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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CM Siddaramaiah rebuts BJP's '63 per cent' corruption charge
Bengaluru (PTI): Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Thursday refuted BJP leader R Ashoka's accusation regarding a judge's alleged remark about "63 per cent corruption" in the state, saying the opposition is "twisting facts" and attempting to shift blame from its own past tenure.
In a post on X, Siddaramaiah said the Leader of Opposition in the Karnataka Assembly had “tried to hang the BJP’s bell of sins around the Congress government's necks and has ended up embarrassing himself” by misinterpreting the Upa Lokayukta’s comments.
"In the report submitted in November 2019, Honourable Upa Lokayukta B Veerappa had stated that there was 63 per cent corruption in the State. At the time he submitted the report, the BJP government led by Yediyurappa was in power in the State,” he clarified.
Countering Ashoka’s demand for a CBI probe, Siddaramaiah listed a series of scandals under the previous BJP government, saying corruption cases were "not just one or two".
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He accused the former regime of "shameless loot" even during the COVID crisis and said "a minimum 40 per cent commission was the norm across departments".
Referring to the death of contractor Santosh Patil, alleged irregularities in irrigation projects, the PSI recruitment scam and charges levelled by BJP MLC H Vishwanath against current state party president B Y Vijayendra, he said: “If we begin listing the scams from the BJP era, an entire epic volume could be written.”
Targetting the Centre, Siddaramaiah said under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who proclaims “Na khaaoonga, na khaane doonga” (Neither shall I take kickbacks, nor allow others to take it), India was 'sinking into corruption'.
He cited Transparency International rankings that place the country 96th globally.
Dismissing Ashoka’s claims as “foolishness”, Siddaramaiah asserted that his administration was ensuring transparency in “recruitment to transfers”, preventing misuse of money and power.
“Mr R Ashoka, the monumental corruption you created cannot be cleaned up in just two and a half years,” the Chief Minister said. “Give us some time — we will set everything right.”
Ashoka demanded the transfer of all corruption cases against the Congress government in the state to the CBI, and called for its resignation.
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His demand comes following an alleged remark by Upalokayukta Justice B Veerappa that the level of corruption in Karnataka stood at '63 per cent'.
"We had fought against this corrupt government both inside and outside the assembly when the MUDA scam, Valmiki ST Development Corporation scam surfaced. At that time, CM Siddaramaiah repeatedly asked for evidence of corruption. As per our constitution, courts and judges hold big positions and what they say is regarded as order or a record," Ashoka, also the Leader of Opposition in the state assembly, said.
Speaking to reporters here, he said now a judge has stated that the government in Karnataka is "63 per cent corrupt".
"We-- BJP-- had made a 60 per cent commission charge against this government, but a judge has said it is not 60, it is 63 per cent. He (judge) said it at an event where he shared the stage with other judges and senior advocates. He has alleged that there is corruption in almost all departments, nothing happens without paying commission. Karnataka is in fifth position in corruption," he claimed.
At a public event on Wednesday, Justice Veerappa had claimed that the corruption in Kerala stood at 10 per cent, while it is 63 per cent in Karnataka.
He had said that he was able to witness it after becoming the Upalokayukta.
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Recalling that the Congress government, after coming to power, formed a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the "40 per cent commission" charge it had made against the previous BJP government, Ashoka asked -- what probe will the government order, following the 63 per cent corruption allegation against it.
"If you have any shame left, resign and go... you formed SIT against us, constitute CBI probe on this (allegations against Congress govt), if you have guts, let the corruption in various departments come out in the open," he added.
According to the LoP, Karnataka has become an "ATM" for the Congress party to fund any state elections. Power goes to those who give more money to Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi.
"For the recent Bihar elections, more than Rs 300 crore has gone from Karnataka itself. A breakfast meeting of Ministers was called to collect this money," he said, adding that Congress is synonymous with corruption, and corruption is Congress' home deity.
