South Indian Muslims

“The majority of the Muslims were from North India, but between 1903 and 1916, 1,210, a substantial minority, came from South India, comprising the British administered Presidency of Madras, and the princely states of Mysore, Hyderabad, Travancore and Cochin. ...the largest proportion of Muslims came from modern Kerala, that is, the west coast districts of Malabar and South Canara, and princely states of Travancore and Cochin. Following them there were contingents from the Tamilnad and Andhra regions of the Madras Presidency, and a substantial number from Hyderabad state.

When we look more closely at the origins of the Muslims who left their homes for Fiji, we find that while they came from a wide range of locations, the majority of them were born in a relatively small number of districts. An analysis of conditions in these districts goes some distance towards explaining the general considerations influencing them when they made their decisions to leave the subcontinent.

To a certain extent the proportion coming from North Arcot and Cuddapah can be explained by their proximity to Madras, and the fact that North Arcot was the district best served by railways in South India. But the district of North Arcot was also noted as a source of migrants, especially to the Kolar goldfields in Mysore, and to Madras city. It seems likely that many of those who went to Fiji migrated initially to Madras city. But why was there migration in the first place?”

-The origins of South Indian Muslim indentured migration to Fiji, Lance Brennan, John McDonald & Ralph Shlomowitz (2007)