Why Have We Left Out “Malayalam” Archives in Writing Muslim Histories?

Historians writing about the pre-modern history of Islam and Muslims in Malabar have mostly overlooked Malayalam archives, texts, and records. Keralolpatti is a notable exception. Despite Malabar/Kerala being rich in palm leaf documents that feature Kolelutt, Malayanma, and other pre-modern Malayalam scripts, most of these records are ignored, often dismissed as temple or caste-Hindu sources. Considering these extensive records could open new insights into the history of Muslims in Kerala. If so, how do we expand our archives and methodology, and what new direction do they point to?

About the Speaker

Ameen Sidhick (PhD Candidate, University of Pennsylvania, USA)