Across Shores: The Beary Community’s Enduring Bond with the Gulf
Mangaluru: Coastal Karnataka is one of the most linguistically diverse regions in India. There are 7 different languages that are spoken in this region. One among them is a language called ‘Beary’, generally spoken by majority of Muslims of Mangalore and parts of Kasaragod, Udupi and Coorg districts. The people who speak this ‘Beary’ language are known to belong to a diverse ethnic community called ‘Bearys’.
The word ‘Beary’ is believed to have originated from the Tulu word ‘Byara’, meaning trade or business. According to historical accounts, the Beary community is considered the progeny of Arab traders who settled in Mangalore and married local women. The presence of these Arab traders along the shores of Coastal Karnataka dates back to the 7th century A.D. Another possible root is the Arabic word ‘Bahri’, meaning sailor, which also aligns with and espouses this belief about the community’s origins.
As the name suggests, Bearys are considered to be particularly involved in business activities and their demographic analysis also suggests that they thrive through migration, specifically for livelihood aspects. It is this feature of the Beary community that is still seen in the present times. There are over a million Bearys and many among them are scattered all across the world. Among this pattern of migration, one region where they are prominently found is the Middle East, also called the Gulf region.
This migration of Bearys to the Gulf region has a historical undertone too. It can be traced back to the times as early as Indus valley Civilisation. During those times, there were trade relations between Indus Valley Civilisation and Dilmun (modern day Bahrain).
From the 7th century onwards, the Arab traders started dealings with locals from Coastal Karnataka. The Local traders were involved in business transactions with the Arab merchants and their connection with the Gulf region further started to grow stronger.
Moreover, once the British started colonising the world, they wanted easy access to ports so that their trade operations were never disrupted. Hence, in the 1800s, there was a wave of migration facilitated by the British among their colonies. This resulted in development of out-migration from Coastal Karnataka as it was seen as a centre of trade operations.
Later, in the 1970s, the oil boom in the Gulf region saw unskilled and semi-skilled migrants leaving the shores of Coastal Karnataka to the Gulf region in another phase of migration. This was primarily due to lack of economic opportunities in the host region, as there were not many economic opportunities back home.
Apart from these historical perspectives, there are various other reasons behind this migration. In the present decade, this migration is prominent even among educated Bearys. This is primarily due to rising unemployment at home, stagnant wages and attraction of better economic opportunities in the gulf region. The skill set of the youth is better rewarded in the Gulf region. Back in the 1970s, the migration was primarily male-centric, but now it is family-centric due to better economic opportunities and increased standard of living there.
The proximity of Coastal Karnataka to the Gulf region also plays a huge role in this migration. It is considered easier and more convenient to travel to the Middle East than to the Northern parts of India. A flight from Mangalore to Delhi takes 2.5 - 3 hours, whereas Mangalore to Dubai takes about the same time. Further, due to the presence of past migrants, Gulf region feels more like home to the new migrants than migrating to other cities of India.
The proliferation of various identity-based organisations in the Gulf region has also provided easy access for the job market to the new immigrants. The reference networks of their friends and family also help them land a decent job. This has acted as another catalyst for out-migration of Bearys.
As discussed earlier, the Beary community of coastal Karnataka is known for their entrepreneurial tendencies and the booming Gulf market in the present times has opened up new scope of entrepreneurial ventures for them. Today there are thousands of firms established by Bearys in these regions and are contributing significantly to the host nation’s economy. Further, these firms also provide employment opportunities to the immigrants coming from Coastal Karnataka. Also, the tax relief, lack of red tapism, favourable business environment in the Gulf region has all acted as a pull factor for the Beary community.
Further, settling in the Gulf region is also seen as an upward mobility of a person’s social status. Back home, a person’s social status is directly linked to the work they do in most scenarios. However, as the Gulf settlers return home on vacation, nobody tends to ask them about their occupational standards in the Gulf Region. This provides them with a sense of enhancement of social status.
Increased migration of Bearys to the Gulf in search of better economic opportunities has yielded good fruits to the families back home in terms of the remittances sent home. These remittances have resulted in families being economically affluent, an increase in their standard of living, improvement in access to quality healthcare and education, among others.
