Lakshadweep
Capital: Kavaratti
Language: Malayalam
District: 1
The tiniest Union Territory of India, Lakshadweep is an archipelago consisting of 12 atolls, three reefs and five submerged banks. Of its 36 islands covering an area of 32 sq km only 10 are inhabited. They are Andrott, Amini, Agatti, Bitra, Chetlat, Kadmat, Kalpeni, Kavaratti (Headquarters), Kiltan and Minicoy. Bitra is the smallest of all having only a population of 225 persons (1991). The total area of the 26.2 sq. km. Bangaram Island (previously uninhabited) at present has a population of 61 persons.
Physiography: Lakshadweep lies about 220 to 440 km from the coastal city of Cochin in Kerala. These islands and Cochin are linked by ship, which takes about 18 to 20 hours, and by air.
Though the land area is extremely small, if we consider its lagoon area of about 4,200 sq km, 20,000 sq km of territotal waters and about seven lakh sq km of economic zone, Lakshadweep is one of the largest territories of our nation.
The flora of the islands includes banana, colocasia, drumstick, bread-fruit, jack fruit and wild almond. Coconut is the only crop of economic importance in Lakshadweep. Two different varieties of sea grass are seen adjacent to the beaches. They prevent sea erosion and movement of the beach sediments.
The marine life is quite elaborate. The commonly seen vertebrates are cattle and poultry. Oceanic birds generally found are 'tharathasi' (Sterna fuscata) and 'karifetu' (Anous stolidus). They are generally found in one of the uninhabited islands known as 'Pitti'. This island has been declared a bird sanctuary.
History: Local traditions attribute the first settlement on these islands to the period of Cheraman Perumal, the last king of Kerala. It is believed that after his conversion to Islam, at the behest of some Arab merchants, he slipped out of his capital Cranga-nore, the present day Kodungalloor and an old harbour town near Cochin, for Mecca.
The search parties from different places left for the shores of Mecca in sailing boats in search of the king. It is believed that one of these sailing boats of the Raja of Cannanore was wrecked. After being tossed for many days in the Arabian Sea, they finally landed on the island now kno-wn as Bangaram. Finally they returned to the mainland sighting other islands on their way. It is said that after their return, another party of sailors and soldiers were sent and they discove-red the island of Amini and started living there.
There are communities who are primarily land owners (Koyas), sailors (Malmis) and cultivators (Melacheris). Legends say that small settlements started in the islands of Amini, Kavaratti, Andrott and Kalpeni first and later people from these islands moved to the other islands of Agatti, Kiltan, Chetlat and Kadmat. This legend of Cheraman Perumal is not, however, fully substantiated.
The advent of Islam dates back to the 7th century around the year 41 Hijra. Saint Ubaidulla is believed to have preached Islam to the islanders. The grave of Saint Ubaidulla in Andrott is today a sacred place. Preachers from Andrott are deeply respected in far off lands like Sri Lanka, Malaysia and Burma.
After the conversion of the entire Islands to Islam, the sovereignty remained in the hands of the Hindu Raja of Chirakkal for some more years. From the hands of the Chirakkal Raja, the administration of the islands was passed on to the Muslim house of Arakkal of Cannanore around the middle of the 16th century. In 1854, the English took over all the islands.
The Union Territory was formed in 1956 and it was named Lakshadweep in 1973 (earlier name : Laccadives).
Administration: Prior to the formation of this Union Territory on November 1, 1956, these islands formed part of the erstwhile Madras State. The entire group of islands is considered one district and divided into four tahsils and each put in charge of a Tahsildar, except Minicoy where the post of the Tahsildar was abolished and a Deputy Collector appointed in August, 1978. The lowest revenue official there was known as 'Amin' in the Laccadive group and Minicoy and 'Karani' in the Amindivi group. Now they are designated 'Amin' in all islands. The headquarters of the Administration was shifted from Calicut (Kerala) to Kavaratti Islands in, 1964.
Places
- Minicoy
- Kalpeni
- Andrott
- Agatti
- Kavaratti
- Ameni
- Kadmat
- Kiltan
- Chetlath
- Bitra
State of Economy: Agriculture is the mainstay of Lakshadweep's economy. Coconut is the only major crop with a production of 27.7 m. nuts a year.
Fruit plants like banana, papaya, guava, sapota and citrus varieties and drumstick plants are cultivated in the coconut gardens as inter-crops. Agricultural Demonstration Farms of the Administration in all islands supply vegetables to the people.
The islands produce copra, coir, jaggery, vinegar and fish. Trade in coir is a monopoly of the administration and is being carried on as a welfare measure on a no-profit-no-loss basis, by bartering rice for coir. The average copra production is about 2500 tonnes per annum, of which 2000 tonnes is sold through Calicut and Mangalore markets.
The islands have immense potential for the development of fisheries. Two boat building yards are engaged in the construction of mechanised boats. Over 331 mechanised boats are under operation in Lakshadweep waters, of which 313 were issued to the fishermen under hire-purchase system at subsidised cost. Fish catch during 1993-94 is estimated at 8000 tonnes. The canning factory at Minicoy possesses Tuna fish.
There are 14 factories under the Industries department and 263 private small scale industrial units. The main household industry is coir making. Ten coir production-cum-demonstration centres are operating at Kadmat, Chetlat, Ameni, Agatti and Andrott.These centres produced 20.2 tonnes of improved variety thin coir yarn during 1988-89.
The mechanised decorticating units at Andrott, Kadmat, Ameni and Kavaratti extracted 161.5 tonnes brown fibre from dry coconut husk during 1988-89. The hosiery factory at Kalpeni produced 38,810 vests during this period. The Handicraft Training Centres at Kavaratti is continuing to impart training to local candidates in marketing coconut shell crafts, coir crafts etc.
One Furniture-Makers' Industrial Co-operative Society and one Handicraft Industrial Co-operative Society are also functioning at Kavaratti. Two Coir Co-operative societies have been started at Ameni and Kalpeni with trained local women as members. A Vanita TV Assembly Co-op. Society established in 1988.
Educational institutions include a Navodaya Vidyalaya, an IGNOU study centre and an ITI.
Tourist Centres: Cheriyam, Suheli, Valiyakara and Tinakara have been identified for international tourism.
Agati near Bangaram was put on the air map in 1988 when Vayudoot service from the mainland was inaugurated. A new airport is to be built at Androth. A Rs. 15 lakh aquarium-cum-museum was opened in Kavaratti in 1989. Society for Promotion of Recreational Tourism (Sports) was established for the development of tourism.
In 1990 Lakshadweep Islands Division Post Office was inaugurated.
Information and publicity department units are operating in all the inhabited islands except Bitra. The government is publishing a daily newspaper in Mahal and a weekly in Malayalam and English.
