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  Minicoy  Minicoy | |
| Geography | |
|---|---|
| Location | Arabian Sea |
| Archipelago | Maldives |
| Adjacent to | Indian Ocean |
| Total islands | 1 |
| Major islands |
|
| Area | 4.801 km2 (1.854 sq mi)[1] |
| Highest elevation | 2 m (7 ft) |
| Administration | |
| Territory | Union territory ofLakshadweep |
| District | Lakshadweep |
| Island group | Minicoy Islands |
| Tehsils of India | Minicoy Tehsil |
| Subdivisions of India | Minicoy Ward |
| Largest settlement | Minicoy Bada (pop. 9000) |
| Demographics | |
| Population | 10,700 (2014) |
| Pop. density | 2,229/km2 (5773/sq mi) |
| Ethnic groups | Maldivians,Malayali |
| Additional information | |
| Time zone | |
| PIN | 682559 |
| Telephone code | 04892 |
| ISO code | IN-LD-09[2] |
| Official website | www |
| Literacy | 84.4% |
| Avg. summer temperature | 32.0 °C (89.6 °F) |
| Avg. winter temperature | 28.0 °C (82.4 °F) |
Minicoy, locally known asMaliku (Dhivehi pronunciation:[məliku]), is an island inLakshadweep, India. Along withViringili, it is on Maliku atoll, the southernmostatoll of Lakshadweep archipelago. Administratively, it is acensus town in the Indianunion territory of Lakshadweep. The island is situated 398 km southwest of Kochi and 425 km west ofThiruvananthapuram, the capital city ofKerala.
Minicoy is known asMaliku in the local language,Dhivehi, which is also the national and official language of theRepublic of Maldives. The language is a descendant ofElu Prakrit and is closely related to theSinhala language, but not mutually intelligible with it. However, the Lakhshadweep Administration refers to Dhivehi as Mahl. This is due to a misunderstanding on the part of a Britishcivil servant who came to Minicoy in the 1900s during the time of theBritish Raj. The official asked a local what his language was and he replied "Dhivehi-bas". The official looked confused as he had never heard of this language. Noticing this, the islander said "Mahaldeebu" as he knew that locals on thesubcontinent referred to the kingdom to the south (the Maldives) by that name. The civil servant then official recorded the language of Minicoy as Mahl.[3]
The ancient name of Maliku wasMahiladū meaning women's island. Mahiladū derives fromElu Prakrit termMahila du, which literally means woman-island.[4] However, the nameMaliku is thought to have been derived from the Arab trader's term for the island,Jazirat al-Maliku[dubious –discuss] ('the island of the king').[5][page needed]
Minicoy islanders have long settled in theNicobar Islands across theBay of Bengal. These settlers regularly travelled back to Minicoy. TheAndaman and Nicobar Islands had a reputation in the Maldives and Minicoy of being inhabited bycannibals, and so collectively the Andaman and Nicobar groups were called "Minikaa-raajje" by Minicoy and Maldive islanders. This meant "cannibal kingdom".
A British official once asked a Minicoy islander what the name of his island was. The islander told the official that he was from Maliku but usually lived in "Minikaa-raajje" (Nicobar). The official thought Maliku and Minikaa were the same place and recorded the name of this islander's home as "Minikaa". This later became anglicised as Minicoy.[3]
Little did this islander know that as a result of this cross-cultural exchange, his home would forever be called by a name that sounded like "cannibal" in his own language.
