient and Medieval History of India,[5] claims the first Arab Muslims settled on the Indian coast in the last part of the 7th century AD. Bartholomew also has similar things to say about the early Muslim settlers in India. J. Sturrock in his Madras Districts Manuals: South Kanara, says that Parsi and Arab businessmen settled in different places of the Malabar coast during the 7th century. Ahmed Noori has quoted these and other sources to validate his argument that the Arab and other Settlers came to India much before the Arab, Turk and Afghan conquerors came to North India.[citation needed]
Susheela P. Upadhyaya, a research scholar in Beary bashe and Beary folklore, was of the opinion that the Indian west coast came under Islamic influence long before any other part of India was influenced by Islam or Muslims.[6] Historical research also reveals that during the rule of Banga and Chowta dynasty in the 16th century, Beary men had served as seamen in the naval force. The Chowta dynasty queen, Rani Abbakka had personally supervised the construction of dam at Malali; she had appointed Bearys for boulder work.[7]
An ancient historical work – Keralolpathi – reveals that a king of Malabar, Cheraman Perumal, embraced Islam during the very beginning days of the advent of Islam in the Arab land. Thus the Arabs had royal patronage to practice and propagate Islam in the Malabar area. They were also given the permission of sea trading with a royal patronage. Because of the Da'wah activities of Arab traders, many people embraced Islam and assumed better social status as Muslims.[citation needed]
The Portuguese lost their dominance during the rule of Hyder Ali and Tippu Sultan in Mysore. During this period the Beary Muslims again received royal patronage and intensified their sea trade activities.[8]
Language
The dialect spoken by Beary (Byaris), is known as Beary Bashe.[9] While Muslims of Uttara Kannada, called Nawayaths, speak a dialect of Konkani, and the Mappilas of Kerala speak Malayalam (Mappila Malayalam), the Bearys spoke a language made of Malayalam idioms with Tulu phonology and grammar.[10] This dialect was traditionally known as Mappila Malayalam because of Bearys close contact with Mappilas.[10] Due to vast influence of Tulu for centuries, it is today considered as a language, close to Malayalam and Tulu.[10]
Beary dialect is largely influenced by the Arabic language.[11]
World Beary Convention
In April 2006, The World Beary Convention was held in Dubai under the banner World Beary Sammelana & Chammana 2006.[12] A similar event was held in 2010.[13]
Ornaments
The beary women have a love of ornaments and use them on occasions such as Mangila, Sunnat Mangila, Appate Mangila, Birnd, Moilanji and other social gatherings. There were different types of ornaments used by the Beary community in past which is at the verge of vanishing today due to the cultural invasion and urbanisation. These ornaments are made out of mainly gold and silver and used for the ornamentation of head, ears, neck, waist, wrist, fingers and feet. Beary research scholars are of the opinion that Beary ornaments were largely influenced by Jain ornament patterns. The ornament storage box used by Bearys was made out of brass and other metals was also used by Jain community and was called Kharjana by both Bearys and Jains.[14][need quotation to verify]
Cuisine
Beary cuisine is highly influenced by the South Indian Cuisine. Just like Mangalorean cuisine it uses a lot of coconut, curry leaves, ginger, chilli and spices like pepper and cardamom. Beary cuisine boasts of a special kind of biryani, which is very different from the other types made elsewhere. Rice preparations, both fresh and dry fish, meat and eggs enjoy top place in Beary daily menu.[citation needed]
A few traditional dishes very popular amongst all the Tulu communities have unique names in Beary dialect. Pindi/pinde, basale-pinde, kunhi-pinde, erchiro-pinde, bisaliyappa (bisali beetiye appa/kaltappa), tondaredo-appa (syame), guliyappa, muttere-appa, neiyappa/nei-appa, chekkero-appa, manhel elero appa, acchi-appa, daliyappa, baale-appa, pondatte-appa, sank-roli, pattir (a distorted version of Arabic fatirah), nei pattir, pole, poo-pole (thanni-pole), pulcho-pole, vodu-pole, uppu-molavu, kanhi, methero-kanhi, nei-kanhi, kulte kanhi, manni, nombure kanchi, pirni are to name a few.[15][16]
