Beary
Encyclopedia
The Beary is a small Muslim
community concentrated mostly in coastal South Kanara (Dakshina Kannada
), in the district of Karnataka
, a south India
n state. It is an ethnic society, having its own unique traditions and distinct cultural identity. The Beary community holds an important place among the other coastal Muslim communities, like Nawayath
's of the North Kanara district, Mappilas (Moplahs) of the Malabar coast
and Labbay
of the Coromandel coast
.
Bearys incorporate the local Tulu culture of Dakshina Kannada
and diverse traditions of the Moplahs of the Malabar coast
. The Beary people are followers of Islam
, and belong to the Shafi'i
school of Islamic jurisprudence, unlike North Indian Muslims who generally adhere to the Hanafi
school. Since Bearys make up the majority of the Muslim population in the Dakshina Kannada district, the Muslim community is some times referred to as Bearys or Byaris by locals.
The Beary community of Dakshina Kannada or Tulunadu is one among the earliest Muslim inhabitants of India, with a clear history of more than 1350 years. One mosque was built in the Bunder area of Mangalore
by Habeeb Bin Malik, an Arab Da'ee, in 644 A.D.
The word 'Beary' is said to be derived from the Tulu
word 'Byara' which means trade or business, as this community were primarily traders. Since the major portion of this community people were involved in business activities, the local Tulu
speaking majority called them as Beary or Byari.
According to the census of 1891 Dakshina Kannada had 92,449 Muslim businessmen consisting of 90,345 Bearys, 2,104 Nawayath
s and 2,551 non-Muslims. Thus the district had total number of 95,000 individuals involved in business activities. Records proves that towards the close of 19th century percentage of Muslim traders in the district was as high as 97.3 and hence the local Tuluva
s rightly named this community as Bearys.
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 Beary community had trade relations with Arab businessmen travelling to coastal South India
, especially the coastline of Tulunadu and Malabar. Inscriptions are found in Barkur
that proves the Arab trade links with Tulunadu.
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 6th 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
.
, Hassan
and Uttara Kannada
. Mumbai
and Goa
also have a considerable Beary population. Also, a good number of Bearys are in the Persian Gulf States
of the Middle East
doing a variety of jobs. Total number of Beary population is approximately 1.5 million distributed as described above.
or nakk-nikk, also known as beary palaka.
Bearys used to refer the area south of Mangalore
as Maikala or Maikal which is in fact their culture and economic capital. According to historian B. A. Saletore, Maikala was an area in the southern part of Mangalore. It got its name through the Kadri Manjunath Temple
, which earlier was a Buddhist temple. The Buddhist goddess Tara Bhagavathi was also known as Mayadevi. In course of time it came to be called as Maikala, or Maikal. Historians are of the opinion that Maikala is one of the ancient names of Mangalore
. But today Maikala refers to the whole of Mangalore city covered by the Mangalore City Corporation.
merchants have been visiting the coast of Tulunadu for business purposes even before the time of Muhammad, the prophet of Islam.
Following the advent of Islam
in the early stage in the land of Arabia, the polytheistic and pagan Arabs were attracted to the teachings of Qur'an, and Muhammad and adopted it in their daily life. The lofty values that Muhammad preached covered every walk of life including honesty in trade and transaction. Having embracing Islam, the Arabs adopted and practised these values in their economic activities. It is said that Arab Muslim
traders who were visiting Tulunadu coast attracted the inhabitants to Islam by good behaviour in their contact, honesty in trade, discipline in dealings and peaceful religious and pious life within the doctrines of Islam. Thus the people of Tulunadu who were dealing with these Arab traders accepted their religion, Islam
. At the same time as per Islamic teachings of spreading the message of Islam, these Arabs were also performing Da'wah in the coastal Tulunadu and Malabar area. Some Arab businessmen who travelled to Tulunadu coast also married the local women.
, an Arab trader said to be the kith and kin of Sahaba
(companions of Prophet Muhammad
). He is said to have visited Malabar and landed near Manjeshwar
in the northern Malabar coast. He constructed the first mosque
in Kasargod, the Malik Dinar Mosque
(where his shrine is still present). Also the Masjid Zeenath Baksh popularly known as Jumma Masjid or beliye palli, in Bunder area is said to have been established in Mangalore by Habeeb bin Malik in 644 A.D. and the first Qadhi (Qazi) appointed was Hazarath Moosa Bin Malik, son of Malik Bin Abdullah. Records reveal this Mosque was inaugurated on Friday the 22nd of the month of Jumadil Awwal (fifth month of Islamic Calendar) in 22 of Hijri
(644
).
in North India
, Arab Muslim businessmen were thriving in the south. This proves Islam was prevalent in South India much before Muslim invaders came to North India. These facts are available in a research document Mykal, written by Ahmed Noori
, who conducted a research on the Beary community way back in 1960.
Noori disputes the claim that the first Muslims came to India along with Alauddin Khilji
between 1296-1316 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 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 Muslim settlers came to India much before the invaders came to North India.
Dr. Susheela P. Upadhyaya, a research scholar in Beary bashe
and Beary folklore is 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. History also reveals that during the rule of Banga and Chowta
dynasty in 16th century Beary men have 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 boulders work.
An ancient historical work - Keralolpathi
- reveals that a king of Malabar, Cheraman Perumal
, embraced Islam during the very beginning days of advent of Islam in the Arab land. Thus the Arabs had royal patronage to practice and propagate Islam in 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 from the down trodden section of society embraced Islam and assumed better social status as Muslims.
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.
dynasty, Rani Abbakka who ruled in Ullal
region. The Bearys had also joined the army of Nawab Hyder Ali and Tipu Sultan
of Mysore. Historians and researchers have enlisted famous Beary personalities who participated in the freedom struggle of India. Many such freedom fighters were imprisoned by British and few died during imprisonment.
A sixteenth century Arabic work of Malabar, Tuhfah al Mujahideen or Tuhafat Ul Mujahideen
compiled by Shaikh Zainuddin Makhdoom II (grand son of Shaikh Zainuddin Makhdoom
I) had motivated Malabar Muslims which had influence on Bearys of the Tulunadu as well to fight the foreign invaders. Thus the Bearys had actively participated in the freedom struggle against Portugal and British rule.
While Muslims of Uttara Kannada, called Nawayath
s, speak a dialect of Konkani
and Mappila
s of Kerala speak Malayalam (Mappila Malayalam), Bearys spoke a language made of Malayalam idioms with Tulu phonology and grammar.
This dialect was traditionally known as Mappila Malayalam because of Bearys close contact with Mappilas.
Due to vast influence of Tulu
for centuries, it is today considered as a language, close to Malayalam and Tulu.
Beary bashe is largely influenced by Arabic language. Most of the Bearys especially in coastal area still use a lot of Bearified Arabic words during their daily transaction. Saan, Pinhana, Gubboosu, Dabboosu, Pattir, Rakkasi, Seintaan, Kayeen, are the few words used in Beary bashe
that has its roots in Arabic language. Beary Bashe also have words related to Tamil
and Malayalam. Tamil and Malayalam Speakers can understand Beary by 75%.
The word Chammana stands for felicitation. Since the organizers felicitated a few Beary dignitaries during this world convention held in Dubai, UAE, the convention is called World Beary Sammelana & Chammana 2006. The Convention was also attended by several dignitaries which included Dr.B.K.Yusuf, President/Patron of Karnataka Sangha, Dubai, M.B. Abdul Rahiman, Renowned Lawyer and Notary, Syed Beary, Managing Director, Bearys Group, B.M. Farooque, Managing Director, Fiza Group, Shiraj Haji. Director Universal Export Tradeways. S.M. Syed Khalil, Galadai Group, Dubai, M.B. Noor Mohamed, MD. Fakruddin, Managing Director, Ajmal Group, Mel, Abdul Jaleel, Abdussalam Puthige
, Editor in Chief, Varthabharathi
Kannada Daily, Haju Jamalluddin, Chairman, Crescent School, Shamshudeen, P.T. Abdul Rahiman, General Secretary of Indian Islamic Centre, T.S. Shettigar, Jamalludin, Apsara Group, Dr. Viquar Azeem, Dr. Azad Moopen, Ganesh Rai, M.K. Madhavan, Kumar, Indian Association Dubai, Kanukaran Shetty, President Hotel, Prabhakar, KOD, K.P. Ahmed, Yaseen Malpe etc. Some Beary dignitaries have been facilitated during the convention.
Media of the Year award was jointly awarded to Varthabharathi
a renowned Kannada daily (published from Mangalore and Bangalore) and Daijiworld.com, a web based newsportal, for their contribution towards media. Abdussalam Puthige
, on behalf of Varta Bharti, and representatives of Daijiworld received the award from Mr. C. M. Ibrahim, Former Union Minister.
Some of these periodicals are still being published and reaching to the hands of a sizable population of Tulunadu and other adjacent districts and to the Persian Gulf States.
or illam, which resembles the Bunt
bali custom. Though Islam is basically patriarchal, illam, influenced by the Tulu culture, has matriarchal tendencies. Marriage between people belonging to the same illam (comparable to the gotra) was not encouraged. People identified with an illam were known as talakkar. And people of low castes who converted to Islam were identified as tala illatavaru. A similar illam system with the same name illam is strigently being practiced by some Brahmin families in Kerala. Those are basically Tulu Brahmins and are hailing from Tulunadu. In Tulu language word illu stands for house. So it is evident that illam system observed by Beary people is taken from the local Tulunadu culture. In the recent days, as this community has come closer to the original teachings of the religion they follow, Islam, this illam system has vanished from the day to day life of Bearys.
The marriage of the Bearys is considered to be a pointer to their prosperity. Marriage celebration is normally spread over three days, starting with Moilanji (henna
tattooing) at the bride's house a day before the marriage (close relatives and friends are invited) and an Islamic-style Nikah
known as Kayeen is performed at the groom’s place on the day of the marriage. A garland exchange between Bride and groom is also part of Beary marriage which is an adoption from Tulu culture. The dowry
system is still quite prevalent among most Bearys.
