What is "khalasi"

n. An Indian worker at a port or dockyard, traditionally employed in pulling vessels out of the water for maintenance and repair and returning them to the water afterwards.

Khalasis are a group of people traditionally employed at ports and dockyards. Khalasi is an Arabic word which means dockyard worker, sailor, lascar etc. Khalasis are concentrated at Beypore and nearby areas in Kozhikode district in Kerala, India. Traditional job profile of Khalasis focus on drawing the ships and boats on shore for maintenance and repair and also pushing the same back to the sea. No machinery was employed for the purpose. Dabber (daver), slenky, ropes and pulley were the only tools used. The Khalasis mainly relied on physical strength, skill and teamwork. Many of them are skilled divers. Many families at Beypore and Chaliam are employed in this work for generations. Majority of Khalasis are Muslims and Khalasis are sometimes called Mappila Khalasis. Khalasis work under a leader called Mooppan. Khalasis are employed at Cochin and Visakha Pattanam ports. The services of Khalasis were utilized by the Railways for retrieving the bodies from the water in the Peruman Rail Accident (July 1988).