Beary literature
Beary Sahitya Academy is a union of Beary speaking people located mainly Tulu Nadu, which includes coastal districts of Dakshina Kannada & Udupi in Karnataka State and Kasaragod in Kerala state.[citation needed] In 2022, the foundation laying ceremony for the construction of new building for Karnataka Beary Sahitya Academy at Thokkottu was held. [17]
Beary organisations
Bearys Welfare Association
In 2010, the Bearys Welfare Association, based in Bengaluru, distributed 80 scholarships for the needy.[18]
Bearys Welfare Forum
The Bearys Welfare Forum (BWF) of Abu Dhabi is an association of Beary expatriates in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.[19] It was established in 2004 with an intention of working for all sections of the society. It has helped the victims of Communal riots in Mangalore by providing medical assistance and other aids.[citation needed] It The BWF has organised several mass marriage ceremonies in Mangalore.[20][21][22]
Bearys Cultural Forum
Bearys Cultural Forum, in the United Arab Emirates, was constituted to provide education to the people of the coastal parts of the State of Karnataka. BCF's main objective is to promote, educate and create social, cultural and educational awareness amongst the Bearys and the population of the coastal Karnataka State and the UAE. The BCF regularly conducts cultural, sports, talent search, educational activities, Career Guidance Seminars, Iftar Party, etc. every year. BCF also provides educational scholarships to students for pursuing their higher studies in the field of Medicines, Engineering, Pharmacy, Business, Nursing, Journalism, Dentistry, etc.[citation needed]
In April 2012, 'Chammana 2012' hosted by Bearys Cultural Forum, Dubai, at the Radisson Blue Hotel, Dubai, attracted more than 1,200 people to its programme.[23]
In August 2018, BCF distributed scholarship to the downtrodden community.[24]
References
- ^ Newspaper: The Hindu, Saturday, 13 Oct 2007 Archived 14 October 2007 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Ahmed Noori, Maikala, Preface to 1st edition (1960)
- ^ Ahmed Noori, Maikala p.17 (1960)
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
Ahmed Noori p.11was invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ ISBN 81-86050-79-5 Ancient and Medieval History of India
- ^ Dr. Susheela P. Upadhyaya, Beary Bashe mattu Janapada Kathegalu, p. 5 (1997)
- ^ Dr. Susheela P. Upadhyaya, Beary Bashe mattu Janapada Kathegalu, p. 7 (1997)
- ^ Dr. Susheela P. Upadhyaya, Beary Bashe mattu Janapada Kathegalu, p. 9(1997)
- ^ Beary Language's Struggle for Identity
- ^ a b c Upadhyaya, U. Padmanabha. Coastal Karnataka: Studies in Folkloristic and Linguistic Traditions of Dakshina Kannada Region of the Western Coast of India. Udupi: Rashtrakavi Govind Pai Samshodhana Kendra, 1996.P- ix . ISBN 81-86668-06-3 . First All India Conference of Dravidian Linguistics, Thiruvananthapuram, 1973
- ^ Arabic and other language influence Archived 15 June 2011 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ World Beary Sammelana & Chammana 2006 – convention
- ^ Dubai : World Beary Convention Kicks off in Style – 2010
- ^ Ichlangod B.M., Tulunada Muslimaru – Byari Samskruti p.76 (1997)
- ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 11 October 2012. Retrieved 7 February 2011.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) - ^ "M'lore: Beary Women Present Wonderful Display of Traditional Cuisines at Kadri Park". www.daijiworld.com. Archived from the original on 10 February 2011.
- ^ "Foundation laid for Beary Academy's new building". The Times of India. 4 January 2022.
- ^ Bearys Welfare Association's Scholarship Drive
- ^ How an Abu Dhabi community group helps people get married.
- ^ Anupama monthly, March 2008, page 28
- ^ Bearys Welfare Forum, Abu Dhabi organizes Mass Wedding Ceremony at Mangaluru.
- ^ Bearys Welfare Forum Abu Dhabi organizes 5th mass marriage ceremony.
- ^ Bearys Cultural Forum Hosts Magnificent 'Chammana 2012'
- ^ Dubai Bearys Cultural Forum distributes scholarships to nearly 500 students.
Other sources
- Bearys of the coast, Article in Deccan Herald 12 December 1997 by B.M. Hanif.
- Muslims in Dakshina Kannada: a historical study up to 1947 and survey of recent developments, Author Wahab Doddamane, A. Green Words publication. Mangalore, 1993.