Modern marriages of most of the families are arranged in community halls with large number of invitees including relatives and community members.
, Maikala or Mangalore
was one of the main centers of Jains
with many Jain Muts, Basadis and also palaces. Especially the Bunder area Maikala was dominated by rich Jain houses. The Jains who enjoyed economical and social status maintained a system known as Jaina Beedu, which literally means Jain House.
Later when these Jains embraced Islam, they still maintained this Beedu system as status symbol. Beedu can be translated in Beary bashe as Aga which means House. The Paunar Aga or Paunaraga - which literally means sixteen houses - of high status are:
These houses enjoyed supreme social status amongst Bearys throughout 19th century and treated other Bearys as second class citizens. The people belonging to these houses were identified as Agakkar which means the People of the House. The history of these houses is short lived glory that these houses enjoyed socially and economically. Many of the social customs that the people of Paunaraga observed were special to them and had no roots in Islam.
Thus the lifestyle of Agakkar of Beary community was largely influenced by Jains. Most of the ornaments used by Agakkar was of Jain pattern and had Jain names. Kharjana is the jewel box used by both Jains and Bearys. Today the people of Paunaraga or Agakkar have lost their social and economic status but some of the houses still remain in Bunder area. Their surnames tell the glory once they enjoyed.
Next to Agakkar comes Taalakkar and then Taala-illatavar. All these system the Bearys maintained in the olden days which they inherited from local people. However these systems are vanished with the advent of Islamic literature of late.
Kayiri, Sayiri, Sayirabba, Cheyya, Cheyyabba,
Saunhi, Kayinhi, Sekunhi, Baduva,
Mayabba, Puthabba, Hammabba, Cheyyabba, Ijjabba,
Kunha, Kunhi, Bava, Bavunhi, Kunhibavu, Puttubavu
Unha, Unhi, Unhimon,
Iddinabba, Podiya, Podimonu,
Pallikunhi, Kunhipalli, Kidavaka, Abbu, Abbonu, Chakaka,Addiyaka (Addi), Pudiyampule
, the religion of Bearys. There is no evidence for dowry system in the olden day Beary marriages but a lot of customs inherited from the local Tuluva
communities living in Tulunadu has been found.
Marriage in Beary bashe
is known as Mangila. A lot of ceremonial rituals related to Beary Mangila which once was an essential part of nuptials today vanishing. Keli kekre, Naal kuri, Bethale beikre, Varappu, Moilanji, Kayeen, Beett, Birnd, Oppane, Kaikottu patt, Appathe mangila – all these are related to Mangila or the Beary marriage.
(Arabic: مدرسة) which is managed and run by the community that imparts religious education. All such Madrasahs are affiliated to Samastha Board which conducts well organized public examination for 5th, 7th and 10 grade students. Visiting inspectors called Mufattish are appointed to inspect the quality of education in Madrasahs. For administrative purposes divisions have been made as range, area, taluq and district. The teachers are qualified in Arabic language
and religious education are known as Mu’allim and students as Muta’allim. The Madrasahs do use a centralized syllabus prepared by the Samstha Board and media of instruction is now shifted to Kannada from traditional Arabic based Malayalam called Arabi-Malayalam – a special language that uses Arabic script and Malayalam phonetics.
Mundu, Chatte and Toppi is the preferred uniform for boys in Madrasas. Girls do wear a long gown with a head-dress known as yalasara. But today this traditional dress pattern is vanishing. Boys are going for shirt - trousers and girls are adopting Churidar
s and Salwar kameez style.
In those villages where there is no separate building facility available to run Madrasas independently, this education is however imparted in the mosques it self. Thus mosques some time do play the role of Madrasas in many Beary dominant villages.
Apart from Samstha Board many other educational institutions also have been surfaced lately. The Salafi
group has established their own Madrasahs throughout Dakshina Kannada
district. Salafis also have started separate religious schools exclusively for girls in Ullal. Jamat-e-Islami is now running an exclusive college for girls in Deralakatte
province. There are several other schools managed by Bearys which are aimed at providing both modern and religious education simultaneously to the children.
. MS belle mundu and Moulana mark Kambai is also among traditional outfit of Bearys. Today due to a cultural shift young Bearys have adopted a shirt-trouser pattern.
Beary women are traditionally clad in three pieces of clothes, viz, tuni, kuppaya and yalasara. While going out the Beary women took a long rectangle blanket, known as valli, a sort of veil to cover entire body. If two women want to go out together they would use a joduvalli (double veil). Surprisingly Valli of Beary bashe and Veil of English language have similarity in pronunciation and convey the same meaning. Thus it demands an etymological research into these words.
Today, different varieties of burqa
or Abaya
have replaced the traditional valli. Hence Beary women now wear a black over-coat known as Burqa or Abaya while going out. The Abaya or Burqa is more like a business suit for a Beary woman while she is out of home. Many exclusive Arabic pattern Abaya shops have also emerged with commercial interest.
The traditional Islamic festivals of Eid ul-Fitr
and Eid ul-Adha
(also known as Bakrid) are celebrated. Special Eid prayer
is offered during these two occasions. Mangalore city has a centralised Eidgah
in Bavuta Gudda where congregational special prayers or Salat al Eid
is held. The Eidgah of Mangalore city has a mosque which is said to have been built by then Mysore ruler Tipu Sultan towards the close of eighteenth century. Usually in the central Eidgah the Qadhi leads the Eid prayer and delivers Khutba
. Colourful costumes, delicious food, exchanging the Eid greetings - Eid Mubarak
(Arabic/Persian/Urdu: عید مبارک) and generous charity to the poor and needy are part of Eid celebration. Other occasions celebrated are 12th Rabi' al-awwal
of the third month of Islamic calendar
commemorating Meelad-al-Nabi - prophet Muhammad
's birthday. Moon citation is an event of rejoice for Beary folk.
, 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.
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 (kaltappa), tondaredo-appa (syame), guliyappa, muttedo-appa, neiyappa, chekkero-appa, manhel elero appa, acchi-appa, daliyappa, baale-appa, pittappa, pondatte-appa, sank-roli, pattir (a distorted version of Arabic fatirah), nei pattir, poo-pole, pulcho-pole, vodu-pole, uppu-molavu, kanhi, methero-kanhi, nei-kanhi, etc. are to name a few.
Today, hardly 20% of the community is engaged in trading and business, thanks to the modern education community offlate have been seeing professionally qualified members. Some Bearys are involved in the beedi
industry and fish trade, and a majority are farmers. A few Bearys have progressed even further in the past few years and have achieved tremendous development in the field of Education, Business & Politics. Bearys today own many Educational Institutions. Professional Colleges in Mangalore are mostly owned or partnered by Bearys. Bearys have also achieved high positions in Karnataka Politics and few have also attained positions in the Central Government. In spite of these achievements, majority of the people of the community are still economically backward. The recent job opportunities in Persian gulf countries have improved the standard of living to some extent. However, Bearys in rural areas are still extremely backward socially, economically and educationally.
Since Islam prohibits interest based financial dealings, Beary community is not seem to have taken benefits from interest based or conventional banking system. In the modern days they have embarked on establishing a small scale interest free banking system namely Interest Free Loan and Welfare Society in Mangalore.
is surging ahead in diverse fields like international business, education, medicine and technology. Bearys have also formed various social and cultural organizations of diversified interests.
Beary's Welfare Association, Bangalore
Beary's Welfare Association is based in Bangalore
the capital of Karnataka
state. The association came into being on March 21, 1988 with a motive to provide a means of communication and integration, and also to provide a platform to work towards the betterment of the Beary community in all aspects of life.
Beary Welfare Association has organized a number of cultural programs every year right from its very inception. Beary Prakashana is its sister concern and involved in print and publication activities. It has published a number of titles on Beary culture, Beary bashe
, Beary history, and also on research studies on Bearys.
BWF was established in the year 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. The BWF gained popularity when it held mass marriage ceremony of twelve pairs of poor and deserving youth at the Shadi Mahal of Mangalore
city.
Bearys Welfare Forum, Abu Dhabi, organized a mass wedding ceremony at Milagres Auditorium, here on Monday July 13, 2009. Sixteen couples were solemnized in marriage by Kazi Al Haj Abdulla Musliar Chembarika.
Muslim
A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...
community concentrated mostly in coastal South Kanara (Dakshina Kannada
Dakshina Kannada
- Geography :The district geography consists of sea shore in the west and Western Ghats in the east. The major rivers are Netravathi, Kumaradhara, Phalguni, Shambhavi, Nandini or Pavanje and Payaswini which all join Arabian sea. Vast areas of evergreen forests which once covered this district, have...
), in the district of Karnataka
Karnataka
Karnataka , the land of the Kannadigas, is a state in South West India. It was created on 1 November 1956, with the passing of the States Reorganisation Act and this day is annually celebrated as Karnataka Rajyotsava...
, a south India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
n state. It is an ethnic society, having its own unique traditions and distinct cultural identity. The Beary community holds an important place among the other coastal Muslim communities, like Nawayath
Nawayath
The Nawayaths are a small Muslim community concentrated mostly in coastal Uttara Kannada. It is an ethnic society, having its own unique traditions and distinct cultural identity...
's of the North Kanara district, Mappilas (Moplahs) of the Malabar coast
Malabar Coast
The Malabar Coast is a long and narrow coastline on the south-western shore line of the mainland Indian subcontinent. Geographically, it comprises the wettest regions of southern India, as the Western Ghats intercept the moisture-laden monsoon rains, especially on their westward-facing mountain...
and Labbay
Labbay
Labbay, Labbai, Labba, Labbabeen is an Islamic community from southern India. A trading community spread through the southern states of Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka, Labbays follow either the Hanafi or Shafi'i school of Fiqh.-Identity and origins:Their name is derived from the...
of the Coromandel coast
Coromandel Coast
The Coromandel Coast is the name given to the southeastern coast of the Indian Subcontinent between Cape Comorin and False Divi Point...
