India — A Home to Many

Exploring Society: India and Beyond — Part II | Our Cultural Heritage and Knowledge Traditions

Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam — The World Is One Family

India has long been recognised as a land that welcomes people from all parts of the world. Throughout history, communities facing persecution^? or seeking new opportunities have found safety and acceptance on Indian soil. The ancient Indian value of vasudhaiva kutumbakam (the world is one family) is not merely a philosophical slogan — it has been a lived reality for millennia. In this chapter, we explore the stories of several communities that made India their home, enriching its already vibrant tapestry of diversity.

The Story of Indian Jews

The Jews^? sought sanctuary in India in several waves, driven by persecution in their homelands. India proved to be a safe haven where they could practise their faith without fear.

The Bene Israel community settled along the Konkan coast near Mumbai. According to scholars, they arrived around 175 BCE from the ancient Kingdom of Israel. Their ship was caught in a storm and wrecked near the coast. The survivors settled in India, starting new lives. Although they lost their holy books during the shipwreck, they held on to their core prayer affirming belief in one God. By the time India gained independence, the Bene Israel numbered over 25,000.

Other Jewish groups arrived between the 12th and 19th centuries. Some settled near Cochin (present-day Kochi), where the Raja of Kochi generously granted them land free of cost. They built a synagogue^? there, enabling them to worship freely while becoming part of Indian society.

The Syriac Christian Community

From the 4th century CE, some Christian groups using the ancient Syriac language in their worship faced difficulties in West Asia. Under the Roman Empire, they were sometimes branded as heretics^? because their beliefs about Christ differed from the official Church. In the Persian Empire, they were suspected of secretly aiding the Romans and faced persecution as a result.

To escape such hostility, some Syriac Christians travelled eastward along trade routes and reached the Malabar coast (present-day Kerala), where they could live and worship freely. In India, they are also known as Syrian Christians and are divided into several sects. Over the centuries, they integrated deeply into Kerala society while preserving their distinct religious traditions.

The Parsis — Milk and Sugar

The Parsis^? (followers of Zoroastrianism) came to India primarily to escape religious persecution in Persia (modern-day Iran) after the Islamic conquest in the 7th century CE. Zoroastrianism had been the state religion of the mighty Sassanid Empire (3rd to 7th centuries). After the empire fell, Zoroastrians faced forced conversions, special taxes (jizya), destruction of their sacred fire temples, and social marginalisation.

Unable to freely practise their faith, groups of Zoroastrians sailed across the Arabian Sea and reached India's western coast (in present-day Gujarat) between the 8th and 10th centuries. According to a famous legend, when they approached Raja Jadi Rana of Sanjan seeking refuge, the Raja showed them a jug full of milk, indicating his kingdom was already full. A wise Parsi elder took a spoon of sugar and dissolved it in the milk without letting it spill — symbolising that they would blend into society and enrich it, just as sugar sweetens milk.

The ancient sacred fire the Parsis carried with them still burns in Udvada, Gujarat. They combined their traditions with local culture. Today, India has the largest population of Zoroastrians in the world. There are deep connections between Zoroastrian and Vedic philosophies — both share the concept of a cosmic order holding the universe together, and both give importance to fire rituals. Even the languages show similarities: Old Avestan and Vedic Sanskrit share many word roots, such as soma/haoma (a sacred drink), hotar/haotar (a priest), and yajna/yasna (sacrifice).

Arabs, Siddis, and Armenians

Arab Merchants

Arab merchants arrived in India from the 7th century onward, settling along the western coast in places like Kerala, Gujarat, and Karnataka. They traded in spices and other goods, married local women, and formed new communities. In Kerala, they became part of the Mappila Muslim community and helped build India's oldest mosque — the Cheraman Juma Masjid. These early Arab settlers came as peaceful traders, not conquerors, bringing new ideas, culture, and religion while playing a key role in India's trade history.

