Ethiopians in India

Abduselam’s journey through India led to historical sites, cultural centers and communities shaped by Ethiopian heritage. It became a personal search for the ties between two ancient civilizations.

In Aurangabad, sites connected to African and Ethiopian ancestry reveal how history traveled across the Indian Ocean. In Ahmedabad, the celebrated Sidi Saiyyed Mosque and its intricate stone jalis stand as enduring evidence of African artistic and cultural influence in India.

The Ethiopian influence also lives in regional cuisine, music and community memory. Conversations with local communities offered insight into the work of preserving heritage while adapting to an Indian cultural context.

The project brings those contributions into view and shows how connected histories can reshape the way we understand place.