.
Bearys incorporate the local Tulu culture of Dakshina Kannada
Dakshina Kannada
- Geography :The district geography consists of sea shore in the west and Western Ghats in the east. The major rivers are Netravathi, Kumaradhara, Phalguni, Shambhavi, Nandini or Pavanje and Payaswini which all join Arabian sea. Vast areas of evergreen forests which once covered this district, have...
and diverse traditions of the Moplahs of the Malabar coast
Malabar Coast
The Malabar Coast is a long and narrow coastline on the south-western shore line of the mainland Indian subcontinent. Geographically, it comprises the wettest regions of southern India, as the Western Ghats intercept the moisture-laden monsoon rains, especially on their westward-facing mountain...
. The Beary people are followers of Islam
Islam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
, and belong to the Shafi'i
Shafi'i
The Shafi'i madhhab is one of the schools of fiqh, or religious law, within the Sunni branch of Islam. The Shafi'i school of fiqh is named after Imām ash-Shafi'i.-Principles:...
school of Islamic jurisprudence, unlike North Indian Muslims who generally adhere to the Hanafi
Hanafi
The Hanafi school is one of the four Madhhab in jurisprudence within Sunni Islam. The Hanafi madhhab is named after the Persian scholar Abu Hanifa an-Nu‘man ibn Thābit , a Tabi‘i whose legal views were preserved primarily by his two most important disciples, Abu Yusuf and Muhammad al-Shaybani...
school. Since Bearys make up the majority of the Muslim population in the Dakshina Kannada district, the Muslim community is some times referred to as Bearys or Byaris by locals.
The Beary community of Dakshina Kannada or Tulunadu is one among the earliest Muslim inhabitants of India, with a clear history of more than 1350 years. One mosque was built in the Bunder area of Mangalore
Mangalore
Mangalore is the chief port city of the Indian state of Karnataka. It is located about west of the state capital, Bangalore. Mangalore lies between the Arabian Sea and the Western Ghat mountain ranges, and is the administrative headquarters of the Dakshina Kannada district in south western...
by Habeeb Bin Malik, an Arab Da'ee, in 644 A.D.
Etymology
Tulu language
The Tulu language |?]]]) is a Dravidian language spoken by 1.95 million native speakers mainly in the southwest part of Indian state Karnataka known as Tulu Nadu. In India, 1.72 million people speak it as their mother tongue , increased by 10 percent over the 1991 census...
word 'Byara' which means trade or business, as this community were primarily traders. Since the major portion of this community people were involved in business activities, the local Tulu
Tulu language
The Tulu language |?]]]) is a Dravidian language spoken by 1.95 million native speakers mainly in the southwest part of Indian state Karnataka known as Tulu Nadu. In India, 1.72 million people speak it as their mother tongue , increased by 10 percent over the 1991 census...
speaking majority called them as Beary or Byari.
According to the census of 1891 Dakshina Kannada had 92,449 Muslim businessmen consisting of 90,345 Bearys, 2,104 Nawayath
Nawayath
The Nawayaths are a small Muslim community concentrated mostly in coastal Uttara Kannada. It is an ethnic society, having its own unique traditions and distinct cultural identity...
s and 2,551 non-Muslims. Thus the district had total number of 95,000 individuals involved in business activities. Records proves that towards the close of 19th century percentage of Muslim traders in the district was as high as 97.3 and hence the local Tuluva
Tuluva
The Tuluva -Geographic Distribution :Though most of the Tuluva population is found in the Tulu Nadu region, migrant poplulations are found the world over. In recent times, the first period of migration started at the beginning of the 20th century to places such as Mumbai and Chennai and other...
s rightly named this community as Bearys.
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 Beary community had trade relations with Arab businessmen travelling to coastal South India
South India
South India is the area encompassing India's states of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu as well as the union territories of Lakshadweep and Pondicherry, occupying 19.31% of India's area...
, especially the coastline of Tulunadu and Malabar. Inscriptions are found in Barkur
Barkur
Barkur is a cluster of 3 villages [Hosala, Hanehalli, Kachoor] in Udupi district of the Karnataka state in South India. The place is located on the bank of river Seeta.-History:...
that proves the Arab trade links with Tulunadu.
Third theory says that the word Beary is derived from the root word Malabar. The great Islamic Da'ee, Malik bin Deenar
Malik Bin Deenar
Mālik bin Dīnār was a Tabi‘in. He is mentioned as a reliable traditionist, transmitting from such authorities as Malik ibn Anas and Ibn Sirin. He was the son of a Persian slave from Kabul who became a disciple of Hasan al-Basri...
had arrived on the coast of Malabar during the 6th 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
Mangalore
Mangalore is the chief port city of the Indian state of Karnataka. It is located about west of the state capital, Bangalore. Mangalore lies between the Arabian Sea and the Western Ghat mountain ranges, and is the administrative headquarters of the Dakshina Kannada district in south western...
and Barkur
Barkur
Barkur is a cluster of 3 villages [Hosala, Hanehalli, Kachoor] in Udupi district of the Karnataka state in South India. The place is located on the bank of river Seeta.-History:...
.
Geographic distribution
The Bearys constitute around 80 per cent of the Dakshina Kannada Muslims, others are scattered in the neighbouring districts of Chikmagalur, Shimoga, KodaguKodagu
Kodagu , also known by its anglicised former name of Coorg, is an administrative district in Karnataka, India. It occupies an area of in the Western Ghats of southwestern Karnataka. As of 2001, the population was 548,561, 13.74% of which resided in the district's urban centres, making it the least...
, Hassan
Hassan district
Hassan is a district in Karnataka state, India. The district headquarters are Hassan.Hassan district was the seat of the Hoysala Empire which at its peak ruled large parts of south India from Belur as its early capital and Halebidu as its later capital during the period 1000 - 1334 CE...
and Uttara Kannada
Uttara Kannada
Uttara Kannada also known as North Canara or North Kanara, is a district in the southern Indian state of Karnataka. It is bordered by the state of Goa and Belgaum District to the north, Dharwad District and Haveri District to the east, Shimoga District and Udupi District to the south and the...
. Mumbai
Mumbai
Mumbai , formerly known as Bombay in English, is the capital of the Indian state of Maharashtra. It is the most populous city in India, and the fourth most populous city in the world, with a total metropolitan area population of approximately 20.5 million...
and Goa
Goa
Goa , a former Portuguese colony, is India's smallest state by area and the fourth smallest by population. Located in South West India in the region known as the Konkan, it is bounded by the state of Maharashtra to the north, and by Karnataka to the east and south, while the Arabian Sea forms its...
also have a considerable Beary population. Also, a good number of Bearys are in the Persian Gulf States
Persian Gulf States
Persian Gulf States can refer to:* Countries in the Middle East bordering the Persian Gulf and sometimes known as the Gulf States: Bahrain, Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates....
of the Middle East
Middle East
The Middle East is a region that encompasses Western Asia and Northern Africa. It is often used as a synonym for Near East, in opposition to Far East...
doing a variety of jobs. Total number of Beary population is approximately 1.5 million distributed as described above.
History
Beary community has a history of more than 1,350 years with an ethnic identity and speaking its own dialect called Beary basheBeary bashe
Beary bashe is a dialect mainly spoken by the Muslim communities of Dakshina Kannada and Udupi districts of Karnataka known as Bearys and a small number of Hindus in the District of Kasargod in Kerala state....
or nakk-nikk, also known as beary palaka.
Bearys used to refer the area south of Mangalore
Mangalore
Mangalore is the chief port city of the Indian state of Karnataka. It is located about west of the state capital, Bangalore. Mangalore lies between the Arabian Sea and the Western Ghat mountain ranges, and is the administrative headquarters of the Dakshina Kannada district in south western...
as Maikala or Maikal which is in fact their culture and economic capital. According to historian B. A. Saletore, Maikala was an area in the southern part of Mangalore. It got its name through the Kadri Manjunath Temple
Kadri Manjunath Temple
The Kadri Manjunatha Temple located in Mangalore in the state of Karnataka, India, dates back to approximately 1068 The square temple built with nine water tanks, nestles at the foot of the highest hill at Kadri in Mangalore.-Description:...
, which earlier was a Buddhist temple. The Buddhist goddess Tara Bhagavathi was also known as Mayadevi. In course of time it came to be called as Maikala, or Maikal. Historians are of the opinion that Maikala is one of the ancient names of Mangalore
Mangalore
Mangalore is the chief port city of the Indian state of Karnataka. It is located about west of the state capital, Bangalore. Mangalore lies between the Arabian Sea and the Western Ghat mountain ranges, and is the administrative headquarters of the Dakshina Kannada district in south western...
. But today Maikala refers to the whole of Mangalore city covered by the Mangalore City Corporation.
Origin
The origin of the Beary community is still not much known; history reveals that there were many rich traders, from the coastal belt dealing with the traders of the Middle East through the Arabian Sea. ArabArab
Arab people, also known as Arabs , are a panethnicity primarily living in the Arab world, which is located in Western Asia and North Africa. They are identified as such on one or more of genealogical, linguistic, or cultural grounds, with tribal affiliations, and intra-tribal relationships playing...
merchants have been visiting the coast of Tulunadu for business purposes even before the time of Muhammad, the prophet of Islam.
Following the advent of Islam
Islam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
in the early stage in the land of Arabia, the polytheistic and pagan Arabs were attracted to the teachings of Qur'an, and Muhammad and adopted it in their daily life. The lofty values that Muhammad preached covered every walk of life including honesty in trade and transaction. Having embracing Islam, the Arabs adopted and practised these values in their economic activities. It is said that Arab Muslim
Muslim
A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...
traders who were visiting Tulunadu coast attracted the inhabitants to Islam by good behaviour in their contact, honesty in trade, discipline in dealings and peaceful religious and pious life within the doctrines of Islam. Thus the people of Tulunadu who were dealing with these Arab traders accepted their religion, Islam
Islam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
. At the same time as per Islamic teachings of spreading the message of Islam, these Arabs were also performing Da'wah in the coastal Tulunadu and Malabar area. Some Arab businessmen who travelled to Tulunadu coast also married the local women.
Da'wah
The first Muslim missionaries to Mangalore can be traced to Malik Bin DeenarMalik Bin Deenar
Mālik bin Dīnār was a Tabi‘in. He is mentioned as a reliable traditionist, transmitting from such authorities as Malik ibn Anas and Ibn Sirin. He was the son of a Persian slave from Kabul who became a disciple of Hasan al-Basri...
, an Arab trader said to be the kith and kin of Sahaba
Sahaba
In Islam, the ' were the companions, disciples, scribes and family of the Islamic prophet...
(companions of Prophet Muhammad
Muhammad
Muhammad |ligature]] at U+FDF4 ;Arabic pronunciation varies regionally; the first vowel ranges from ~~; the second and the last vowel: ~~~. There are dialects which have no stress. In Egypt, it is pronounced not in religious contexts...
). He is said to have visited Malabar and landed near Manjeshwar
Manjeshwar
Manjeshwara is the northern tip of Kerala, bordering Karnataka. It is a small coastal village in Kasaragod district in the Indian state of Kerala. It is 21 km from Mangalore town...
in the northern Malabar coast. He constructed the first mosque
Mosque
A mosque is a place of worship for followers of Islam. The word is likely to have entered the English language through French , from Portuguese , from Spanish , and from Berber , ultimately originating in — . The Arabic word masjid literally means a place of prostration...
in Kasargod, the Malik Dinar Mosque
Malik Dinar Mosque
Malik Dinar Mosque is a historical mosque in Kasargod district of Kerala state, south India. Over the years, Kasargod acquired the considerable importance as a centre of Islam on the west coast. It is the site of one of the mosques believed to have been founded by Malik Ibn Dinar...
(where his shrine is still present). Also the Masjid Zeenath Baksh popularly known as Jumma Masjid or beliye palli, in Bunder area is said to have been established in Mangalore by Habeeb bin Malik in 644 A.D. and the first Qadhi (Qazi) appointed was Hazarath Moosa Bin Malik, son of Malik Bin Abdullah. Records reveal this Mosque was inaugurated on Friday the 22nd of the month of Jumadil Awwal (fifth month of Islamic Calendar) in 22 of Hijri
Islamic calendar
The Hijri calendar , also known as the Muslim calendar or Islamic calendar , is a lunar calendar consisting of 12 lunar months in a year of 354 or 355 days. It is used to date events in many Muslim countries , and used by Muslims everywhere to determine the proper day on which to celebrate Islamic...
(644
644
Year 644 was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Julian calendar. The denomination 644 for this year has been used since the early medieval period, when the Anno Domini calendar era became the prevalent method in Europe for naming years.- Asia :* The Tang dynasty of China begins the invasion...
).
Other sources
There are several documents available which prove that at least 90 years prior to the invasion of Muhammad bin QasimMuhammad bin Qasim
Muhammad bin Qasim Al-Thaqafi was a Umayyad general who, at the age of 17, began the conquest of the Sindh and Punjab regions along the Indus River for the Umayyad Caliphate. He was born in the city of Taif...
in North India
North India
North India, known natively as Uttar Bhārat or Shumālī Hindustān , is a loosely defined region in the northern part of India. The exact meaning of the term varies by usage...
, Arab Muslim businessmen were thriving in the south. This proves Islam was prevalent in South India much before Muslim invaders came to North India. These facts are available in a research document Mykal, written by Ahmed Noori
Ahmed Noori
Ahmed Noori, aka Abu Raihan Ahmed Noori, is a prominent writer and journalist who belongs to the Beary community of Mangalore in Dakshina Kannada in South India....
, who conducted a research on the Beary community way back in 1960.
Noori disputes the claim that the first Muslims came to India along with Alauddin Khilji
Alauddin Khilji
Ali Gurshap Khan better known by his titular name as Sultan Ala-ud-din Khilji was the second ruler of the Turko-Afghan Khilji dynasty in India.He was a well and capable ruler. He belonged to the Afghanized Turkic tribe of the Khiljis...
between 1296-1316 AD and points out that according to renowned historian, Henry Miers Elliot
Henry Miers Elliot
Sir Henry Miers Elliot was an Indian civil servant and historian.Elliot was the third son, one of the fifteen children, of John Elliot, colonel commandant of the Westminster volunteers, by a daughter of John Coakley Lettsom, M.D...
, (The History of India as told by its own Historians
The History of India as told by its own Historians
The History of India, as Told by Its Own Historians. The Muhammadan Period is a book with eight volumes written by H. M. Elliot and edited by John Dowson. The book was published in 1867-1877 in London. It is a well-known and reputed reference work for the history of medieval India. Despite being...
, 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 claims the first Arab Muslims
Arab Muslims
Arab Muslims are adherents of the religion of Islam who identify linguistically, culturally, or genealogically as Arabs. They greatly outnumber other ethnic groups in the Middle East. Muslims who are not Arabs are called mawali by 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
Malabar Coast
The Malabar Coast is a long and narrow coastline on the south-western shore line of the mainland Indian subcontinent. Geographically, it comprises the wettest regions of southern India, as the Western Ghats intercept the moisture-laden monsoon rains, especially on their westward-facing mountain...
during the 7th century. Ahmed Noori has quoted these and other sources to validate his argument that the Muslim settlers came to India much before the invaders came to North India.
Dr. Susheela P. Upadhyaya, a research scholar in Beary bashe
Beary bashe
Beary bashe is a dialect mainly spoken by the Muslim communities of Dakshina Kannada and Udupi districts of Karnataka known as Bearys and a small number of Hindus in the District of Kasargod in Kerala state....
and Beary folklore is 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. History also reveals that during the rule of Banga and Chowta
Chowta
Chowta is a common surname of the Bunt people of Karnataka and Kerala, India. It is also the name of the Jain Bunt dynasty who ruled certain parts of the Tulu Nadu region for several centuries.They initially ruled from their capital at Ullal,then moved it to Puthige.The descendants of the chowta...
dynasty in 16th century Beary men have served as seamen in the naval force. The Chowta dynasty queen, Rani Abbakka had personally supervised the construction of dam at Malali
Malali
Malali is a village in the state of Karnataka, India.Malali is famous because the king maker of Gowda called Pradeepa B was born in malali It is located in the K R Nagar taluk of Mysore district in Karnataka.-Demographics:...
, she had appointed Bearys for boulders work.
An ancient historical work - Keralolpathi
Keralolpathi
The Keralolpathi is a Malayalam work that deals with the origin of the land of Kerala. Shungunny Menon ascribes the authorship of this work to Thunchaththu Ramanujan Ezhuthachan, a 17th century scholar of the Malabar region of India. The Keralolpathi is mostly an expansion from an earlier Sanskrit...
- reveals that a king of Malabar, Cheraman Perumal
Cheraman Perumal
Rama Varman Kulashekhara was the last King of the Later Chera Dynasty and the first ruler of the independent Venad state from 1102 A.D to 1122 A.D, according to the Rameswarathukoil Inscription. Kotha Varman Marthandam succeeded him as the ruler of Venad.-The end of the Chera dynasty:Rama Varman...
, embraced Islam during the very beginning days of advent of Islam in the Arab land. Thus the Arabs had royal patronage to practice and propagate Islam in 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 from the down trodden section of society embraced Islam and assumed better social status as Muslims.
The Portuguese lost their dominance during the rule of Hyder Ali
Hyder Ali
Hyder Ali was the de facto ruler of the Kingdom of Mysore in southern India. Born Hyder Naik, he distinguished himself militarily, eventually drawing the attention of Mysore's rulers...
and Tippu Sultan in Mysore. During this period the Beary Muslims again received royal patronage and intensified their sea trade activities.
Participation in the freedom struggle
The Bearys of the coast actively participated in the Indian freedom struggle against Portugal and British colonialism. There were a number of Beary men served in the naval force, and also as soldiers and military commanders in the army of brave queen of ChowtaChowta
Chowta is a common surname of the Bunt people of Karnataka and Kerala, India. It is also the name of the Jain Bunt dynasty who ruled certain parts of the Tulu Nadu region for several centuries.They initially ruled from their capital at Ullal,then moved it to Puthige.The descendants of the chowta...
dynasty, Rani Abbakka who ruled in Ullal
Ullal
Ullāḷ is a panchayat town in Dakshina Kannada district in the Indian state of Karnataka. It is a small town about 8–10 km south of Mangalore close to the border between the two southern states of Karnataka and Kerala. It comprises two revenue villages, Ullal and Parmannur, in Mangalore Taluk...
region. The Bearys had also joined the army of Nawab Hyder Ali and Tipu Sultan
Tipu Sultan
Tipu Sultan , also known as the Tiger of Mysore, was the de facto ruler of the Kingdom of Mysore. He was the son of Hyder Ali, at that time an officer in the Mysorean army, and his second wife, Fatima or Fakhr-un-Nissa...
of Mysore. Historians and researchers have enlisted famous Beary personalities who participated in the freedom struggle of India. Many such freedom fighters were imprisoned by British and few died during imprisonment.