Minicoy is the second largest and the southernmost among the islands of the Lakshadweep archipelago. It is located 201 km to the south-southwest ofKalpeni, at the southern end of theNine Degree Channel and 125 km to the north ofThuraakunu,Maldives, at the northern end of theEight Degree Channel. The atoll is 10 km in length, having a maximum breadth of about 6 km. The closest geographic feature is theInvestigator Bank, a submerged shoal located 31 km to the northeast.[6]
It is located 400 km west off the coast ofTrivandrum. The atoll contains two islands. The main island is located on the eastern and southeastern side of the lagoon, along the reef fringe. It measures about 10 km from its northern end to its southernmost point and it is about 1 km wide in its southern half, while the northern half is a narrow sandspit, often less than 100 m wide. Minicoy is almost completely covered with coconut trees. One of the few landmarks of the island is theMinicoy Island Lighthouse, which was built in 1885 during the British regime.[7] On the southern side of the main island lies the uninhabited islet of Viringili (Dhivehi:ވިރިންގިލި;Malayalam:വിരിന്ഗാ, also called the Small Pox Island), measuring barely 200 m in length. Formerly thelepers of Minicoy were banished to this island where they lived in abject conditions.
Maliku Atoll has a lagoon with two entrances in its northern side,Saalu Magu on the northeast andKandimma Magu on the northwest. Its western side is fringed by a narrow reef and coral rocks awash. The interior of the lagoon is sandy and of moderate depth, rarely reaching 4 m. It has some coral patches.
This atoll is administered under the Indian Union Territory of Lakshadweep. Nine Degree Channel separates Minicoy and theLaccadive Islands. The closest island to Minicoy is Thuraakunu in the Republic of the Maldives. Since 1956, theIndian Government has forbidden the direct travelling between the two islands despite their geographic proximity and ethnographic similarities.
Maliku Kandu is the traditional name of the broad channel between Minicoy (Maliku) and Ihavandippulhu (Haa Alif Atoll) in the Maldives. In the Admiralty Charts it is calledEight Degree Channel. Other names for this channel are Addigiri Kandu and Māmalē Kandu. It appeared in old French maps with the nameCourant de Malicut.
There are total of eleven villages[8] (athiris, avah) on Minicoy Island. From north to south, they are:
Minicoy has atropical savanna climate (Köppen climate classificationAw) with warm temperatures throughout the year. Precipitation falls during most of the year; only January to March are relatively dry.
| Climate data for Minicoy (1991–2020, extremes 1901–2020) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °C (°F) | 32.9 (91.2) | 33.8 (92.8) | 34.6 (94.3) | 35.6 (96.1) | 36.7 (98.1) | 34.5 (94.1) | 33.6 (92.5) | 33.4 (92.1) | 33.2 (91.8) | 33.3 (91.9) | 33.2 (91.8) | 33.3 (91.9) | 36.7 (98.1) |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 31.3 (88.3) | 31.7 (89.1) | 32.6 (90.7) | 33.3 (91.9) | 32.9 (91.2) | 31.5 (88.7) | 31.0 (87.8) | 31.1 (88.0) | 31.1 (88.0) | 31.2 (88.2) | 31.2 (88.2) | 31.3 (88.3) | 31.7 (89.1) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | 27.8 (82.0) | 28.2 (82.8) | 29.2 (84.6) | 30.1 (86.2) | 29.8 (85.6) | 28.6 (83.5) | 28.2 (82.8) | 28.3 (82.9) | 28.3 (82.9) | 28.2 (82.8) | 28.1 (82.6) | 28.1 (82.6) | 28.6 (83.4) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 24.3 (75.7) | 24.7 (76.5) | 25.7 (78.3) | 26.8 (80.2) | 26.8 (80.2) | 25.8 (78.4) | 25.4 (77.7) | 25.5 (77.9) | 25.5 (77.9) | 25.2 (77.4) | 25.0 (77.0) | 24.7 (76.5) | 25.4 (77.7) |
| Record low °C (°F) | 17.8 (64.0) | 17.2 (63.0) | 19.1 (66.4) | 20.7 (69.3) | 19.7 (67.5) | 20.4 (68.7) | 19.7 (67.5) | 19.7 (67.5) | 20.3 (68.5) | 19.4 (66.9) | 17.2 (63.0) | 16.7 (62.1) | 16.7 (62.1) |
| Average rainfall mm (inches) | 35.9 (1.41) | 20.9 (0.82) | 24.2 (0.95) | 52.6 (2.07) | 163.3 (6.43) | 291.3 (11.47) | 260.6 (10.26) | 208.8 (8.22) | 162.6 (6.40) | 172.6 (6.80) | 143.1 (5.63) | 98.7 (3.89) | 1,634.7 (64.36) |
| Average rainy days | 2.1 | 1.2 | 1.6 | 3.2 | 9.3 | 16.2 | 14.9 | 11.9 | 10.6 | 10.1 | 7.9 | 4.4 | 93.5 |
| Averagerelative humidity (%)(at 17:30IST) | 72 | 71 | 71 | 72 | 76 | 81 | 81 | 80 | 79 | 79 | 78 | 75 | 76 |
| Mean monthlysunshine hours | 269.7 | 248.6 | 272.8 | 261.0 | 217.0 | 138.0 | 151.9 | 192.2 | 195.0 | 229.4 | 219.0 | 260.4 | 2,655 |
| Mean dailysunshine hours | 8.7 | 8.8 | 8.8 | 8.7 | 7.0 | 4.6 | 4.9 | 6.2 | 6.5 | 7.4 | 7.3 | 8.4 | 7.3 |
| Source 1:India Meteorological Department (sun, 1971–2000)[9][10][11][12] | |||||||||||||
| Source 2: Tokyo Climate Center (mean temperatures 1991–2020)[13] | |||||||||||||
There are remains in an area of the island known as "Salliballu" dating back from Minicoy'sBuddhist past, about 800 years ago. The most conspicuous archaeological sites are two mounds or large heaps of ruins belonging to astupa and another related structure. These sites were investigated by theArchaeological Survey of India in the 1980s. The excavations yielded few discoveries, for the sites had been much damaged and vandalized previously. Still, a much-damaged largeBuddha head was found buried in the area. The name "Salliballu" originated in the local name for the "Christian cross", because the locals say that an inscription with a "cross" was found there. But it is likely that, coming from a Buddhist site, it was a cross-shapedmandala orvisvavajra, like those often found on inscriptions in archaeological remains in the Maldives.[14]
Local oral tradition has it that Kamborani and Kohoratukamana, two princesses from theMaldives, came to Maliku. When they arrived, theTivaru, who had been living there before, left the island forSri Lanka. The Kamborani's descendants are the bodun (land and shipowners) and the descendants of Kohoratukamana are the niamin (captains). The other status groups are made up of the descendants of their crew.[15]
Until the 16th century, the Laccadives was under thesuzerainty of theKolathiri Raja ofChirakkal in what is now the Indian state ofKerala. With thePortuguese ascendancy in the region, it became necessary for theKolathiri to transfer sovereignty of the islands to their hereditary admiral, theAli Raja ofKolathunadu (Cannanore).
However, the kings and queens of the Maldives also issued edicts addressed to the subjects in their realmMalikaddu Midhemedhu. This meant "Between Maliku (Minicoy) and Addu". Previously Addu was the southernmost island in the dominions of the Maldive kings and was inAddu Atoll. A 1696 CE grant issued under the Seal of the King Siri Kula Ran Mani (Sultan Mohamed IV) of the Maldives, regarding the building and upkeep of a mosque inFiney atThiladhummathi Atoll in Maldives, referred to him asMalikaddu Midhemedhu ekanuonna mi korhu anikaneh nethee korhu which meant "Sole Sovereign with no other over what lies between Maliku and Addu".
