User:Mar4d/Malayalis in Pakistan

Malayalis in Pakistan are Malayali people originating from the South Indian state of Kerala, based in the city of Karachi. They are mainly Malayali Muslims. The number of Malayalam speaking Malayalis is reported to be up to 6,000. There could be over 200,000 people with Malayali ethnic background that have assimilated into local population since the independence of Pakistan in 1947.

History
The Malayalis in Pakistan are Muslims of Mappila origin, hailing from the Malabar region in northern Kerala. There was a large community of Malayalis, with strong leftist roots, in Karachi before the independence of Pakistan numbering at least 50,000. Notably among them was Biyyathil Mohyuddin Kutty, a Pakistani social activist of Malayali origin, who migrated from Chennai to Karachi in 1951 at the age of 20. According to Kutty, "it was the most compact community once upon a time". Malayalis have assimilated with the local Muslim population through marriage and have adopted the Urdu language. However, much of the Malayalam speaking population has declined since the independence. As of 2005, the total population of Malayalam speaking Malayalis was reported to be from 5,000 to 6,000.

The first wave of Malayali immigration to Karachi occurred in 1921, in the wake of a British crushing of a peasant rebellion in Kerala (see Malabar Rebellion and Mappila riots). These Malayalis formed the Malabar Muslim Jamaat, a body that is said to still exist. Most Malayalis made their living by brewing and selling tea, and trading betel leaves. They were reputed to be an enterprising community, going on to set up four star and five star hotels within five years of their arrival. Today, most of them are engaged in small and medium enterprises. They have assimilated over time, with some marrying locally.

Diaspora
Before the Indo-Pakistani war of 1965 and in the month of Ramadan, many Malayalis used travel to India to meet their relatives and celebrate Eid al-Fitr. With the closing down of the Indian consulate in Karachi, traveling across the border was no longer possible. This accelerated the assimilation of nearly all Malayalis into local culture and the new generation only spoke the Urdu language. A large number of Pakistani Malayalis are working in the Gulf countries, joining the large Kerala Gulf diaspora.

In popular culture

 * See Paradesi (2007 film)