A sixteenth century Arabic work of Malabar, Tuhfah al Mujahideen or Tuhafat Ul Mujahideen
Tuhafat Ul Mujahideen
-Kerala History Text of 16th Century:A famous text book of history by the 16th-century Malayali Shaikh Zainuddin MakhdoomShaykh Zainuddin Makhdum’s “Tuhfat al-Mujahidin” is a pioneering historical work dealing with the struggles of the Malabar Muslims against the Portuguese incursion in India...
compiled by Shaikh Zainuddin Makhdoom II (grand son of Shaikh Zainuddin Makhdoom
Zainuddin Makhdoom
-Zainudden Makhdoom II The Jurist:The famous author of Fat'h Ul Mueen, the Arabic text book on Shafi'i school of Fiqh or Islamic jurisprudence. It was taught in the some of the most renowned Islamic Universities such as Al Azhar-Zainudden Makhdoom I The historian:...
I) had motivated Malabar Muslims which had influence on Bearys of the Tulunadu as well to fight the foreign invaders. Thus the Bearys had actively participated in the freedom struggle against Portugal and British rule.
Language
The dialect spoken by Beary(Byaris), is known as Beary Bashe.While Muslims of Uttara Kannada, called Nawayath
Nawayath
The Nawayaths are a small Muslim community concentrated mostly in coastal Uttara Kannada. It is an ethnic society, having its own unique traditions and distinct cultural identity...
s, speak a dialect of Konkani
Konkani language
KonkaniKonkani is a name given to a group of several cognate dialects spoken along the narrow strip of land called Konkan, on the west coast of India. This is, however, somewhat an over-generalisation. Geographically, Konkan is defined roughly as the area between the river Damanganga to the north...
and Mappila
Mappila
Mappila or Moplah refers to a Muslim community of Kerala, primarily in the northern region called Malabar, which arose in Malabar as a result of the pre and post Islamic Arab contacts. Significant numbers of the community are also present in the southern districts of Karnataka and western parts of...
s of Kerala speak Malayalam (Mappila Malayalam), Bearys spoke a language made of Malayalam idioms with Tulu phonology and grammar.
This dialect was traditionally known as Mappila Malayalam because of Bearys close contact with Mappilas.
Due to vast influence of Tulu
Tulu language
The Tulu language |?]]]) is a Dravidian language spoken by 1.95 million native speakers mainly in the southwest part of Indian state Karnataka known as Tulu Nadu. In India, 1.72 million people speak it as their mother tongue , increased by 10 percent over the 1991 census...
for centuries, it is today considered as a language, close to Malayalam and Tulu.
Beary bashe is largely influenced by Arabic language. Most of the Bearys especially in coastal area still use a lot of Bearified Arabic words during their daily transaction. Saan, Pinhana, Gubboosu, Dabboosu, Pattir, Rakkasi, Seintaan, Kayeen, are the few words used in Beary bashe
Beary bashe
Beary bashe is a dialect mainly spoken by the Muslim communities of Dakshina Kannada and Udupi districts of Karnataka known as Bearys and a small number of Hindus in the District of Kasargod in Kerala state....
that has its roots in Arabic language. Beary Bashe also have words related to Tamil
Tamil language
Tamil is a Dravidian language spoken predominantly by Tamil people of the Indian subcontinent. It has official status in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu and in the Indian union territory of Pondicherry. Tamil is also an official language of Sri Lanka and Singapore...
and Malayalam. Tamil and Malayalam Speakers can understand Beary by 75%.
World Beary Convention
The World Beary Convention was held 2006 in Dubai under the banner World Beary Sammelana & Chammana 2006.The word Chammana stands for felicitation. Since the organizers felicitated a few Beary dignitaries during this world convention held in Dubai, UAE, the convention is called World Beary Sammelana & Chammana 2006. The Convention was also attended by several dignitaries which included Dr.B.K.Yusuf, President/Patron of Karnataka Sangha, Dubai, M.B. Abdul Rahiman, Renowned Lawyer and Notary, Syed Beary, Managing Director, Bearys Group, B.M. Farooque, Managing Director, Fiza Group, Shiraj Haji. Director Universal Export Tradeways. S.M. Syed Khalil, Galadai Group, Dubai, M.B. Noor Mohamed, MD. Fakruddin, Managing Director, Ajmal Group, Mel, Abdul Jaleel, Abdussalam Puthige
Abdussalam Puthige
Abdussalam Puthige is currently the Editor-in-Chief of Varthabharathi, a Kannada daily that publishes from south Indian coastal city Mangalore and Karnataka's capital Bangalore. The first issue of Vartha Bharathi hit the news stands on 29 August 2003 from Mangalore...
, Editor in Chief, Varthabharathi
Varthabharathi
VarathabharathiAlso spelled as Vartha Baharathi or Vaartha Bhaarathi, is a daily Newspaper published from Mangalore and Bangalore....
Kannada Daily, Haju Jamalluddin, Chairman, Crescent School, Shamshudeen, P.T. Abdul Rahiman, General Secretary of Indian Islamic Centre, T.S. Shettigar, Jamalludin, Apsara Group, Dr. Viquar Azeem, Dr. Azad Moopen, Ganesh Rai, M.K. Madhavan, Kumar, Indian Association Dubai, Kanukaran Shetty, President Hotel, Prabhakar, KOD, K.P. Ahmed, Yaseen Malpe etc. Some Beary dignitaries have been facilitated during the convention.
World Beary Convention & Chammana 2010
A 2 day event World Beary Convention & Mega Cultural Event - Chammana 2010 held during 2 and 3 April 2010 at Zabil Ball Room, Radisson Blu Hotel, Creek Side, Dubai. During this convention Beary Personality of the year 2010 award was given to Mr. Mumtaz Ali, and Star of Bearys award for the year 2010 was conferred on Zakariya Bajpe.Media of the Year award was jointly awarded to Varthabharathi
Varthabharathi
VarathabharathiAlso spelled as Vartha Baharathi or Vaartha Bhaarathi, is a daily Newspaper published from Mangalore and Bangalore....
a renowned Kannada daily (published from Mangalore and Bangalore) and Daijiworld.com, a web based newsportal, for their contribution towards media. Abdussalam Puthige
Abdussalam Puthige
Abdussalam Puthige is currently the Editor-in-Chief of Varthabharathi, a Kannada daily that publishes from south Indian coastal city Mangalore and Karnataka's capital Bangalore. The first issue of Vartha Bharathi hit the news stands on 29 August 2003 from Mangalore...
, on behalf of Varta Bharti, and representatives of Daijiworld received the award from Mr. C. M. Ibrahim, Former Union Minister.
Media activities
This community people have played a vital role in the media activities of Tulunadu or Dakshina Kannada district. Apart from publishing a lot of books in Beary bashe and Kannada, Bearys have also brought out periodicals, magazines and newspapers. Some of such works are now a history but some are running todate with good reputation. Very recently Beary community people have also launched an online news portal: coastaldigest dot com.List of periodicals brought out by Bearys
| No. | Name | Editor/Printer/Publisher/Owner |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jyothi | Kamal Hyder(editor) owner(Mohammed sherule) |
| 2 | Swatantra Bharata | Kamal Hyder |
| 3 | Antaranga | Kamal Hyder |
| 4 | Human Affairs | Kamal Hyder |
| 5 | Hamdard | Raheem Ahmad |
| 6 | Sadakat Post | Raheem Ahmad |
| 7 | Udaya Chandra | F.H. Odeyar |
| 8 | Nawa Shakti | B.M.A. Rafeeq |
| 9 | Shanti Sandesh | Dr. M.M. Salih |
| 10 | Divya Vani | C.K. Hussain |
| 11 | Musalman | C.K. Hussain |
| 12 | Millat | A.T.M. Shafi |
| 13 | Hilal | A.T.M. Shafi |
| 14 | Amaanat | Abdul Raheem Haji |
| 15 | Agni | K.H. Hussain Mulki |
| 16 | Bhooloka | Abdullah Belthangady |
| 17 | Himmat | Ibrahim Kareem |
| 18 | Ananta | M.A. Raheem |
| 19 | Apsara | Dr. Wahab Doddamane |
| 20 | Shikshakara Vani | J.M. Mohammed Master |
| 21 | Dharma Vani | Hameed Kandak |
| 22 | Popular | Hameed Kandak |
| 23 | Nawaneet | Muhsin Haji Caup |
| 24 | Al Misbah | Dr. K.M. Shah Musliyar |
| 25 | Aalamul Huda | Dr. K.M. Shah Musliyar |
| 26 | Sarala Patha | Dr. K.M. Shah Musliyar |
| 27 | Sandesha | Abu Raihan Ahmed Noori |
| 28 | Kitaab | Abu Raihan Ahmed Noori |
| 29 | The Message | Abu Raihan Ahmed Noori |
| 30 | Mesco Varthe | Abul Hasan Muhammad Moulavi |
| 31 | AL Miftaah | B.M. Mohammed Mangalanti |
| 32 | Al Muneer | Saletore Aboobaker Faizi |
| 33 | Al Ihsan | Mohammed Ullal |
| 34 | Tawa Nidhi | Prof. B.M. Ichlangod |
| 35 | Media Times | Prof. B.M. Ichlangod |
| 36 | Sanmarga Sanmarga Sanmarga also known as Sanmarga Weekly is a weekly Kannada magazine published from Mangalore. A Mangalorean intellectual, Ibrahim Saeed is the founder editor of Sanmarga Weekly who founded the weekly in 1979.... |
Ibrahim Saeed Ibrahim Saeed Ibrahim Saeed [alternative spelling for second name, Sayeed, ] was the founder editor of Sanmarga, a Kannada weekly published from Mangalore. Ibrahim Saeed was a senior journalist and had served Sanmarga for three decades as editor until he was given the office of state president of Jamat-e-Isalmi... |
| 37 | Anupama | M. Sadullah |
| 38 | Al Ansar | Haji Ibrahim Bawa http://www.flickr.com/photos/31700872@N04/ |
| 39 | Moilanji | Hamza Malar |
| 40 | Pavitra Sandesha | ([Karnataka Salafi Association]http://www.ksajonline.com) |
| 41 | Mustaqeem | (Eden Publication) |
| 42 | Hi Puttur | Mittur Hameed Kandak |
| 43 | Isha Patrike | Ismail Shafi |
| 44 | AL Aqsa | T.M. Haneef Maulavi |
| 45 | Puttur Mitra | Ibbatulla Kadaba |
| 46 | Pushpa Mandaara | Aziz Bajpe |
| 47 | Asar Vani | Aziz Bajpe |
| 48 | Jana Vahini | K.M. Khaid |
