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Encyclopedia of World Cultures Volume III - South Asia - L

Bách khoa toàn thư nền nông nghiệp thế giới - Vùng Nam Á - Vần L | 144 Labbai Labbai ETHNONYM Kodikkalkaran betel-vine people Labbai are one of the four Muslim groups in Tamil Nadu State. The Ravuttan Marakkayar and Kayalan form the rest of the Islamic community. According to tradition the name Labbai was given to them by the Arabs meaning Here I am. Previously the Labbais were few in number and were under the control of other Muslims and Hindus. In order to get their attention and be recognized the Labbais traditionally would cry loudly Labbek meaning We are your servants. Tamil is their main language mostly spoken in the household. People living in the cities do speak Urdu but they do not recognize it as their main language. In some Arab-influenced towns such as Nagapattinam and Kayalpatnam Labbai Muslims write Tamil using Arabic script the only people to do so. The origin of the Labbais is not clear but a few speculations have been recorded. The historian Mark Wilks suggests that in the early eighth century a.d. the governor of Iraq Hijaj Ben Gusaff drove a number of people including fellow Muslim citizens into exile by his barbaric actions. Some migrated to the western coast of India and others east of Cape Comorin. The Labbais are descended from the latter group. Another version says that the Labbais are descendants of Arabs who came to India in the eleventh and twelfth centuries for trade. But these Arabs were persecuted by the Moguls and were forced to flee the country leaving behind their belongings and children bom to Indian mothers. Labbais are known as traders although residents of different areas have different occupations. In the Mysore region they are vendors of hardware merchants coffee traders and owners of other profitable businesses. In the South Arcot District of Tamil Nadu they grow betel nuts manage a skin trade are small shopkeepers and trade at the seaports. The women of this district are expert at weaving mats which are considered a valuable source of income. The Labbais of the Madurai District seem to have