Historically, perhaps one of the most significant emigration's from India, was that of the Romani people, commonly known as "Gypsies". Linguistic and genetic studies provide evidence that around the 11th century Muslim invaders tore through what is now modern-day and Rajasthan, leaving a wake of destruction of Hindu and Buddhist communities. Another theory suggests the Roma were originally low-caste Hindus recruited into an army of mercenaries, granted warrior caste status, and sent westwards to resist Islamic military expansion. Or perhaps the Muslim conquerors of northern India took the Roma as slaves and brought them home, where they became a distinct community; Mahmud of Ghazni reportedly took 500,000 prisoners during a Turkish/Persian invasion of Sindh and Punjab. Why the Roma did not return to India, choosing instead to travel west into Europe, is an enigma, but may relate to military service under the Muslims.
The Roma define five divisions within their own kind based on territorial, cultural and dialectual differences, and some of these are recognised by local authorities:
- Kalderash: They originated on the land of present day Romania, but now can be found in other parts of the world, too.
- Gitanos or Calé: Spain, Portugal and Southern France.
- Sinti or Manush: Predominantly Alsace and other regions of France.
- Romnichal of Rom'nies: Britain and North America.
- Erlides or Yerlii: South-Eastern Europe and Turkey.
