Thengu
Thengu or coconut trees are available in plenty and are the bounty of the Lakshadweep Islands. They are regarded as nature’s wealth for the ...
Thengu
Coconut Tree
Uncategorized
Thanni – BARISHAM
Thanni or drinking water is a central concern on the Lakshadweep islands. Fresh water sources on the island were derived from ponds and wells ...
Thanni
Drinking Water
Swahili Creole and the Siddis of Gujarat
Dhamaal in Bava Gor's shrine: a glimpse of baithaaki dhamaal in Jamnagar.Documented by: Hameeda Makwa Siddi, Farooq Maqwa Siddi, Soumali Roy, ...
Habshi
Siddis
Shaal
Shaal: ഷാൽ
Shaal in Lakshadweep, is a channel created naturally or by the islanders that embodies a fluid artery in the waterscape. It is a ...
Shaal
Channel
Rope
Thoni balli, a term used in the Beary language, refers to a specific type of rope. It played a vital role in connecting the wooden planks that ...
Thoni balli
Rope
Rethi
Coconut trees are salt resistant and maybe even salt-loving! In fact, when you plant a coconut tree away from the coast, you need to pour salt ...
Rethi
Sand
Odam
Odams are sewn boats that were used for navigation in the Lakshadweep Islands. The islanders (except residents of Minicoy) used these sailing ...
Odam
Boat
Nouko – Title for the Story
In the Sundarbans, the boat, or nouka or nouko is considered a person. One of the rules pertaining to collecting honey or firewood from the ...
Nouko / Nouka
Boat
Narkel Gach
Coconut trees are salt resistant and maybe even salt-loving! In fact, when you plant a coconut tree away from the coast, you need to pour salt ...
Narkel Gach
Coconut Tree
Mosa
Tide or mosa is an everyday term on the island. In some islands, it is called moja. A movie that was made about Lakshadweep was titled Mosayile ...
Mosa
Tide
Mann
The Lakshadweep Islands are made of ‘bilutha mann’ (white sand). The corals sediment to form the white sand of the islands which are often ...
Mann
Sand
Koka
Some of the Agatti fishers nodded towards the horizon, murmuring, “Look, it's the koka police gearing up for their sea patrol.” Puzzled, I ...
Koka
Sea Cucumber
Kaṭaleṟacci
The term is a combination of two words; ‘Kaṭal’ which means sea, and ‘Eṟacci’, the local word for meat. Thus, the literal meaning of the term ...
Kaṭaleṟacci
Dolphin
Kadal – Title for the Story
The island is surrounded by the sea or kadal. The sea on the eastern side of the island is furious compared to the calmer western side. The sea ...
Kadal
Sea
Kaattu – Wind
For Ikkakka, a seventy-year-old man from Kavaratti, the wind always floats around the island. He believes that it is the duty of the guardian ...
Kaattu
Wind
Dhow
In general, the term ‘dhow’ is used to refer to the traditional sailing boats which were once used by the Arab sailors for travel, trade and ...
Dhow
Sail Boat
Choora – Title for the Story
Choora or tuna, is the staple food of Lakshadweep Islands. A visitor to the island will be served a tuna curry, fry or the mas pickle that are ...
Choora
Tuna
Borsha – Title for the Story
Borsha
Monsoon
Billam
Billam refers to the lagoon, a lively interactive space for the people of Lakshadweep. It has gathered much importance in the wider world on ...
Billam
Lagoon
Barisham – Title for the Story
Barisham is the Jeseri word for the south-western monsoon. The monsoon is considered a lifesaving boon for islanders of the Lakshadweep. The ...
Barisham
Monsoon
Bala
Although fishing in Lakshadweep is predominantly carried out through the pole and line method, nets or bala are traditionally used for bait fish ...
Bala
Net
Alakam
Crabs are called alakam and hermit crabs are called komb in Jeseri spoken in many Lakshadweep islands. The crabs are referred to with a pronoun ...
Alakam
Crab