Page 173 - DILMUN NO 20

‫ﻹ‬

0٩‫ﻡ‬٨٠٣"‫ ﺍ‬Historical Links between lndia and the GuIf

the Bahrain Oil Company, by the protection and privileges extended to them
by the British, and by the better wages and conditions they enjoyed. Because
some of these lndian were involved in running the colonial administration,
they were regarded as British agents whose assignments were to reinforce
and prolong the British presence in the region, However, despite these tense
relations between the Bahrainis and lndians, there are no records showing
that they developed at any time into violence "as the struggle was of a social
and economic nature and did not stem from racial hostility'. 80 Probably what
contributed to the avoidance of violent clashes was the fact that the lndians,
in general, confined themselves to earning money rather that getting involved
in the politics and domestic affairs of the Gulf countries.

lndia's lmpact on the GuIf Socio-Cultural Life

As mentioned earlier, lndia's impact on the Gulf's socio-cultural life has been
obser‫ق‬ed since the old days. However with both regions being linked under
one colonial rule, greater and more varied interaction between the wto
nations took place and consequently such an impact became noticeably
stronger.

The first to be noticed, in this context, is the lndian impact on the spoken
dialects in the Gulf's coastal towns. Tens of words of Indian origin entered
these dialects and became widely used in everyday conversations. These
words related to jobs held by the lndians, products imported from india,
modern merchandise and items introduced by the lndians, financial methods
associated with the use of the lndian rupee,and tools and methods used in
the pearl-diving and maritime trade. 81

Other aspects of the lndian socio-cultural influence include the entrance of
many traditional lndian dishes into the Gulf cuisine, the adoption of indian
artisitc designs in the formation of gold and silver and in embroidering
clothes, the use of a number of musical instruments similar to those used by
the ndian musicians, and the adoption of 'Wizar' 82 as an essential part of
menswear in many parts of the Gulf. Also affected by the lndian culture, arts,
and traditions were the interior decoration of houses and rooms; material,
colours, and designs of women's costume, the types of jewellery worn by
females in Oman and the southern Gulf; and the rhy0hmicpattern of music.