| 49 | Hoodota | A.C.M. Saletore |
| 50 | Firdous | M.E Mohammed |
| 51 | Hasiru Bhoomi | T.H. Ibrahim Musliyar |
| 52 | Al Qamar | Shareef Moodabidri |
| 53 | Kodagu Kesari | B.A. Shamsuddin |
| 54 | Janadesha Patrike | U. Muhammad Nazeer |
| 55 | Nawa Keerti | B.M. Iddinabba |
| 56 | Karawali Maruta | Iqbal Ahmed Kuthar |
| 57 | Encounter | Iqbal Ahmed Kuthar |
| 58 | Eye Special News | Iqbal Ahmed Kuthar |
| 59 | Lathi Charge | Ismail Moodushedde |
| 60 | Hello Mangalooru | Raheem Uchil |
| 61 | Noble Universe | B.M. Haneef |
| 62 | Islam and Science | S.E. Abdul Rahman |
| 63 | The Islamic Guidance | M Anwar Bajpe |
| 64 | Payaswini Sullia | M.B.M. Madani |
| 65 | Sunni Sndesha | K.M.S. Faizi |
| 66 | Baala Sandesha | K.M.S. Faizi |
| 67 | Samyukta Prabha | Mohammed Rafi |
| 68 | Beary | Akbar Ullal |
| 69 | Utkarsha | Akbar Ullal |
| 70 | Beary Varthe | Basheer Baikampady |
| 71 | Beary Times | Kuwainda Hamzatullah |
| 72 | Kittale Naadu | Kuwainda Hamzatullah |
| 73 | Pernal | Umer U.H. |
| 74 | Indian News | A.S. Anduka |
| 75 | Special News | Bawa Padrangi |
| 76 | Varthabharathi Varthabharathi VarathabharathiAlso spelled as Vartha Baharathi or Vaartha Bhaarathi, is a daily Newspaper published from Mangalore and Bangalore.... (:kn:ವಾತಾ೯ ಭಾರತಿ) |
Abdussalam Puthige Abdussalam Puthige Abdussalam Puthige is currently the Editor-in-Chief of Varthabharathi, a Kannada daily that publishes from south Indian coastal city Mangalore and Karnataka's capital Bangalore. The first issue of Vartha Bharathi hit the news stands on 29 August 2003 from Mangalore... |
| 77 | Mesco Varthe | Moulavi Abul Hasan |
| 78 | Sirathe musthaqeem | Da'wa Publications http://www.ksajonline.com |
Some of these periodicals are still being published and reaching to the hands of a sizable population of Tulunadu and other adjacent districts and to the Persian Gulf States.
Culture
The Bearys have a distinct culture different from other Muslim communities. The marriage customs of the Bearys seem to be a mix of the Tulu and Moplah customs along with some distinct customs of their own. Bearys do not follow the matrilineal tradition, unlike the Moplahs. Curiously, the Bearys until recently followed a custom known as the GotraGotra
In the Hindu society, the term Gotra broadly refers to people who are descendants in an unbroken male line from a common male ancestor. Panini defines gotra for grammatical purposes as apatyam pautraprabhrti gotram , which means "the word gotra denotes the progeny beginning with the son's son"...
or illam, which resembles the Bunt
Bunt
A bunt is a special type of offensive technique in baseball or fastpitch softball. In a bunt play, the batter loosely holds the bat in front of the plate and intentionally taps the ball into play.- Bunting technique :...
bali custom. Though Islam is basically patriarchal, illam, influenced by the Tulu culture, has matriarchal tendencies. Marriage between people belonging to the same illam (comparable to the gotra) was not encouraged. People identified with an illam were known as talakkar. And people of low castes who converted to Islam were identified as tala illatavaru. A similar illam system with the same name illam is strigently being practiced by some Brahmin families in Kerala. Those are basically Tulu Brahmins and are hailing from Tulunadu. In Tulu language word illu stands for house. So it is evident that illam system observed by Beary people is taken from the local Tulunadu culture. In the recent days, as this community has come closer to the original teachings of the religion they follow, Islam, this illam system has vanished from the day to day life of Bearys.
The marriage of the Bearys is considered to be a pointer to their prosperity. Marriage celebration is normally spread over three days, starting with Moilanji (henna
Henna
Henna is a flowering plant used since antiquity to dye skin, hair, fingernails, leather and wool. The name is also used for dye preparations derived from the plant, and for the art of temporary tattooing based on those dyes...
tattooing) at the bride's house a day before the marriage (close relatives and friends are invited) and an Islamic-style Nikah
Nikah
Marriage in Islam is an Islamic prenuptial contract between a man and woman to live as husband and wife. It is a formal, binding contract considered integral to a religiously valid Islamic marriage, and outlines the rights and responsibilities of the groom and bride involved in marriage proceedings...
known as Kayeen is performed at the groom’s place on the day of the marriage. A garland exchange between Bride and groom is also part of Beary marriage which is an adoption from Tulu culture. The dowry
Dowry
A dowry is the money, goods, or estate that a woman brings forth to the marriage. It contrasts with bride price, which is paid to the bride's parents, and dower, which is property settled on the bride herself by the groom at the time of marriage. The same culture may simultaneously practice both...
system is still quite prevalent among most Bearys.
Modern marriages of most of the families are arranged in community halls with large number of invitees including relatives and community members.
Paunaraga of Maikala
Before the advent of the PortuguesePortugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
, Maikala or Mangalore
Mangalore
Mangalore is the chief port city of the Indian state of Karnataka. It is located about west of the state capital, Bangalore. Mangalore lies between the Arabian Sea and the Western Ghat mountain ranges, and is the administrative headquarters of the Dakshina Kannada district in south western...
was one of the main centers of Jains
Jainism
Jainism is an Indian religion that prescribes a path of non-violence towards all living beings. Its philosophy and practice emphasize the necessity of self-effort to move the soul towards divine consciousness and liberation. Any soul that has conquered its own inner enemies and achieved the state...
with many Jain Muts, Basadis and also palaces. Especially the Bunder area Maikala was dominated by rich Jain houses. The Jains who enjoyed economical and social status maintained a system known as Jaina Beedu, which literally means Jain House.
Later when these Jains embraced Islam, they still maintained this Beedu system as status symbol. Beedu can be translated in Beary bashe as Aga which means House. The Paunar Aga or Paunaraga - which literally means sixteen houses - of high status are:
| 1. Kachman Aga | 2. Beliye Ballal Aga | 3. Cheriye Ballal Aga | 4. Beedhire Ballal Aga |
| 5. Pandiol Aga | 6. Chettra Aga / Bandassale Aga | 7. Kozhikkan Aga | 8. Bawukana Aga |
| 9. Moosarikana Aga | 10. Beliyabbaka Aga | 11. Sayirikana Aga | 12. Khayirikana Aga |
| 13. Bubakana Aga | 14. Asakhana Aga | 15. Siyalikhana Aga | 16. Getre Aga |
These houses enjoyed supreme social status amongst Bearys throughout 19th century and treated other Bearys as second class citizens. The people belonging to these houses were identified as Agakkar which means the People of the House. The history of these houses is short lived glory that these houses enjoyed socially and economically. Many of the social customs that the people of Paunaraga observed were special to them and had no roots in Islam.
Thus the lifestyle of Agakkar of Beary community was largely influenced by Jains. Most of the ornaments used by Agakkar was of Jain pattern and had Jain names. Kharjana is the jewel box used by both Jains and Bearys. Today the people of Paunaraga or Agakkar have lost their social and economic status but some of the houses still remain in Bunder area. Their surnames tell the glory once they enjoyed.
Next to Agakkar comes Taalakkar and then Taala-illatavar. All these system the Bearys maintained in the olden days which they inherited from local people. However these systems are vanished with the advent of Islamic literature of late.
Some peculiar names of Bearys
Usually Muslim community people name their children which has Arabic roots. But olden day Bearys had some strange names which are not seen anywhere else in the Muslim world. Although those peculiar names are now vanishing, here are some such examples:Kayiri, Sayiri, Sayirabba, Cheyya, Cheyyabba,
Saunhi, Kayinhi, Sekunhi, Baduva,
Mayabba, Puthabba, Hammabba, Cheyyabba, Ijjabba,
Kunha, Kunhi, Bava, Bavunhi, Kunhibavu, Puttubavu
Unha, Unhi, Unhimon,
Iddinabba, Podiya, Podimonu,
Pallikunhi, Kunhipalli, Kidavaka, Abbu, Abbonu, Chakaka,Addiyaka (Addi), Pudiyampule
List of the Books related to Beary culture
| No. | Title | Author |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Muslims in Dakshina Kannada | Dr. A. Wahab Doddamane |
| 2 | English - Kannada - Beary: dictionary* | Dr. A. Wahab Doddamane |
| 3 | Maikala* | Abu Raihan Ahmed Noori |
| 4 | Beary bashe matthu Jaanapada Kathegalu* | Dr. Susheela Upadhyaya |
| 5 | Tulunada Muslimaru* | Prof. B.M. Ichlangod |
| 6 | Moilaanji* | Hamza Malar |
| 7 | Beary Muslimaru | Hamza Malar |
- *These books are available at the largest library in the world, the Library of CongressLibrary of CongressThe Library of Congress is the research library of the United States Congress, de facto national library of the United States, and the oldest federal cultural institution in the United States. Located in three buildings in Washington, D.C., it is the largest library in the world by shelf space and...
at Washington, D.C.Washington, D.C.Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
, USA.
