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Siddis are descendants of Africans who were mostly trafficked to India as slaves by the Arabs, and later the Portuguese. Much of the Arab slave trade happened from Abyssinia, today’s Ethiopia and Eritrea, hence they were earlier called Habshi, derived from Arabic for Abyssinia (al-Habash). However, the Siddis of Karnataka are descendants from Bantu-speaking people of the Swahili coast.

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Sweta Kandari

Understanding the Jadh-Bhotiya Settlement of Bagori Vill…

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Oral History: Mahant Hanunman Nath on Gorakhnath and the Jwalamukhi Shakti Peeth

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V.D. Selvaraj in Conversation with Dr M.S. Valiathan: History of Medical practices in India and the Study of Ancient Texts

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V.D. Selvaraj in Conversation with Dr M.S. Valiathan: Work, Passion and Philosophy

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Indrajit Khambe

Breaking the Race Barrier: Sports Culture among the Siddis

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Because of African genes, Siddi youngsters naturally gifted with good stamina, athletic physique, body strength and power. Anita is a state-level athlete from Hunashettikoppa village, in Haveri district, Karnataka, and has won numerous medals in the 500-, 800- and 1000-meter middle-distance running.

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Pondicherry is the capital of Francophone culture in India. In the Treaty of Cession, the French and Indian governments agreed on preserving the unique French culture of Pondicherry by retaining some traditions. Franco-Pondicherrians refer themselves as Creoles, a population mostly born to French and Tamil parents or their descendants.

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Kalbeliyas are pioneers in music and playing music to ‘charm’ snakes has always been part of their culture. Kalbeliyas believe in kinship with snakes and have immense knowledge about the reptile. They find their hideouts easily and catch them with their bare hands.

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Ministry of Textiles, Government of India

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