In 1857, suzerainty over Minicoy transferred from the East India Company to the Indian Empire whenQueen Victoria was proclaimed Empress. On 18 December 1790 Maliku was surrendered to the Court of Directors of the BritishEast India Company by theAli RajaCannanore, Junumabe Ali-Adi Raja Bibi II. The Ali Raja was allowed to administer Maliku in return for a tribute to the East India Company. She continued to dispute the transfer of sovereignty but in 1824, her successor, Mariambe Ali-Adi Raja Bibi made a formal written recognition of the suzerainty of the East India Company over Maliku (Minicoy). She and her successors, however, continued the tributary arrangement. On 27 July 1795, the Governor General of the Presidency of Madras under whose jurisdiction Minicoy was, abolished Junumabe Ali Adi-Raja Bibi's monopoly overcoir trade. In 1905 under the heavy burden of debts to the Empire, Mohamed Ali-Adi Raja ofCannanore agreed to surrender sovereignty and control over Minicoy. He died before the formal transfer. After an attempt to backtrack, his successor Imbicchi Ali-Adi Raja Bibi finally signed over Minicoy to the EmperorEdward VII on 9 February 1909, backdated to 1 July 1905. Following this, Minicoy was annexed to the District of Malabar.
After theindependence of India in August 1947, the possessions of the Emperor of India passed to either the Indian Union or Pakistan according to an agreed demarcation line. The rulers of theprincely state of British India had the choice of acceding to either India or Pakistan. Since Minicoy was earlier in a sovereign possession of the British Raj, India held a plebiscite in Minicoy in 1956 to determine whether or not the people of Minicoy wished to join the Indian Union. A referendum was held and an absolute majority of the Minicoy decided to join the Indian Union.
After the plebiscite, on 1 November 1956, Minicoy was incorporated into the Union Territory of Laccadive, Minicoy, and Aminidivi Islands, renamedLakshadweep in 1973. At this time, the Maldives was still not independent from the British.
In December 1976, India and the Maldives signed amaritime boundary treaty whereby Minicoy was placed on the Indian side of the boundary.[16] India and Maldives officially and amicably decided theirmaritime boundary in 1976,[17] in 1982 when the brother of thePresident of MaldivesMaumoon Abdul Gayoom,Abdulla Hameed declared that the neighbouringMinicoy Island that belonged to India were a part of Maldives; Maldives quickly and officially denied that it was laying claim to the island.[17][18]
India and Maldives continue to enjoy friendly relations and astrategic partnership in economic and military fields.[19][17]India continues to contribute to thesecurity of the island nation ofMaldives.[17][20]
As of 2011[update] Indiacensus,[21] the island of Minicoy had a population of 10,447. Males constitute 51% of the population and females 49%. Minicoy has an average literacy rate of 83.93%, higher than the national average of 74.04%: male literacy is 85.82%, and female literacy is 81.93%. In Minicoy, 9.6% of the population is under 6 years of age.
MVCorals, MVLagoons, MVAmindivi, MVArabian Sea, MVBharat Seema, MVDweep Setu, MVKavaratti, MVLakshadweep Sea and MVMinicoy are the important passenger ships connectingLakshadweep withKerala. The passage takes between 14 and 20 hours.[22]
TheLakshadweep authorities are seeking an opportunity to invest in Port City of KeralaKollam. They are ready to invest in a passenger terminal with dormitory facilities and an office to guide the people of Minicoy reaching Kollam Port.[23] Traditionally, Lakshadweep's connections with the mainland have been throughKollam,Kochi andBeypore ports. But Minicoy, a small atoll at the southernmost end of the archipelago, is closer to Kollam than to either Kochi or Beypore.[24]
Agatti Airport is the only civilian airport inLakshadweep. Helicopter transfer is available from Agatti to Minicoy throughout the year. The flight fromCochin toAgatti takes approximately one hour thirty minutes. Flights operate six days a week.
On 18 July 2024, the Government of India had cleared the proposal to develop an airport at Minicoy Island as a tri-service military base with a civilian air enclave. The airbase will be capable of operating fighter jets, long-range UAVs and military transport aircraft along with commercial flights. The airbase will be located near the recently commissioned naval base,INS Jatayu. The project is led by theIndian Air Force and will be used by all the branches of theArmed Forces and theIndian Coast Guard.[25][26][27]