Marriage
In olden days Bearys used to hold ceremonial marriage functions. Its prodigality some times remained for a full year. Pomp and flaunting rituals and dinner parties some times made some wealthy families victim of bankruptcy. Most of these customs and rituals were against the teachings of IslamIslam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
, the religion of Bearys. There is no evidence for dowry system in the olden day Beary marriages but a lot of customs inherited from the local Tuluva
Tuluva
The Tuluva -Geographic Distribution :Though most of the Tuluva population is found in the Tulu Nadu region, migrant poplulations are found the world over. In recent times, the first period of migration started at the beginning of the 20th century to places such as Mumbai and Chennai and other...
communities living in Tulunadu has been found.
Marriage in Beary bashe
Beary bashe
Beary bashe is a dialect mainly spoken by the Muslim communities of Dakshina Kannada and Udupi districts of Karnataka known as Bearys and a small number of Hindus in the District of Kasargod in Kerala state....
is known as Mangila. A lot of ceremonial rituals related to Beary Mangila which once was an essential part of nuptials today vanishing. Keli kekre, Naal kuri, Bethale beikre, Varappu, Moilanji, Kayeen, Beett, Birnd, Oppane, Kaikottu patt, Appathe mangila – all these are related to Mangila or the Beary marriage.
Madrasah education system
Although this community is backward in modern education, it still has successfully achieved 100% literacy rate due to prevailing Madrasa education system. All the Beary children are sent to MadrasahMadrasah
Madrasah is the Arabic word for any type of educational institution, whether secular or religious...
(Arabic: مدرسة) which is managed and run by the community that imparts religious education. All such Madrasahs are affiliated to Samastha Board which conducts well organized public examination for 5th, 7th and 10 grade students. Visiting inspectors called Mufattish are appointed to inspect the quality of education in Madrasahs. For administrative purposes divisions have been made as range, area, taluq and district. The teachers are qualified in Arabic language
Arabic language
Arabic is a name applied to the descendants of the Classical Arabic language of the 6th century AD, used most prominently in the Quran, the Islamic Holy Book...
and religious education are known as Mu’allim and students as Muta’allim. The Madrasahs do use a centralized syllabus prepared by the Samstha Board and media of instruction is now shifted to Kannada from traditional Arabic based Malayalam called Arabi-Malayalam – a special language that uses Arabic script and Malayalam phonetics.
Mundu, Chatte and Toppi is the preferred uniform for boys in Madrasas. Girls do wear a long gown with a head-dress known as yalasara. But today this traditional dress pattern is vanishing. Boys are going for shirt - trousers and girls are adopting Churidar
Churidar
Churidars , or more properly churidar pyjamas , are tightly fitting trousers worn by both men and women in South Asia and Central Asia. Churidars are a variant of the common salwar pants. Salwars are cut wide at the top and narrow at the ankle. Churidars narrow more quickly, so that contours of the...
s and Salwar kameez style.
In those villages where there is no separate building facility available to run Madrasas independently, this education is however imparted in the mosques it self. Thus mosques some time do play the role of Madrasas in many Beary dominant villages.
Apart from Samstha Board many other educational institutions also have been surfaced lately. The Salafi
Salafi
A Salafi come from Sunni Islam is a follower of an Islamic movement, Salafiyyah, that is supposed to take the Salaf who lived during the patristic period of early Islam as model examples...
group has established their own Madrasahs throughout Dakshina Kannada
Dakshina Kannada
- Geography :The district geography consists of sea shore in the west and Western Ghats in the east. The major rivers are Netravathi, Kumaradhara, Phalguni, Shambhavi, Nandini or Pavanje and Payaswini which all join Arabian sea. Vast areas of evergreen forests which once covered this district, have...
district. Salafis also have started separate religious schools exclusively for girls in Ullal. Jamat-e-Islami is now running an exclusive college for girls in Deralakatte
Deralakatte
Deralakatte is a village on the outskirts of Mangalooru city in Dakshina Kannada district of Karnataka state in India. It was a hillock with a minor population many years ago. It is on the way to Mangalore University, Konaje from the heart of Mangalore city...
province. There are several other schools managed by Bearys which are aimed at providing both modern and religious education simultaneously to the children.
Attire
The Beary attire is different from that of other south Indian community. Men wear a traditional white muslin turban and a Rani-mark belt (wide, green in colour) at the waist, with long full sleeve white shirts (known as Chatte) and bleached munduMundu
The mundu is a garment worn around the waist in Dakshina Kannada district of Karnataka, Kerala and Maldives. This garment is closely related to the Dhoti, Sarong, and Lungi. In South Kanara, a district of Karnataka state, the Tulu speaking folk and Beary community also wear the mundu. It is...
. MS belle mundu and Moulana mark Kambai is also among traditional outfit of Bearys. Today due to a cultural shift young Bearys have adopted a shirt-trouser pattern.
Beary women are traditionally clad in three pieces of clothes, viz, tuni, kuppaya and yalasara. While going out the Beary women took a long rectangle blanket, known as valli, a sort of veil to cover entire body. If two women want to go out together they would use a joduvalli (double veil). Surprisingly Valli of Beary bashe and Veil of English language have similarity in pronunciation and convey the same meaning. Thus it demands an etymological research into these words.
Today, different varieties of burqa
Burqa
A burqa is an enveloping outer garment worn by women in some Islamic religion to cover their bodies in public places. The burqa is usually understood to be the woman's loose body-covering , plus the head-covering , plus the face-veil .-Etymology:A speculative and unattested etymology...
or Abaya
Abaya
The abaya "cloak" , sometimes also called an aba, is a simple, loose over-garment, essentially a robe-like dress, worn by some women in parts of the Islamic world including in Turkey, North Africa and the Arabian Peninsula....
have replaced the traditional valli. Hence Beary women now wear a black over-coat known as Burqa or Abaya while going out. The Abaya or Burqa is more like a business suit for a Beary woman while she is out of home. Many exclusive Arabic pattern Abaya shops have also emerged with commercial interest.
Ornaments
The beary women has excessive love for ornaments and uses it on every possible occasion such as Mangila, Sunnat Mangila, Appate Mangila, Birnd, Moilanji and other social gatherings. There were different types of ornaments used by beary community in past which is at the verge of vanishing today due to the cultural invasion and urbanization. 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.- Head ornaments: Tale singara, Tirupi, Kedage, Jadepalle, Nera Nilaavu, Chauri
- Ear ornaments: Alikat, Kett Alikat, Illi Alikat, Kuduki, Bendole, Lolak, Voli,Jalara,Koppubalsara, Vale
- Neck ornaments: Misri male, Sara, Naklees, Bandi male, Minni male, Nalchuttu male
- Wrist ornaments: Cheth Bale, Alsande bale, Kett bale, Yeduru bale, Sorage Bale, Kadaga
- Waist ornaments: Aranjana, Arepatti
- Finger ornaments: Modara, Kallre modara
- Feet ornaments: Kunipu, Kal sarapali, Chein
Festivals
Eid ul-Fitr
Eid ul-Fitr, Eid al-Fitr, Id-ul-Fitr, or Id al-Fitr , often abbreviated to Eid, is a Muslim holiday that marks the end of Ramadan, the Islamic holy month of fasting . Eid is an Arabic word meaning "festivity," while Fiṭr means "breaking the fast"...
and Eid ul-Adha
Eid ul-Adha
Eid al-Adha or "Festival of Sacrifice" or "Greater Eid" is an important religious holiday celebrated by Muslims worldwide to commemorate the willingness of Abraham to sacrifice his son Ishmael as an act of obedience to God, before God intervened to provide him with a sheep— to sacrifice...
(also known as Bakrid) are celebrated. Special Eid prayer
Eid Prayer
The Eid prayer was prescribed in the first year after the hijra. It is Wajib and Muhammad always performed these prayers.-Procedure:...
is offered during these two occasions. Mangalore city has a centralised Eidgah
Eidgah
Eidgah or Idgah is an open-air mosque usually outside the city to perform Eid ul-Fitr and Eid al-Adha salah.It was a practice of Prophet Muhammad to perform Eid Salaah in Eidgah at the outskirts of the city...
in Bavuta Gudda where congregational special prayers or Salat al Eid
Salat al Eid
Salat al Eid also known as Salat al Eidain is the special prayer offered to commemorate two Islamic festivals. Both the Eids are collectively known as Eidain in Arabic language...
is held. The Eidgah of Mangalore city has a mosque which is said to have been built by then Mysore ruler Tipu Sultan towards the close of eighteenth century. Usually in the central Eidgah the Qadhi leads the Eid prayer and delivers Khutba
Khutba
Khutbah serves as the primary formal occasion for public preaching in the Islamic tradition.Such sermons occur regularly, as prescribed by the teachings of all legal schools. The Islamic tradition can be formally at the dhuhr congregation prayer on Friday...
. Colourful costumes, delicious food, exchanging the Eid greetings - Eid Mubarak
Eid Mubarak
Eid Mubarak is a traditional Muslim greeting reserved for use on the festivals of Eid ul-Adha and Eid ul-Fitr. The phrase translates into English as "blessed festival", and can be paraphrased as "may you enjoy a blessed festival" Muslims wish each other Eid Mubarak after performing the Eid prayer...
(Arabic/Persian/Urdu: عید مبارک) and generous charity to the poor and needy are part of Eid celebration. Other occasions celebrated are 12th Rabi' al-awwal
Rabi' al-awwal
Rabi' al-awwal is the third month in the Islamic calendar. During this month, Muslims around the world celebrate Mawlid - the birthday of the Islamic prophet Muhammad. Sunni Muslims believe the exact date of birth of Muhammad to have been on the twelfth of this month, whereas Shi'a Muslims believe...
of the third month of Islamic calendar
Islamic calendar
The Hijri calendar , also known as the Muslim calendar or Islamic calendar , is a lunar calendar consisting of 12 lunar months in a year of 354 or 355 days. It is used to date events in many Muslim countries , and used by Muslims everywhere to determine the proper day on which to celebrate Islamic...
commemorating Meelad-al-Nabi - prophet Muhammad
Muhammad
Muhammad |ligature]] at U+FDF4 ;Arabic pronunciation varies regionally; the first vowel ranges from ~~; the second and the last vowel: ~~~. There are dialects which have no stress. In Egypt, it is pronounced not in religious contexts...
