Unveiling the History of Lakshdweep Island

Not much is known about the islands of Lakshadweep, as much of it is still kept in history, away from today’s time. Most of us know Lakshadweep only from filling maps as part of our school assignments but never had the opportunity to learn its rich history!

Map of Lakshadweep, source: Maps of India

The Lakshadweep Island comprises Amini, Kavaratti, Andrott, Kalpani, Agatti, Kittan, Chetlat, Minicoy, Bitra, and Kadmat.

The sources of Lakshadweep’s origins are primarily untraceable as it survives through unwritten references, legends and stories, and bardic poems. It is said that the first settlement was established under Cheraman Perumal, who also was the last King of Kerala. The King is said to have contacts with the merchants of the Arab World. Many stories report his sudden disappearance, for which a search party was sent. However, the boat was shipwrecked in a storm on an island and later moved to the island of Agatti. At the same time, another search party discovered the island of Amini and started to live there.

The settlers were initially Hindus, as one could find the traces of Hindu social strata converted over time.

Conventionally, it is believed that one of Islam’s known Saint Uhaidullah(r) prayed at Mecca and fell asleep while praying. In his dream, he saw Prophet Mohammed, who had asked the saint to go to Jeddah, take ships from there, and go to distant places to preach Islam. In this process, the saint reached Amini.

However, things were not accessible at the beginning. In Amini, the saint met with a confrontation with the headman, who was unhappy with an outsider preaching a different religion and announced his exile. Denying his order, the saint continued to live and preach Islam. The saint also fell in love with a woman, who later married him. The headman angrily ordered to kill them both. However, they both prayed to the Almighty, upon which the people’s eyesight was taken. This bought them enough time to disappear, after which the people of Amini were able to see them again.

The couple left Amini and reached Andrott. They also met there with opposition. However, they continued preaching there. The saint also died at Andrott. In Andrott, his grave exists and is now worshipped as a shrine.

The preaching of Islam thus resulted in the conversion of the natives of the islands.

The arrival of colonisers was not unknown to Lakshadweep either. The arrival of the Portuguese had resulted in mass plunder and looting of the islands, especially of Amini. After a confrontation with the natives, the Portuguese invasion was finally ended.

Even after the Portuguese arrival and conversion of the natives, the sovereignty remained under the Hindu King Chirakkel, which was later passed on to the Muslim house of Arakkal of Cannanore in the 16th century. The reign was so brutal that the islanders of Amini in 1783 sought help from Tipu Sultan.

Tipu Sultan was then ruling Mangalore and was friends with Beebi (a term that connotes a female ruler or leader) of Arakkal. Tipu made a settlement with the Beebi, which allowed him to govern the island of Amini under the administration of Mangalore.

In 1847 a cyclone had hit Andrott, where the King Chirakkel went on a visit, accompanied by East Indian Company’s Sir William Robinson. Seeing the conditions of Andrott, the King had promised to help the natives rebuild their homes; however, the King was unable to support the expenses. This is where Sir William Robinson saw an opportunity to intervene and offered a loan to the King; unable to return; the island was handed to the company.

With the help of further political manipulation, by 1912, the company rule had enacted the Lakshadweep Regulation. The Regulation brought the different islands together. It also provided magisterial status to Amini, prohibited outsiders, and established schools, dispensaries, etc.

After independence, the islands were granted the status of Union Territories of India in 1956, and by 1973, the islands were renamed Lakshadweep.

While many sources were in the form of oral history, we do find mention of the female island of Minicoy in Marco Polo’s account. Presently, the islands are inhabited by the descendants of migrants of the Malabar coast, and thus, one can find that the natives stay in close-knit kinship groups.

Lakshadweep Islands presently comprise 36 islands, many of which are forbidden to travelers.

Lakshadweep Island, source: medium.com