Aims and objectives
Trade and faith-based diasporas of Arab Muslims have spawned tremendous amount of literature in Arabic, Persian, Arabi-Malayalam and Arabi-Tamil as part of the Indian ocean maritime history. Theological texts, texts in Islamic sciences and anti-colonial dossiers in paper, printed manuals, marriage registers, textbooks which are products of teaching learning and cultural practices, craft and artisanal knowledge produced at the encounter of Arabic-Persian world with the Indian coastal communities. The project attempts to digitally preserve materials concerning mathematical, scientific, cultural and educational practices of the Islamic communities in the port cities of Coromandel and Malabar coasts in southern India. These materials are found in large numbers in the vicinity of the erstwhile port towns and their hinterlands in both coasts due to the Arab diaspora and consequent cultural exchange. A systematic survey of the existing materials in private collection of traditional families, mosques, madrasas was undertaken and the suitable materials were digitised for our study purpose.
Outcomes
The research team members undertook tours to various places in Tamilnadu and Kerala and digitised the materials from the sources. Very early materials were chosen for digitisation which give information on the mathematical and computational practices, calculation of zakath, partition of family properties, calculation of prayer timings through natural elements, Islamic Science, Fiqh, Ayurvedha and other traditional medicines, astronomy, astrology, tasawwuff, talsmat, architecture, folklore, mysticism, history, Islamic Literature in Tamil and Malayalam etc.
The following methodology report was submitted as part of the project's outputs:
