Kerala is a different story

Submitted by Shishir (United Arab Emirates), Apr 23, 2013 at 04:37

Kerala is an interesting case study. Its caste and social structure is very unique in India.

The relations between Arab men and local women is far less sordid as it involved legitimate long term nuptials which created the current Malayali Muslim communites called Mappillais( son in law in Malayalm)

The reason for that term is thus , Arab traders (even prior to Islam) used to trade vigorously with the West coast of India where the Malabar coast is located.

Many especially after Islam took to marrying local women and ended up domiciled there.

Arabs went completely native in Kerala which is more than you can say for the rest of India where Arabs are considered upper caste Muslims and treat Indian Muslims as riff raff. They consider themselves Keralites for the most part.

Now admittedly they can be riled up to violence(the Khilaft rebellion and their suppor the tyrant Tipu Sultan) but these by large were somewhat exceptions to their nearly 1300 year existence peaceful coexistence with Hindus and Christians in that region.

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