Mapilla

Mapilla, also spelled Mappila or Moplah, refers to the Muslim communities of the Malabar region along the Kerala coast in southwestern India. Historically, they formed a distinct social group tied to the region’s maritime trade networks and agrarian life. The term’s spelling and usage vary in sources, and the community itself is commonly known as Mappila or Moplah in local and scholarly contexts.

Linguistically, Mapillas are Malayalis who speak Malayalam, often using the Arabi-Malayalam script for religious and historical texts. They have a characteristic cultural repertoire that blends Arabic and local influences, including a distinctive form of folk and devotional music and poetry known as Mappila pattu.

Religion and society: The Mapillas are predominantly Sunni Muslims, with many following the Shafi’i school of jurisprudence. They maintain mosques and religious schools, observe Ramadan and Eid celebrations, and participate in community charitable practices. Their cultural practices and social organization have historically incorporated customary rituals tied to coastal Kerala life.

History: The community has long been involved in trade and coastal commerce, engaging with Arab and other traders over centuries. In the colonial era, social and economic tensions contributed to episodes of unrest, notably the Moplah Rebellion of 1921 during the Indian independence movement. The event is widely discussed in historical debates for its complex causes and consequences, and it remains a marked point in Kerala’s colonial-era history.

Culture and modern presence: Mapillas have contributed to Kerala’s culinary and cultural life through Malabar cuisine, music, and literature. In contemporary times, they represent a substantial portion of Kerala’s Muslim population, with communities and diaspora members across the state and abroad who participate in politics, education, business, and social life.