Rowther

Rowther or Ravuthar
Regions with significant populations
Tamil Nadu, Kerala
Languages
Tamil, Malayalam, Urdu
Religion
Sunni Islam

Rowther or Ravuthar is a Muslim community from the South Indian states of Tamil Nadu and Kerala. Together with the Kayalar, Lebbai and Maraikayar communities, they constitute the Tamil Muslims, an Islamic community spread across South India. Rowthers follow the Hanafi school of Fiqh. The community is also known as turukkars, meaning Turk, owing to their Turkish ancestry and history. They are descendants of a group of Muslim soldiers, a mixture of Arabian and Turkish horse-traders and Rajputs of North India who came to South India in the 12th century as a part of the Turkish armies.

History

After the fall of Chola dynasty, the newly formed Vijayanagara Empire invited the Seljuk Turks from the fractions of Hanafi (known as Rowther in South India) for trade relations in 1279 C.E.. The largest armada of Turkish traders, soldiers and missionaries settled in Tharangambadi (Nagapattinam), Karaikal, Muthupet, Koothanallur and Podakkudi. Rowthers, failing to convert Hindus in the Tanjore region, settled in that area with their armada, expanding into an Islam community of almost one million. These new settlements were now added to the Rowther community. Hanafi fractions, more closely connected with the Turkish than others in South, have fair complexions. Some Turkish Anatolian and Turkish Safavid inscriptions have been found in wide areas from Tanjore to Thiruvarur and in many villages. Madras Museum displays the inscriptions to the public.

See also

References

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