Lakshadweep Islands

¤ Lakshadweep At A Glance

Lakshadweep is not as renowned a destination as Goa or Kerala, but its lagoons and beaches are just as beautiful. The wealth of coral formations attracts a variety of tropical fish – angel, clown, butterfly, sturgeon, sweetlip, snappers and groupers. Kavaratti, which is the administrative capital of Lakshadweep, is located in the centre of the archipelago.

Its two most significant mosques are the Ajjara and Jamath Mosques, which are characterised by exquisite woodcarvings. The former in particular has a beautiful ceiling carved out of driftwood, which is the handiwork of local craftsmen.

The Aquarium at Kavaratti with tropical fish and corals, the Kavaratti Lake, and the splendid tombs it houses, are the other attractions of the place.


¤ Island Attractions

Kalpeni -- Famous For Its Water Sports
Those keen on water sports will enjoy visiting Kalpeni along with its three uninhabited satellite islands.
Surrounded by a lagoon rich in corals, Kalpeni offers excellent facilities for water sports such as snorkelling and diving. The coral remains on the eastern shores of the island are the remnants of a violent storm that took place in 1847. The main monument at Kalpeni is the Moidin Mosque that has walls made of coral.

The best part of the Kalpeni Islands is that it is crime-free – women dress in wrap-around lungis (sarongs) and wear heavy gold jewellery without fear of being assaulted.
While in the area, do not miss the two traditional dances of Kalpeni – Kolkali and Parichakkali – which illustrate themes drawn from folklore and religious legends to the accompaniment of music and song.

Minicoy Island
One of the most interesting islands in Lakshadweep is the Minicoy Island – not only, because it is the largest, but also because it is closer in language and culture to the Maldives.
While the rest of the archipelago speaks Malayalam, the lingua franca in Minicoy is Mahl. Mahl is written from right to left and is very similar to Dhivehi – the language of the Maldivians. Many of their customs are similar to those of the Maldives.
The people of Minicoy are a sea-faring community and have a closely-knit matrilineal society. In fact, the dominance of women led the famous explorer Marco Polo to dub Minicoy as a ‘female island.’ Minicoy is a picturesque island dotted with palm trees and enclosed with coral reefs. One of the most spectacular sights of Minicoy is a 50 metre tall Lighthouse, built by the British.

Amindivi Group of Island
The Amindivi group consists of the Islands of Chetlat, Bitra, Kiltan, Kadmat and Amini.
Bitra, the smallest of the group is an ornithologist’s delight – it is heavily populated with birds and is a rich source of birds’ eggs. Kiltan is located on an ancient trade route – ships travelling from Aden often made a stopover at the Island en route to Colombo.
The densely populated Amini and Kadmat are rich in coconut palms and were occupied by the Portugese for a short while.
Kadmat is an island, nine kilometres long and only 200 metres in width. However it has a fine beach and a beautiful bay and is ideal for swimming and diving.

Pitti Island
Finally, Lakshadweep boasts of the barren and desolate Pitti Island, comprising of a square-shaped reef with a sand bank at its southern end.

Pitti Island is a vitally important nesting place for terns (a kind of sea swallow), and has been listed as a Wildlife Sanctuary. Terns are an endangered species and conservation groups are pressing for a ban on the planting of trees and the mining of coral – which they believe, threaten its habitat. However, the main threat to terns comes from anglers who collect terns’ eggs for food and disturb the birds’ natural habitat.

¤ A Tourist Destinatioin

However, tourism is still in its infancy because of infrastructural bottlenecks. Foreigners are only allowed into Bangaram and Kadmat, while Indian nationals are granted access to Minicoy, Kavaratti and Kalpeni as well.