ISLAM IN KARNATAKA

ISLAM IN KARNATAKA

This note gives a brief history of Islam religion in Karnataka to the end of seventeenth century. The advent and spread of the religion in various parts of Karnataka as also its impact on the culture of the land are dealt with in a modular method. Readers are requested are requested to refer to the individual entries such as Bahmani dynasty, Adilshahi dynasty, Bijapura, Gulbarga, Bidar, Srirangapattana and Islamic architecture for further details. Traditional Islam and its mystical manifestation as Sufism have had a lasting impact on Karnataka. Art forms of Karnataka such as architecture, sculpture, painting, literature and music have received new dimensions consequent of a living interaction with their counter parts in the Islamic culture. It is to be noted that the relationship between the religious communities in Karnataka have been quite cordial in spite of political interventions of the wrong kind.

Coastal Karnataka had trade relations with Arabian merchants through the oceanic route even before the founding of Islam in the seventh century A.D. Arab followers of Islam came to Karnataka either via Kerala state or the costal cities of Karnataka like Mangalore and Karwar. Some Arab writers have spoken about the presence of Muslim subjects during the regime of Rashtrakutas. There are conclusive evidences about the spread of Islamic community in the west coast of Karnataka by the 11^th century. Written documents are available to substantiate the fact that horses imported from Arabia, Persia and Turkey were sold and bought during the later centuries.

The next bout of influx of this religion originated from the north. Malik Kafur, a general of Alauddin Khilji who made an incursion in to Karnataka by the end of thirteenth century was instrumental for the spread of this religion in South Interior Karnataka.

Bahmani, Adilshahi, Baridshahi and Asafjahi dynasties which had a significant presence in North Karnataka and Hyderabad Karnataka at various points of time from the fourteenth century onwards have enriched the culture of these regions to a great extent. Their confrontations with non-Islamic dynasties were more political than religious even though the later elements cannot be ruled out entirely. There was a gradual disassociation with their northern counterparts and the Muslims of South India were bunched together with a language of their own called ‘Dakhni’. Many Muslims who came over to India from the Arab countries as well as the African countries (Siddi community in North Canara district mingled well with others. Many converts to Islam in the coastal areas were called ‘Mapla’s even they are included in the spectrum of Islamic communities in Karnataka. The rule of Hyder Ali and Tipu Sultan in South Karnataka from Srirangapattana was another factor which encouraged the spread of Islam and Urdu. A majority among the practitioners of Islam in Karnataka belong to the Sunni sect and that too ‘hanafi’ and ‘shafi’ sub sects. Most of the Muslims in Karnataka have Urdu as their mother tongue and all of them are quite conversant with Kannada the local language. The Shafi (Mapla) and Byary Muslims of coastal Karnataka speak Malayalam and Byary at their homes. MApLA Muslims are concentrated in kAsaragODu and kumbLe areas and Byarys have greater spread in Mangalore, Udupi and Kundapura regions. Navayath Muslims in Bhatkal (North Canara) speak Konkani at home. Pinjara Muslims in Bellary district and else where are conversant in Telugu and Kannada.

Another way of tracing the arrival and growth of Islam in Karnataka is through the arrival and positive influences of the great Sufi saints right from the beginning of the eighth century A.D. Bababudan Giri in Chikkamagalur district, Gulbarga, Bijapura, Bidar and UllALa in South Canara are the most important centres of Sufism in Karnataka. Minor seats are found all over Karnataka contributing their own mite to religious harmony and intermingling of communities. Dada Hayath Meer Khalander (Hazrat Sheikh Abdul Azeez Mecci) who arrived at Bababudan Giri in 720 A.D., (Approximately) Hazrat Khwaja Bande Nawaz Gesu Daraz the great Sufi saint of Gulbarga, Hazrat Meeranji Shamsul Shah of Bijapur who was also a great writer in Urdu, Hazrat Syed Shareef-ul-Madani of Ullal in South Canara are among the prominent Sufi saints of Karnataka. Richard Maxwell Eaton Rahamath Tarikere have written extensively about the Sufis of Karnataka and delineated their contribution to the culture and religious harmony of Karnataka.

Islamic rule in Karnataka has contributed immensely to the architecture, painting, music, calligraphy and numismatics of Karnataka. It has added several distinct features of its own. Many Hindu shrines have taken up these features and incorporated them in to their own artistic styles. In addition to these processes of assimilation, the Muslim kings have created some of the most splendid and famous monuments in Karnataka. Most of them are situated in Bidar, Gulbarga, Bijapura and Srirangapattana. Khwaja Bande Nawaz darga at Gulbarga, the Jumma Masjid, Rangeen Mahal and Mehmud Gawan’s Madrasa all at Bidar, Gol Gumbz, Ibrahim Roza and Mehtar Mahal at Bijapura, the mosque at Lakshmeshvar and the Daria Daulath palace at Srirangapattana are some of the classic examples. (For further details see the relevant entries)

Jumma Masjid in Mangalore,(Masjid Zeenath Baksh) Jamiya mosque in Bijapur, (16^th Century) Solah-khamb mosque in Bidar (1423 A.D.), Ekminar mosque at Raichur, the mosque in Lakshmeshvara built in Hindu style, Jamia Masjid mosque near City Market in Bangalore and are some of the important mosques of Karnataka. Of course there are hundreds of mosuqes all over Karnataka many of them well known for their architectural beauty.

The mural drawings, the miniature paintings and the calligraphy in literary and religious texts all created or inspired by Islamic artists deserves a special mention. Even the folklore of Karnataka has imbibed some features from Islam as proved by ‘savAl-javAb’ songs, ‘karbala songs and navayath songs.

All in all, Islam has a significant presence in Karnataka and it has contributed handsomely to the cultural wealth of the state right from the beginning.