Minicoy Island

Minicoy lies about two hundred kilometres south of the rest of Lakshadweep, separated by the Nine Degree Channel, and it is culturally distinct: the language is Mahl, a form of Dhivehi written in a Thaana-derived script, and the connections are with the Maldives rather than with Kerala, which the other islands share. Society is organised into ten villages, each with a headman and a communal house, and it is matrilineal. The lighthouse, built in 1885, is climbed for a view over the crescent lagoon, among the largest in the territory. Tuna fishing and processing is the main industry, and the island's seafaring tradition supplied merchant navy crews for generations.

History

The island's ancient name was Mahiladū, "women's island", while Maliku may come from the Arab traders' name Jazirat al-Maliku, "island of the king". Minicoy islanders long settled in the Nicobar Islands, which they and the Maldivians called Minikaa-raajje, and a British official who misunderstood an islander recorded his home as "Minikaa", later anglicised as Minicoy (Wikipedia, Minicoy).

The landscape

• The 1885 lighthouse - climbed for a view over the lagoon and island.
• The village system - ten villages each with a communal house.
• The Mahl culture - a Dhivehi-related language and Maldivian links.
• The lagoon - one of the largest in Lakshadweep, crescent-shaped.

When to go

October to May; the monsoon brings rough seas and ships are disrupted. Minicoy is reached mainly by ship from Kochi, a journey of around twenty hours, or by connecting flight and boat.

Good to know

Permits are compulsory and access is harder than the northern islands. Ship schedules are infrequent and weather-dependent. Alcohol is prohibited and tourist facilities are minimal.

Nearby

The Maldives lie south; Agatti is far north.

Key facts