With sea levels reportedly rising by one-two inches per year because of global warming, there’s a strong possibility that many of the 1,196 islands constituting the Maldives may disappear underwater in the near future. Advice to adventurers: visit sooner than later If you are a member of the growing tribe of adventurers worldwide interested in checking out the least explored domain on planet Earth — exotic flora and fauna beneath the oceans which cover two-thirds of the world’s surface — a good option is the Islamic Republic of Maldives (pop. 515,696). With sea levels reportedly rising by one-two inches per year because of global warming which is steadily melting the polar ice caps, there is a strong possibility that many of the 1,196 islands and atolls constituting the Maldives may soon disappear underwater. Therefore, for adventurers keen to experience the indescribable colours and coral reefs of the Maldives — a mere half hour’s flight from Thiruvananthapuram — the advice is visit sooner than later. A garland of emerald islands scattered across the Indian Ocean, tourism and hospitality is the republic’s premier industry. Last year an estimated 555,494 tourists from around the world checked into the 87 island resorts of the Maldives, described by legendary traveller Marco Polo as the “flower of the Indies”. Local people refer to the Maldives as dhivehiraajje which translates into “the island kingdom”, but ancient traders from India referred to it as Maladiv — the Sanskrit term for ‘garland of islands’ — and through Portuguese this name was adopted by other European languages. The natives describe themselves dhivehin, meaning “islander” and speak their own unique Dhivehi language. The formation and history of the Maldives is shrouded in mystery. How exactly this exquisite chain of islands surfaced is unclear, as is the total count of how many islands constitute the republic. Estimates place the figure at 1,196, divided into 26 natural atolls, though it’s impossible to arrive at an exact number because with the rise and fall in ocean levels, some islands disappear beneath the sea and resurface, and some even split into two or more parts. However of the 1,196 islands only 202 are inhabited. The unique feature of this archipelago is the harmonious relationship of its people with their environment. Maldivians deeply respect nature, revering it as their source of life and livelihood, while being well aware that nature can be a capricious and volatile force with astounding powers to bless or destroy. Maldivians are learned about climate and weather and adapt their fishing, farming and sailing programmes accordingly. They have developed their own complex calendar based on the study of stars and waxing and waning of the moon. The year is divided into seasons called nakaiy, the word having its origins in the Sanskrit word nakshatra meaning star or heavenly body. A string of tropical islands blessed with clear waters and exotic fish living off its coral reefs, the Maldives is hot and humid for most of the year. Temperatures are usually in the…
