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Minicoy
Minicoy is situated at 8o17' north latitude and
73o04 east longitude.Minicoy or Malik is the southern most
island in the Union Territory of Lakshadweep. Macro Polo referred to it
as the female island.
Minicoy is crescent-shaped and more than 10kms in length. The lagoon is
large and deep enough for small ships to enter. There is a small island at the
northern tip of the main island known as Viringili which was used by the people
for isolating small-pox patients in the past. Within the lagoon, the reef dries
at low tide at the north-western entrance depositing marine collections. The islanders
are known as children of the sea. In the past their ships went for into Arabia,
the Maldives, Andaman's, Bengal and Burma. This has given them the tradition of
a sea faring life. More than half of the inhabitants of working age are employed
as seamen in ocean-going vessels all over the world. The islanders have their
own seamen's Associations at Calcutta and Bombay which provide employment
opportunities. The profession of the seamen which made the ordinary Minicoy a
globe trotter has also helped him to enrich his household with articles of
luxury from abroad.
The main feature of the island is its carefully planned villages known as
Athiris. Each Athiri has its own internal organisation headed by a Moopan around
whom the life of the community rests. They have their own village house, their
own street, bathing tanks, places of worship and burial. The public clubs for
men and women which were the centres of a gay night life in olden days are
extinct but the buildings are maintained intact. Another curious remnant of old
life in the island is the sheds where vicious persons were exposed to
punishment. The inhabitants love a profusion of colours, be it on the beautifully
engraved table-tops to decorate their drawing rooms or on fishing boats or
racing dhonis. The people are also adapt in boat modeling which is a piece of
art painted in different colours. The houses situated in their own private
enclosures are arranged in streets. They are kept neat and clean and reflect the
people's urge for order and colour. All the houses have a swing cot made of wood
which is beautifully furnished and painted in different colours.
Minicoy is an important tuna fishing centre and there is a tuna canning
factory with an ice plant and cold storage. It has a number of scientific research
stations like Radio Zone Ravine observatory and Tidal observatory. There is also
a light house since 1885 in view of its strategic location.
Among the many foreign influences which the islanders have adopted may be
listed the duodecimal system of numerical notation. For tourism options in
Minicoy Click here
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