The Malayali people, IPA: [mɐlɐjɐːɭi], are a Dravidian ethnolinguistic group originating from the present-day state of Kerala in India, occupying its southwestern Malabar coast. They are predominantly native speakers of the Malayalam language, one of the six Classical languages in India. The state of Kerala was created in 1956 through the States Reorganisation Act. Prior to that, since the 1800s existed the Kingdom of Cochin, the Kingdom of Travancore, Malabar District, and South Canara of the British India. The Malabar District was annexed by the British through the Third Mysore War (1790–92) from Tipu Sultan. Before that, the Malabar District was under various kingdoms including the Zamorins of Calicut, Kingdom of Tanur, Arakkal kingdom, Kolathunadu, Valluvanad, and Palakkad Rajas.
Mappila Muslim, often shortened to Mappila, formerly anglicized as Moplah/Mopla and historically known as Jonaka/Chonaka Mappila or Moors Mopulars/Mouros da Terra and Mouros Malabares, in general, is a member of the Muslim community of the same name found predominantly in North of Kerala and Lakshadweep Islands, in southern India. Muslims of Kerala make up 26.56% of the population of the state (2011), and as a religious group they are the second largest group after Hindus (54.73%).. In South of Kerala in the erstwhile Kingdom of Cochin and Kingdom of Travancore, the term Mappila is also used for Nasrani Mappilas and Yehudan Mappilas, to refer to the Mappilas of Saint Thomas Christian descent and Malabari Jewish descent respectively. Mappilas share the common language of Malayalam with the other religious communities of Kerala.
The Paradesi Synagogue was built in 1568 by Samuel Castiel, David Belila, and Joseph Levi for the flourishing Jewish community in Kochi composed mainly of Malabari Jews and the refugees from the Portuguese religious persecution of Jews locally from Cranganore and farther a field originating from Spain and Portugal. It is the oldest active synagogue in the Commonwealth of Nations, located in Kochi, Kerala, in South India. It is one of seven synagogues of the Malabar Yehudan or Yehudan Mappila people or Cochin Jewish community in the Kingdom of Cochin. Paradesi is a word used in several Indian languages, and the literal meaning of the term is "foreigners", applied to the synagogue because it was built by Sephardic or Portuguese-speaking Jews, some of them from families exiled in Aleppo, Safed and other West Asian localities. It is also referred to as the Cochin Jewish Synagogue or the Mattancherry Synagogue.
Mappila Bay is a natural harbor situated at Ayikkara in Kannur Municipal Corporation, Kerala state of South India. On one side of the bay is Fort St. Angelo, built by the Portuguese in the 15th century and the other side is the Arakkal Palace.
Oppana is a popular form of social entertainment among the Mappila community of Kerala, South India, prevalent throughout Kerala, especially in Malappuram. The Term Oppana is believed to be originated from the Arabic word "Affna" Oppana was originated on the occasion of make of Muslim brides.. But in Kerala, this art form has been revived with much popularity on the performing stages of the Youth Festivals of the student community.
Mappila songs are a folklore Muslim song genre rendered to lyrics, within a melodic framework (Ishal), in Arabi Malayalam by the Mappilas of the Malabar region in Kerala, India. Mappila songs have a distinct cultural identity, while at the same time remain closely linked to the cultural practices of Kerala.
Moyinkutty Vaidyar (1852–1892), often referred to as Mahakavi, is historically considered as one of the most renowned poets of the Mappila pattu genre of Malayalam language.
Kondotty is a developing town, municipality, and aerotropolis in the Malappuram district state of Kerala, India which is located near Calicut International Airport, 24 km from Malappuram. It is the headquarters of Kondotty Taluk, which was declared as the seventh taluk in Malappuram district by chief minister Oommen Chandy on 23 December 2013.
Islam arrived in Kerala, the Malayalam language speaking region in the south-western tip of India, through Middle Eastern merchants. The Indian coast has an ancient relation with West Asia, and the Middle East, even during the pre-Islamic period
Kolenchery is a town and the easternmost suburb of the city of Kochi in Kerala, India. Located on National Highway 49 it is situated 22 kilometres away from Cochin. It is part of the Kunnathunad State Assembly constituency and is part of the Chalakudy Lok Sabha constituency. Kolenchery is situated approximately midway between Cochin and Muvattupuzha. It lies in the transition between "Edanad" (midlands) and "Keezhmalanad".
