Q. With reference to Indian history, who of the following were known as “Kulah-Daran”?

Explanation : 

Significance of Kulah-Daran in Indian History

The term “Kulah-Daran” (wearer of the cap) refers to the Sayyids, who claimed descent from the Prophet Muhammad. The Sayyids were respected in Islamic societies for their religious and genealogical connection to the Prophet. They often wore a distinctive cap or turban as a symbol of their lineage, which is why they were sometimes referred to as “Kulah-Daran.”

The Sayyids arrived in different waves in the Indian subcontinent, with some coming as traders, scholars, and Sufi saints, while others arrived as part of the various Islamic invasions and establishments of sultanates. Due to their claimed ancestry, they were accorded high status in Muslim communities and often became influential in politics, religion, and society.

Roles of Sayyids in Indian Society

In the Indian subcontinent, Sayyids played important roles in the spread of Islam, the establishment of religious institutions, and the administration of Muslim dynasties. They were often granted land and titles by rulers, and some Sayyid families became powerful landowners and nobility in the region.

The term “Kulah-Daran” is thus a reference to the Sayyids’ practice of wearing a cap as a symbol of their noble lineage, and it highlights their esteemed position in the social and religious hierarchy of the time.