Multani Shikarpuri Migration to Malabar: A Praxis on Homemaking

Abstract

Since time immemorial, Malabar, the fabled port region on the western seaboard of India, has witnessed several waves of migration owing to its expansive trade networks across the Arabian Sea. This paper traces the continuous migration of the Multani Shikarpuri from Multan to Kozhikode (formerly Calicut and part of Malabar). The study, in its entirety, attempts to document the lived narratives and experiences of the Multani Shikarpuri community in Malabar. As the study progresses, it strives to understand the varied homemaking practices embodied and employed by the community in the host city. The study employs ethnographic and archival research methods to address these concerns and delineate the polyphonous cross-cultural contacts traversing the three regions of Multan, Shikarpur and Malabar.