About Lakshadweep
A Union Territory of India, Lakshadweep is a group of about 36 islands with a total land area of 32 square kilometers scattered over 30,000 square miles of the Arabian Sea.
Representing the rich biodiversity of the region, the various facts on Lakshadweep enables one to amass a wide gamut of cohesive and coherent knowledge about Lakshadweep. Blessed with an unparalleled natural beauty, the exotic coral reef island of Lakshadweep is an interesting blend of scenic beauty coupled with modern infrastructural facilities that draw several tourists across the globe.
A large conglomerate of 36 exotic islands that represent a variety of biological species, the beautiful island of Lakshadweep casts a magical spell on the tourist with its bewitching beauty. The capital of Lakshadweep,Kavaratti, is endowed with the bounty of nature. The golden sandy beaches, crystal clear water of the Arabian Sea and the tall coconut trees bordering the shores of the deep blue sea of Kavaratti captures the imagination of the poet.
Lakshadweep is easily accessible by air or water. Equipped with excellent infrastructural facilities, the coral reef island of Lakshsadweep extends a warm welcome to all the visitors. Lakshadweep provides the tourists with a plethora of water sports that enables them to explore their latent potentialities and sportsman spirit.
An important tourism hub, the local people of Lakshadweep mainly depend on the traditional industries of fishing, coir making and cultivation of coconut to earn their livelihood.
For administrative convenience, Lakshadweep is further sub divided into several districts. Supported by efficient administrators who are appointed by the central government, the Union Territory of Lakshadweep falls under the jurisdiction of the Kerala High Court.
Comprising mostly of the Muslim population, the majority of the local people of Lakshadweep speak the Malaylam, while a few speak Mahl language. The oral tradition and the rich historical legends of the island that has percolated from the ancient times to the modern era is enough to know about Lakshadweep.
Out of these islands, only ten are inhabited and they are Andrott, Amini, Agatti, Bitra,Chetlat, Kadmath, Kalpeni, Kavaratti, Kiltan and Minicoy. These islands form the smallest of the Union Territories of India, and are the country's only coral islands. The name Lakshadweep means "Hundred Thousand Islands" in the Malayalam language and also in Sanskrit.
Climatic conditions are similar to that of Kerala . Average rainfall is 1600mma year with the major share from the southwest monsoon. Almost all islands experience tropical climate with temperature ranging from 25 degrees c to 35 degrees c and humidity ranging from 70 -76 per cent during the most part of the year. March, April and May are the hottest months of the year.
The administrative centre is Kavaratti. The jurisdiction of the Kerala High Court extends over Lakshadweep.
Lakshadweep - Facts
Below is a table representing important facts about Lakshadweep
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History of Lakshadweep
It is generally believed that the first settlement on these islands was made by Cheraman Perumal, the last king of Kerala, as a result of shipwreck on the stormy Arabian seas. But the historical record shows that, around the 7th century, a Muslim saint was shipwrecked on the island of Amini. He converted the inhabitants here to Islam, despite initial opposition. After many difficulties he was able to carry out his mission, and to this day, the people of Lakshadweep follow Islam. Although the sovereignty remained in the hands of the Hindu Raja of Chirakkal, it eventually passed to the Ali Raja of Cannanore (Kannur) in the 16th century, the only Muslim royal family of Kerala, and later, in 1783 to Tipu Sultan. Following the defeat of Tipu Sultan by the British, at Srirangapattanam in 1799, the islands were annexed by the East India Company. It remained with the British until Independence, when it was made a Union territory of the Indian Union in 1956.
Society and Culture
Of the 36 islands in Lakshadweep, only 10 are inhabited, mainly due to lack of drinking water in the other islands. The people are warm, friendly and god-fearing.The language spoken in all the islands except Minicoy is Malayalam. In Minicoy, the largest island of the group, they speak Mahl, a dialect of the ancient Singhalese.
In Minicoy things are a little different. Here a man after marriage not only moves to his wife's home but also adopts her family name. Marco Polo described Minicoy as a female island. Women are dominant and make all the decisions. History comes alive in folk ballads that women chant during their house - hold chores. Events of the past - the arrival of Hazrat Ubaidullah in Lakshadweep, the plunder of the islands by the Portuguese, have been perpetuated by the balladeer.The young men have some spirited folk dances. The women are modest with colorful dress and wear their jewelry in safety. The people of Minicoy have a good sense of color, painting their houses, furniture and boats in bright and tasteful combinations. Seamen from Minicoy are to be found on merchant ship all over the world.
Economy of Lakshadweep
Agriculture is the mainstay of the Lakshadweep economy, the major products being coconut and coir. Coconut is the only major crop grown here, with a production of around 26.5 million nuts in 1994-95. Coconut fiber extraction and conversion of its fiber products is the main industry in the islands. In some places the underlying coral has been excised and the tracts fertilized with organic matter; these support the cultivation of bananas, vegetables, edible root crops, and millet. Coir (coconut husk fiber), a state monopoly, is traded for rice from the mainland. The other major activity here, is fishing. Immense potential for development in fisheries has resulted in the setting up of boat-building yards, canning and processing factories and adoption of mechanized fishing boats. The islands stand first in the country in per capita availability of fish. The annual fish landing crossed the level of 10000 MTs in 1996
Tourism in Lakshadweep
Over the years the Lakshadweep islands have evolved as important tourists destinations in the country. Tourist facilities in Lakshadweep have been developed by way of luxury cruises around the islands. All tourists need permission to visit Lakshadweep. Four of the inhabited islands (Kavaratti, Kalpeni, Minicoy and Kadmath) are open to Indian tourists and Bangaram, an uninhabited island, is open to both domestic and foreign tourists. Bangaram has facilities for water sports. Swimming, fishing, sailing in glass - bottomed boats which give enchanting views of the coral below, and yachting are the main attractions. Wood - carving in the Ujra Mosque at Kavaratti, the tomb of Hazrat Ubaidullah at Andrott, the Buddhist archaeological remains at Andrott, and the famous light house at Minicoy, are some of the places worth visiting. Cheriyam, Suheli, Valiyakara and Tinakara have been identified for international tourists.
Hotels in Lakshadweep
Lakshadweep is one of the most cleanest and beautiful tourist destinations in the country today. Since the last few years numerous hotels have come up on the many islands in Lakshadweep. The hotels in the union territory are known for their hospitality and services.
Last Updated on 02 April 2013