's birthday. Moon citation is an event of rejoice for Beary folk.
Cuisine
Beary cuisine is highly influenced by the South Indian Cuisine. Just like Mangalorean cuisine it uses a lot of coconutCoconut
The coconut palm, Cocos nucifera, is a member of the family Arecaceae . It is the only accepted species in the genus Cocos. The term coconut can refer to the entire coconut palm, the seed, or the fruit, which is not a botanical nut. The spelling cocoanut is an old-fashioned form of the word...
, curry leaves, ginger, chilli and spices like pepper and cardamom. Beary cuisine boasts of a special kind of biryani
Biryani
Biryani, biriani, or beriani is a set of rice-based foods made with spices, rice and meat, fish, eggs or vegetables. The name is derived from the Persian word beryā which means "fried" or "roasted"....
, 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.
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 (kaltappa), tondaredo-appa (syame), guliyappa, muttedo-appa, neiyappa, chekkero-appa, manhel elero appa, acchi-appa, daliyappa, baale-appa, pittappa, pondatte-appa, sank-roli, pattir (a distorted version of Arabic fatirah), nei pattir, poo-pole, pulcho-pole, vodu-pole, uppu-molavu, kanhi, methero-kanhi, nei-kanhi, etc. are to name a few.
Economic situation
The Bearys, who once enjoyed a high social status, slowly lost their position during the British and Portuguese rule. Their opposition to the English resulted in them being denied English education, which in course of time turned them into a socially backward community.Today, hardly 20% of the community is engaged in trading and business, thanks to the modern education community offlate have been seeing professionally qualified members. Some Bearys are involved in the beedi
Beedi
A beedi is a thin, South Asian cigarette filled with tobacco flake and wrapped in a tendu leaf tied with a string at one end.The word comes from beeda, Marwari for a leaf wrapped in betel nuts, herbs, and condiments....
industry and fish trade, and a majority are farmers. A few Bearys have progressed even further in the past few years and have achieved tremendous development in the field of Education, Business & Politics. Bearys today own many Educational Institutions. Professional Colleges in Mangalore are mostly owned or partnered by Bearys. Bearys have also achieved high positions in Karnataka Politics and few have also attained positions in the Central Government. In spite of these achievements, majority of the people of the community are still economically backward. The recent job opportunities in Persian gulf countries have improved the standard of living to some extent. However, Bearys in rural areas are still extremely backward socially, economically and educationally.
Since Islam prohibits interest based financial dealings, Beary community is not seem to have taken benefits from interest based or conventional banking system. In the modern days they have embarked on establishing a small scale interest free banking system namely Interest Free Loan and Welfare Society in Mangalore.
Beary organizations
Today the Beary community of coastal KarnatakaKarnataka
Karnataka , the land of the Kannadigas, is a state in South West India. It was created on 1 November 1956, with the passing of the States Reorganisation Act and this day is annually celebrated as Karnataka Rajyotsava...
is surging ahead in diverse fields like international business, education, medicine and technology. Bearys have also formed various social and cultural organizations of diversified interests.
Beary's Welfare Association, Bangalore
Beary's Welfare Association is based in Bangalore
Bangalore
Bengaluru , formerly called Bengaluru is the capital of the Indian state of Karnataka. Bangalore is nicknamed the Garden City and was once called a pensioner's paradise. Located on the Deccan Plateau in the south-eastern part of Karnataka, Bangalore is India's third most populous city and...
the capital of Karnataka
Karnataka
Karnataka , the land of the Kannadigas, is a state in South West India. It was created on 1 November 1956, with the passing of the States Reorganisation Act and this day is annually celebrated as Karnataka Rajyotsava...
state. The association came into being on March 21, 1988 with a motive to provide a means of communication and integration, and also to provide a platform to work towards the betterment of the Beary community in all aspects of life.
Beary Welfare Association has organized a number of cultural programs every year right from its very inception. Beary Prakashana is its sister concern and involved in print and publication activities. It has published a number of titles on Beary culture, Beary bashe
Beary bashe
Beary bashe is a dialect mainly spoken by the Muslim communities of Dakshina Kannada and Udupi districts of Karnataka known as Bearys and a small number of Hindus in the District of Kasargod in Kerala state....
, Beary history, and also on research studies on Bearys.
Bearys Welfare Forum (BWF), Abu Dhabi
Bearys Welfare Forum of Abu Dhabi, popularly known as BWF is an association of Beary expatriats in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. It does community activities and mainly community welfare activities.,BWF was established in the year 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. The BWF gained popularity when it held mass marriage ceremony of twelve pairs of poor and deserving youth at the Shadi Mahal of Mangalore
Mangalore
Mangalore is the chief port city of the Indian state of Karnataka. It is located about west of the state capital, Bangalore. Mangalore lies between the Arabian Sea and the Western Ghat mountain ranges, and is the administrative headquarters of the Dakshina Kannada district in south western...
city.
Bearys Welfare Forum, Abu Dhabi, organized a mass wedding ceremony at Milagres Auditorium, here on Monday July 13, 2009. Sixteen couples were solemnized in marriage by Kazi Al Haj Abdulla Musliar Chembarika.
Bearys Cultural Forum (BCF), UAE
Bearys Cultural Forum (BCF), UAE was constituted in order to provide education to the poor masses 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 downtrodden 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 scholarship to the poor downtrodden students for pursuing their higher studies in the field of Medicines, Engineering, Pharmacy, business, nursing, Journalism, Dentistry, etc. BCF is now committed to conduct "World Beary Convention & Chammana 2010" in Dubai, U.A.E.Capman Media Makers
Capman Media Makers has been active in 'Beary Movement' for the last few years. It has felicitated Beary poets, writers and others who have come up with remarkable achievements in the society. Surmatho Kann, Maafi Mushkil, Savunchakaro Shale are some of the productions of Capman Media Makers., beary Naseehath Majlis.Famous Beary personalities
- Mohammed HussainMohammed HussainSyed Mohammed Hussain was an Indian field hockey player who competed in the 1936 Summer Olympics....
, Mangalore - Ahmed NooriAhmed NooriAhmed Noori, aka Abu Raihan Ahmed Noori, is a prominent writer and journalist who belongs to the Beary community of Mangalore in Dakshina Kannada in South India....
, Mangalore - B. M. IdinabbaB. M. IdinabbaB. M. Idinabba was a prominent Kannada poet, journalist, freedom fighter, politician and a Kannada activist from Karnataka. He was a member of Congress party and was elected as a MLA for three times in the Karnataka state assembly from Ullal constituency...
, Ullal - Ibrahim SaeedIbrahim SaeedIbrahim Saeed [alternative spelling for second name, Sayeed, ] was the founder editor of Sanmarga, a Kannada weekly published from Mangalore. Ibrahim Saeed was a senior journalist and had served Sanmarga for three decades as editor until he was given the office of state president of Jamat-e-Isalmi...
, founder editor, SanmargaSanmargaSanmarga also known as Sanmarga Weekly is a weekly Kannada magazine published from Mangalore. A Mangalorean intellectual, Ibrahim Saeed is the founder editor of Sanmarga Weekly who founded the weekly in 1979....
weekly - Abdussalam PuthigeAbdussalam PuthigeAbdussalam Puthige is currently the Editor-in-Chief of Varthabharathi, a Kannada daily that publishes from south Indian coastal city Mangalore and Karnataka's capital Bangalore. The first issue of Vartha Bharathi hit the news stands on 29 August 2003 from Mangalore...
, Managing Director and Editor in Chief, VarthabharathiVarthabharathiVarathabharathiAlso spelled as Vartha Baharathi or Vaartha Bhaarathi, is a daily Newspaper published from Mangalore and Bangalore....
Kannada daily - Dr.Beary kunjal Yusuf,Director of Mepha, President for BCF UAE.....
Other sources
- Bearys of the coast, Article in Deccan HeraldDeccan HeraldThe Deccan Herald is a leading English-language daily newspaper distributed in the Indian state of Karnataka. It is published by the Printers Private Limited and has a number of editions in Bangalore, Hubli, Mysore, Mangalore and Gulbarga....
December 12, 1997 by B.M Hanif. - H.G. Rawlinson, Ancient and Medieval History of India
- Sturrock, J., Madras District Manual. South Kanara (2 vols., Madras, 1894–1895).
- Influence of Muslim thought on the east http://www.muslimphilosophy.com/hmp/chp69.doc retrieved 21 May 2006.
- Muslims in Dakshina Kannada: a historical study up to 1947 and survey of recent developments, Author Wahab Doddamane, A. Green Words publication. Mangalore, 1993 http://catalog.lib.washington.edu:2082/search/a?Doddamane%2C+A.+Wahab&search_code=a
External links
- Zeenath Baksh Juma Masjid
- Another link on Zeenath Baksh Juma Masjid
- Web page with information on Bearys
- Vijay Times' Article on Ahmed Noori
- Article on Beary's claim to a distinct ethnic identity
- Bearys Welfare Association Home Page
- The Arabi-Malayalam Script
- Arabi-Malayalam history
- References to Zainudhin Makhdum II
- More references to Zainudhin Makhdum II
- The Beary Welfare Association press release
- Beary lyricist and composer
- Beary book on Namaz (Islamic prayer)
- Article which refutes claim that Beary bashe is only spoken by Muslims
- Beary community mentioned in Coorg based website
- Kudroli Jamia Masjid website