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
Lakshadweep
Thanni
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
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
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
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
Kammath
‘Kammath’ is a term used to describe the water that accidentally enters inside the sea vessels. It was common in the olden days for ‘kammath’ ...
Kammath
Water
Kadal
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
Choorafaski
Lakshadweep, with its rich coral ecosystem, renowned for its marine biodiversity, is also exceptional for the various species of migratory and ...
Choorafaski
Tern
Choora
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
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
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
Appal
I was quite surprised to learn that octopus is caught and consumed in Lakshadweep. I then came to realize that Appal, as octopus is called in ...
Appal
Octopus
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