However, as it is said, the devil lies in the details, it is not as if this region is immune to the human complexities. The increased focus on nationalisation laws in the Gulf region has started raising serious questions about the economic potential this region provided to the migrants. Also, racist sentiments, war-like situations, the psychological impact on the families who stay separated from their loved ones, difficulty in accessing judicial or legal remedies, increasing health and accommodation costs have made the migrants more vulnerable than ever.
In essence, the Beary community’s migration to the Gulf is a story shaped by history, opportunity and resilience. What began as ancient trade connections has grown into a long-standing pathway of economic mobility for thousands of families. While the Gulf continues to offer better livelihoods and new possibilities, it also presents challenges that migrants must constantly navigate. Yet, through their enterprise, adaptability and strong community networks, the Bearys continue to sustain this journey, shaping both their lives abroad and the progress of Coastal Karnataka.
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Man held for fake campaign against KAS officer; police cite personal hostility
Bengaluru (PTI): In a key development in a cyber defamation case involving social activist Snehamayi Krishna, police on Saturday arrested a man for allegedly circulating fake documents and a fabricated audio clip targeting senior KAS officer and former MUDA Commissioner D B Natesh.
Police said the accused, Vinod, acted out of hostility arising from certain transactions between him and the complainant.
According to a press release issued by the police department, the case was registered on February 18 at the Bengaluru City Cyber Crime Police Station based on a complaint filed by Natesh, former Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA) Commissioner.
During the investigation, police found that due to hostility arising from certain transactions between Vinod and the complainant, he contacted Krishna and provided false information, allegedly with the intention of taking revenge for personal gain.
In his complaint, Natesh alleged that Krishna, a resident of Mysuru, had been targeting and harassing him by creating fake documents, morphed photographs and a fabricated audio clip, and uploading them on social media through his Facebook account with the intention of defaming him.
Police said the investigation was taken up accordingly.
It was further revealed that Krishna, without verifying the authenticity of the information received, allegedly circulated it on social media with malicious intent to defame and damage the complainant’s reputation, the release said.
In this connection, a notice was issued to N Vinod, a resident of Bogadi in Mysuru, directing him to appear before the police.
Upon inquiry, and in view of the supporting evidence found against him, he was arrested and will be produced before the competent court, police said.
A notice has also been issued to Krishna to appear for questioning regarding his role in the offence. Further investigation is in progress.
Additionally, another case has been registered against Krishna at the Vidhana Soudha Police Station for allegedly spreading false information and carrying out defamatory propaganda. The matter is under investigation.
During the investigation so far, materials shared by Krishna on Facebook have been collected.
On verifying mobile numbers, vehicle registration details and other evidence, police found that the information circulated was false.
The investigation is continuing, they added.
On Thursday, Krishna had alleged corruption against Karnataka Chief Secretary Shalini Rajneesh and senior KAS officer D B Natesh, a former MUDA Commissioner.
The government rejected the allegations, stating that due process had been followed and a prior sanction for investigation had already been granted.
Krishna also lodged complaints with the Enforcement Directorate and the Income Tax Department, alleging the exchange of a large amount of cash in Mysuru. He also shared a photograph of a vehicle allegedly used in the transaction.
On Saturday, Krishna apologised to the chief secretary.
“I was brought here yesterday for questioning following a complaint by Natesh that I filed a false complaint, created fake documents, fabricated an audio clip, and posted them on my Facebook page. There was also a complaint against me for making baseless allegations against Shalini Rajneesh,” Krishna told reporters.
The activist said he had received the information through WhatsApp. He added that the person who shared it has also been questioned by the police.
Krishna, however, claimed that his allegations against Natesh are correct. “The information shared with me regarding Shalini Rajneesh is false. I have committed a mistake. I request her to pardon me,” he said.
He added that the investigation will continue.
Krishna was the complainant in the MUDA land allotment case, based on which a case was registered against Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, his wife Parvathi B M, her brother Mallikarjuna Swamy and others.
In this case, it was alleged that compensatory sites were allotted to Siddaramaiah’s wife in an upscale area of Mysuru, with a higher property value than the land acquired by MUDA.
MUDA had allotted plots to Parvathi under a 50:50 scheme in exchange for 3.16 acres of her land, where it developed a residential layout. Under this scheme, MUDA allots 50 per cent of developed land to landowners in exchange for undeveloped land acquired for residential layouts.
The Karnataka Lokayukta police, which registered the case against Siddaramaiah, his wife and his brother-in-law, later gave them a clean chit by filing a closure report, which was accepted by the Special Court for trial of public representatives.
