A Historical Overview of the Origin of Tamil Muslims and their Settlements in TamilNadu

Abstract

This study is bring to analyse the history of the Tamil Muslims and their contact with Tamilagam which is very interesting and important.  There are about 10 to 11 million Tamil Muslims in India mostly in Tamil Nadu state and also in neighboring Kerala. Tamil Muslims are largely urban traders rather than farmers. The Muslims who settled on the coastal towns of Coromandel speak Tamil and Tamil language is their mother tongue. The progenitors of the early Muslims were the Arab Muslim merchants and navigators who settled in the port towns of Coromandel region right from the Eighth Century A.D. from there they continued their mercantile activities, for which the local rulers willingly extended all facilities The Coromandel Coast was studded with ports like Porto Novo, Nagapattanam, Nagore, Karaikkal, Adirampattanam, Mandapam, Vedalai, Killakkarai and Kayalpattanam and they served as passage or crossing points to Ceylon, Malacca and other Southeast Asian lands. The Arab Musilm settlers on the Coromandel region married the native women. The Muslims by their maritime activities have contributed a honourable share for the economic development of the Coromandel region . The Tami Muslims share many customs and practices in common with their co – religionists, the Hindus. At the same time they identify themselves with their own customs and manners Endogamous marriage , Matrilocal residence , house gift to bride are some of the unique customs among the Marakkayars. As a great fortune seekers , the material minded Muslims strictly perform their duties as expected of a devout Muslim, charity, hospitality and philanthropy are in their blood.  During the sangam age the eastern coast of Tamil country possessed a number of sea ports like Musiri, Tondi and Korkai through which the Arab merchants established good business.   The Muslims living in Tamil Nadu are classified into many categories on the basis of their origin, language and the like. Majorities of the Muslims of Tamil Nadu are Tamil speaking and Urdu is the mother tongue of a section of the Muslims. The different segments in the Tamil Muslim society such as Rawthar, Labbai, Marakkayar and Deccanis are very important. Arabu-Tamil was used by Arabs who came and settled in Tamil Nadu. The settled Arabs in Tamil Nadu learnt Tamil through Arabic Script and wrote Tamil in Arabic script. It is believed that the origin of Arabu-Tamil is as old as contact of Arabs with Tamil Nadu. Muslims in Tamilnadu contributed their best to the local culture.