Mappila
Also called: Moplah, Mappila Muslims · Topic: India, a Home to Many: Diasporas and Refuge · NCERT: Class 7, Ch 5 "India, a Home to Many"; Class 12, Ch 2 "Bhakti-Sufi Traditions"
Meaning
The Mappilas are the Muslim community of the Malabar coast in Kerala. They grew from Arab merchants who came from the 7th century onward as peaceful traders and married local women. The Mappilas took up Malayalam, the local language. They also kept local customs such as matriliny, where family descent passes through the mother's line, and matrilocal residence, where a husband lives with the wife's family. They show how a new faith could mix with local culture.
Example
Kerala mosques built by such communities, such as a 13th-century mosque in Kerala, have shikhara-like roofs. The roofs look like the tower tops of temples. The Cheraman Juma Masjid at Kodungallur is linked to the community's early history.
Don't confuse with
- Bohras and Khojas: they are Gujarati Muslim trading groups who follow Ismaili Shia traditions. The Mappilas are a Kerala community formed by Arab–local intermarriage.