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It is believed that people from Kerala were the settlers in the Laccadive and
Amini groups of Islands. A legend said that Cheraman Perumal who was the ruler
of Kerala in the 9th century for about 36 years was attracted towards Islam in
his old age. He divided the country among his kinsmen and one night
secretly sailed for Mecca in a ship belonging to one Arab merchant. when
his departure came to be known, one of his followers, the Raja of
Kolathiri (chirakkal) sent some brave soldiers to bring him back. The
party started from Cannanore capital of the Raja of Chirakal but faced a fierce
storm in the sea and could not catch the Arab ship in which the Perumal had
left. The ship sent by the Raja of Chirakkal struck at an uninhabited island
which is now known as Bangaram. At the end of the storm the party returned home.
Way back they sighted some other small islands. After returning to Cannanore,
they reported about the existence of these islands to the Raja who announced
that all who settled in these islands would have the right of ownership of the
lands cultivated by them. Many brave and hardy people were attracted by the
terms offered by the Raja and settled in the islands. It is believed that Amini
was the first island to be colonised. Later, people from Amini went to Chetlat
and colonised it.
Another legend said that these islands are known to have been inhabited since
unknown past. There existed in Amini a council of four principal families. This
council had some authority over chetlat and other islands also but in many
matters all islands enjoyed certain amount of autonomy.
Historically the first
reference is from the periplus of the Erythrarean Sea (A.D.90). Describing the
trade of the Malabar coast, the author mentions "tortoise shell from the
islands off Limurike", the latter being the name given to Malabar or part
of it in ancient times. The other classical reference is found in Ptolemy's
Geography (Circa A.D.150). He refers to a multitude of islands in the Indian
Ocean lying around Taprobane (Sri Lanka) and numbering about 1378. He gives a
long list of islands, out of which a few belonging to Lakshadweep.
The travelers like Al Biruni in A.D.1030, Abu Zayad in A.D.950 and Marco
Polo in A.D.1254-1324 mentioned about the islands in the coast of Kerala. Marco
Polo gives a fantastic account of their marriage custom, fish trade and
collection of ambergris.
The earliest reference about these islands is in the Vaylur inscription which
indirectly mentions the conquest of the islands by Rajasimha (Narasimha Varman
II-AD. 680-720). The other inscription referring to these islands is the
inscription in Rajarajeswara Temple Tanjore which mentions about the
"many ancient islands" conquered by Rajarajendra Chola
(A.D.1018-1019). From Arab accounts, it is gathered that people from the west
coast went to these islands to collect cowries and tortoise shells which were
items of commerce. They also probably planted coconuts which they sold to the
Arab sailors. The 'mooshakavamsa' which is a Sanskrit work composed
towards the end of the 11th century A.D. by Atula who is the court poet of the
Mooshaka King Sreekantha of Kolathunad mentions while narrating the history of
that kingdom, the annexation of several islands of the Arabian Sea by Valabha ,
the immediate predecessor of Sreekantha . These islands may be identified with
the modern Lakshadweep.
During the16th century the island have to suffered greatly at the hands of
the Portuguese. A major part of the inhabitants were put to death and many were
taken prisoners. The Portuguese built a fort at Amini. Because of their cruelty
and harshness the islanders were driven to seem assistance of Raja of Chriakkal.
As a result of his intervention in this matter the Raja could eventually
establish his authority over all the islands. He held them for many years and
later transferred them in Jaghir, with the title of Raja upon the Ali Raja, the
head of the Moplah community in Cannanore.
The Raja of Cannanore first managed the islands through the chiefs of the
islanders themselves called 'Muthalals'. Later on the Rajas used to send their
own agents known as 'Kariakars'. Chetlat was administered by the 'Kariakar'
stationed at Amini. In A.D.1764-65, the Cannanore Raja levied an export duty on
coir and later imposed duty on rice imported from mainland for home consumption.
In 1783 as a result of the compulsory introduction of monopoly an export of
coir, the people of Aminidivi group of islands including Chetlat rose in revolt
and extended allegiance to Tipu Sultan attached the Aminidivi Islands in
1779 since then, the islands were under the British, till India's Independence
in 1947.
ADVENT OF ISLAM
The most significant even in the early history of the territory was the
complete religious conversion brought over by the adoption of the entire
population to Islamic faith. The current tradition in all the islands say that
it was brought about by an Arab Saint named Ubadidullah who reached Amini in
Hejira 41 (AD.663). Ubaidullah, the grand son of Siddique-ul-Akbar, had a dream
while praying at a mosque in Medina to proceed to Jiddan and from there by ocean
to distant lands to spread the message of Islam. He proceeded from Jiddah but
his vessel capsized due to a storm. Saint Ubaidullah drifted on a plank and
reached Amini. The Saint started preaching there but met with general
opposition. He could get a female covert from the Pondambelli family with whom
he proceeded to Andrott and converted the inhabitants there. Then he went to
Kavaratti and Agatti and returned once again to Amini in A.H-44 (A.D. 666). He succeed
this time in converting entire population to Islam. He then proceeded to
Kalpeni converting the inhabitants there and finally returned to Andrott
where he remained till the end of his life. He died at Andrott and his grave is
enshrined there in a mosque at Andrott with deep veneration. All the Juma
Mosques in the Islands of Amini, Kalpeni, Agatti and Kavaratti are believed to
have been founded by the saint. As the group lies directly in the path of
Arab trade between the Red Sea and Malabar, the ultimate conversion of the
inhabitants to Islam was a probability and saint Ubaidullah must have been
instrumental for such a conversion.
The conversion of the king of Maldives, Siri Bavanditta who assumed the name
of Sultan Muhammad took place in the year AD.1153, when Ibn Batuta visited the
area in AD.1346, he found that all the inhabitants in Mulook (Minicoy) were
devout Muslims. It can be assumed that the people of Minicoy had embraced Islam
sometime between 12th and 13th century AD. According to Sir.W.Robinson, the
conversion to the new faith in other islands took place sometime in the 16th
century.
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