The Siddis — The African Connection

The Siddis^? are of African origin, brought to India as enslaved people by Arab, Portuguese, and British traders between the 7th and 19th centuries. In the 18th century, some Siddis gained prominence in Muslim rulers' armies and briefly controlled parts of Bengal. Their cultural identity fuses African and Indian traditions — they have distinctive dances accompanied by African-style drumming, while their languages have adapted to regional influences. The Siddis are designated as a Scheduled Tribe, and efforts continue to improve their access to education and livelihoods. Hirabai Lobi, a Siddi woman from Gujarat who worked tirelessly for her community's upliftment, was awarded the Padma Shri in 2023.

The Armenians in India

Armenia is a small mountainous country between Turkey and Azerbaijan. Armenian merchants traded in Indian spices and fine muslins for centuries, with evidence of settlements on the Malabar coast as early as the 8th century. During the Mughal period (16th century), many Armenians gained patronage from the emperors. Akbar gave them permission to build a church in Agra and follow their Christian practices. Armenians played important roles in the Mughal household, army, and administration — for example, Abdul Hai served as Chief Justice in Akbar's court, while Lady Juliana was a royal doctor.

Armenians also settled in Surat, Kolkata, and Chennai, building schools, churches, and cemeteries. Kolkata became a major hub — the 18th-century Armenian College and Mother Mary Church remain active today. In Chennai, Armenian Street in George Town and St. Mary's Armenian Church stand as symbols of this heritage.

Bahais, Polish Refugees, and Tibetans

The Bahai Community

In the mid-1800s, a new religion called the Bahai^? faith began in Persia (modern-day Iran), led by Bahaullah. His teachings emphasised the unity of all people and harmony between religions. The ruling religious leadership in Iran branded them as heretics, and they were persecuted. Some Bahais came to India during the late 19th century, and over time many Indians joined the faith. The iconic Bahai Lotus Temple in New Delhi stands as a symbol of this community's message of universal unity and love.

The 'Good Maharaja' and Polish Refugees

During the Second World War (1939–1945), Poland was invaded and thousands of families were torn apart. Maharaja Digvijaysinhji Ranjitsinhji Jadeja of Nawanagar (present-day Jamnagar, Gujarat) was deeply moved by this tragedy. He mobilised the Red Cross and other organisations to rescue orphaned Polish children, bringing them to Jamnagar where he provided them shelter, food, and care. He is credited with saving the lives of around a thousand Polish orphans between 1942 and 1946, while several thousand more Polish refugees also found safety in his state. In the early 21st century, Poland's President honoured his service with a memorial in Warsaw known as the Good Maharaja Square.

Tibetan Refugees

Tibet, India's northern neighbour across the Himalayas, became a centre of Buddhism in the 7th century. From the 15th century, the Dalai Lamas^? served as both spiritual heads and rulers of Tibet.

From 1950, China overran Tibet in several waves and eventually annexed it. Following a popular uprising in 1959, the 14th Dalai Lama fled across the Himalayas to India, where the government granted him asylum. He has lived in Dharamshala (Himachal Pradesh) since then, promoting human values such as compassion, forgiveness, and tolerance, as well as religious harmony and the revival of Indian civilisational heritage — particularly values like karuna (compassion) and ahimsa (nonviolence).

The Indian government rehabilitated the Tibetan refugees, provided education for their children, and facilitated the creation of Tibetan settlements — particularly in Karnataka — enabling them to preserve and promote their language, culture, and heritage. Many Tibetan monasteries patterned on originals in Tibet were established, creating spaces for Tibetan Buddhists to pursue their spiritual practices freely.

Indian Values — The Foundation of Welcome

These stories give us a glimpse of the culture of acceptance and inclusion that is central to the Indian ethos. India developed many schools of thought whose core teachings include ideas like sarve bhavantu sukhinah (may all beings be happy), atithi devo bhava (a guest is like God), and the value of compassion. The Buddha's Karaniya Metta Sutta expresses the same sentiment: a boundless heart should cherish all living beings, like a mother protecting her only child.

Indians abroad have carried and practised these values too — wherever there is a sizeable Indian community, it is perceived as peaceful, law-abiding, progressive, and contributing positively to the host society. The idea of the fundamental unity of humankind is one of India's core civilisational values, which can help the world address modern crises such as wars, climate change, inequality, and discrimination.