Arabi Malayalam is the traditional Dravidian language of the Mappila Muslim community. It is spoken by several thousand people, predominantly in the Malabar Coast of Kerala state, southern India. The form can be classified as a regional dialect in northern Kerala, or as a class or occupational dialect of the Mappila community. It can also be called a vernacular in general, or as a provincial patois, with the latter label being increasingly applicable in Colonial times. All the forms of the Malayalam language, including Mappila, are mutually intelligible.
Arabi Malayalam script, also known as Ponnani script, is a writing system - a variant form of the Arabic script with special orthographic features - for writing Arabi Malayalam, a Dravidian language in southern India. Though the script originated and developed in Kerala, today it is predominantly used in Malaysia and Singapore by the migrant Muslim community.
St Thomas Cathedral also known as Palai Cathedral follows the Syro-Malabar East Syriac rite and is located in the town of Pala in the state of Kerala, India. It serves as the mother church of the Syro-Malabar Diocese or Eparchy of Palai which was created in 1950 through the bill "Quo Ecclesiarum" of Pope Pius XII.
The thangals are a social group among the Muslims of Kerala, south India (Sunni-Shafi'i). The thangals are often regarded as roughly equivalent to the more general Sayyids/Sharifs of the wider Islamic culture. They claim themselves to be the direct descendants of Muhammad. Most members of the community practices endogamy and rarely marry outside from their community.
Aravana muttu or arabana muttu is an art form prevalent among Muslims in Kerala state of south India, named after the aravana, a hand-held, one-sided flat tambourine or drumlike musical instrument, derived from Arabia. It is made of wood and animal skin, similar to the duff but a little thinner and bigger. In the opinion of Becker Edakkazhiyur, a noted arabana musician, "the ritualistic performance of `Arabana Reefa Ee Raathib Muttu' has been mistaken for `Arabana Kali Muttu,' which is purely for entertainment. While the former is almost extinct, the latter, known for its aesthetic appeal, is the one presented nowadays."
The Malabar rebellion happened on August 20, 1921 – 1922 in the Malabar region of Kerala, India.The Malabar rebellion of 1921 started as a resistance against the British colonial rule in Malabar region of Kerala The popular uprising was also against the prevailing feudal system controlled by elite Hindus. The British had appointed high caste Hindus in positions of authority to get their support, this led to the protest turning against the Hindus.
Puslan is a community-status group of Muslims in Kerala, south India. The Puslans – once a low-status group among the Muslims of Kerala – were the traditional sea fishermen of the central Malabar Coast.
The Kodava Maaple, also known as Jamma Maaple, is a Muslim community residing in Kodagu district of Karnataka in southern India. They are Sunnis of the Shafi'i madhab, and contract marriage alliances with Mappilas and Bearys. They speak Malayalam, although now they do follow some Mappila and Beary customs also.
Pulath Pulikkottil Hyder was a popular poet who composed short songs in Arabi-Malayalam on topics of common interest, often attacking social evils. His simple lyrics on ordinary life of the Mappilas defied the traditional patterns of Mappilappattu thus giving him the name "The Kunchan Nambiar of Mappilappattu". In Vellappokka Maala, he describes a heavy flood that affected all throughout the Malabar, Mysore and Travancore. The sufferings of common men in the flood are depicted beautifully using only ordinary Malayalam vocabulary. The Pulikkotil Hyder Smaraka Puraskaram, instituted by the Mahakavi Moyinkutty Vaidyar Smaraka Committee and given to personalities who have contributed to the art of Mappilappattu is named after him. The foundation for a memorial for the poet was laid in his hometown Wandoor by former Chief Minister of Kerala C.H. Mohammed Koya in April 1979, but the work has remained incomplete ever since. In 1979, the Mappila Kala Sahithya Vedi published a compilation of his works titled "Pulikkottil Krithikal".
C. N. Ahmad Moulavi was an Indian writer of Malayalam literature, best known as the translator of the first complete publication of Quran in Malayalam. He was the author of a number of books on Islam and was reported to have contributed to the propagation of education among the Muslims of Malabar region. A member of the Kerala Sahitya Akademi during the period 1959–64, Moulavi was honoured by the academy with the distinguished fellowship in 1989.