Siddi Sheedi be merged into this article or section. ( Discuss ) Not to be confused with the Hindu term Siddhi ( though sometimes spelt in the same way ) . For the Italian commune , see Siddi ( Sardinia ) This page is about the the community of African descendants in India and Pakistan . For the Arabic honorific , see the article Sidi The Siddi or Siddhi ( Hindi : शीदि , Urdu : شیدی ) people are an Indian ethnic group of mainly East African descent , whose ancestors arrived in India ( and what is now Pakistan ) from the 11th to the 19th century . History The Siddis ( also called Habshi ) are a black African people in India . While many South Indians also have similarly dark skin , it is the Siddis who possess large amounts of sub-Saharan African DNA. They mostly came from eastern Africa and most were sold as slaves in the Indian subcontinent by Arab merchants in medieval times . Some others may have also come of their own volition as soldiers or mercenaries , sailors and merchants . [ citation needed ] In Western India ( today 's Indian states of Gujarat and Maharashtra ) , the Habshi gained a reputation as being physically powerful and fiercely loyal . This made them popular amongst the local princes as mercenaries . The 17th century saw the largest influx of Siddis , as many were sold to Hindu princes by Arab and Portuguese slave traders . Despite their reputation as good fighters , many were also used as domestic servants and farm labourers . Some Siddi slaves escaped into the forests to form their own communities . In fact , small Siddi kingdoms were established in western India in Janjira and Jaffrabad as early as the twelfth century . The island of Janjira was formerly called Habshan , meaning the land of the Habshis . A few rulers of Bengal in the 15th century were of Habshi descent . The Habshis also played an important role in the history of Western India , particularly in the struggle between the Marathas and the Mughal empire ; with the Habshis often aligning themselves with the Mughals . Even during the British colonial period , Siddis attained numerous military and governmental leadership positions . Origin of the terms `` Siddi '' and `` Habshi '' There are at least a couple of theories to explain the origin of the terms `` Siddi '' and `` Habshi '' , which is what Siddis were/are called in parts of western India . Most experts agree that the word `` Habshi '' comes from the Arabic word `` Habashi , `` from the EthioSemitic word Habesha , meaning Abyssinian ( Ethiopian ) . Though the name is directly cognate with the name of the inhabitants of medieval Ethiopia , most of the Habshi/Siddi were originally from other areas . The term was encompassed Somali people and Sudanese peoples as well outside of the Ethiopian sphere . Most of the Habshi came from pagan and Muslim areas in southwestern Ethiopia ( see SNNPR for a rough estimation ) that were often raided for slaves by the ( Habesha ) Christian highlanders , lands often outside of the areas subject or vassal to the Ethiopian emperor . Similarly to the evolution of the term `` Ethiopia , `` ( previously used to refer to Africa south of Egypt in general or Nubia in particular ) , the term `` Habasha '' in Arabic though referring specifically to Ethiopia and Ethiopians was often applied to describe all black peoples . One theory of the origin of Siddi is that , after conversion to Islam , some Habshi called themselves Sayyadi ( descendants of Muhammad ) , from which came `` Siddi '' . Some scholars ( and many Siddis ) claim that the word Siddi is an expression of respectful address commonly used in North Africa ( see Sidi ) , like Sahib in India or Sir in England . Specifically , it is said to be an honorific title given to the descendants of African natives in the west of India , some of whom were distinguished military officers and administrators of the Muslim princes of the Deccan . Present Status Rough estimates put the current Siddi population at 20 to 30 thousand , mostly living in the state of Gujarat and a few thousands in the southern States of Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka . They occupy the bottom rung of the Indian caste system , and exist mainly on the margins of Indian society . Siddis have adopted the indigenous religions ( There are Hindu , Christian and Muslim Siddis ) , food , and customs of India ; though remnants of their African heritage are retained in their music . Their `` Dhamal dance '' is part of the cultural heritage of Andra Pradesh . Siddis are employed mainly in the agricultural sector . External links Habshis and Siddis - Africans and African descendants in South Asia The Global African Community/Great Habshis in Ethiopian/Indian History History of the Ethiopian Diaspora in India Who are the Siddis of India ? The African connection : A Pictorial Essay on an African Indian Community in the Western India Scholarly works on Sidi African Indians Pictures of Siddis - 1 , 2 , 3 In pictures : India 's African communities ( BBC ) - Pakistan 's Sidi keep heritage alive ( BBC ) - The lost Africans of India ( BBC ) -  This article about an Indian ethnicity or social group is a stub . See the WikiProject India for article coordination . You can help Wikipedia by expanding it .  This article about an Pakistani ethnicity is a stub . You can help Wikipedia by expanding it . Categories : Articles to be merged since September 2006 | Articles with unsourced statements | African diaspora | Ethnic groups in India | Ethnic groups in Pakistan | Indian ethnicity stubs | Pakistani ethnicity stubs In other languages : हिन्दी Sheedi September 2006 This page is about the the community of African descendants in India and Pakistan . For the Arabic honorific , see the article Sidi 