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Lakshadweep People And Culture

Lakshadweep might not be covering a huge in terms of area; but the diversity of life one gets to see in this group of small islands, often leaves them bewildered and gasping for more. Most of the tourists visit Lakshadweep to savor the exquisiteness of golden sand beaches, shimmering blue lagoons and scores of adventure activities. However, it is only on their arrival that they come to know, there is more to Lakshadweep than meets the eye. Lakshadweep is an archipelago of 36 islands, only few of them are inhabited, and only fewer are open for tourism. The closest state to Lakshadweep on the Indian mainland is Kerala. And the culture of these two places are unmistakably similar to each other. Most of the people here are the followers of Islamic religion. So all the major festivals that are celebrated here are Muslim festivals. However, the slight percentage of people of other religion are not left out and are an equal part of the celebrations here.

Tribes of Lakshadweep

The major communities that reside in Lakshadweep are Aminidivi, Koyas, Malmis and Malacheris. Aminidivis are believed to be the first group of people to have started inhabiting these islands. They started living in an island named Amini and today it is teeming with Aminidivi people. They are most well known for their handmade crafts. They are also acknowledged for their different rituals and unique way of celebrating festivals making their festivals a grand affair. Melacheris are considered to be the main working community on the island. Their main profession is to gather nuts from coconut trees. Koyas are the land owners of Lakshadweep and Malmis are the one who work for them. Malayalam is the most commonly used language in Lakshadweep.

Lakshadweep Cuisine

Two most abundant items on Lakshadweep islands are fishes and coconut and you will find both of them being used abundantly in the dishes here. In cuisine as well, one can find a huge influence of Kerala dishes in both vegetarian and non-vegetarian dishes. Although some dishes in Lakshadweep are unlike any other. The restuarants here, apart from serving local cuisine, offer numerous inter-continental cuisine as well. The spicy and tangy delicacies will surely give you another reason to visit Lakshadweep islands again and again.

Arts And Crafts

In Lakshadweep, arts and crafts have always been an activity to kill time. However, in recent times, the arts and crafts of this sedate union territory has got a splendid boost since tourism has picked up in Lakshadweep. The unique handicrafts have started seeing the outside world by the way of tourist taking them to all corners of the globe. Items made up of coir are the most widely made and used items on the island. Lakshadweep is a conglomeration of corals, shells and oysters. These items are beautifully crafted and used in decorative items and in jewelery. You can buy these handicraft items from any street side stall or small shops set on the beaches itself.

Music And Dance

Both Music and Dance in Lakshadweep are highly influenced by the Islam culture. One can get to hear the best of Lakshadweep music during many festivals and the important personal occasions like birth and marriage. These are also the time when you will get to see the colorful tribal dances here.

Kolkali dance, Parichakali dance and lava dance is the most famous of all. ‘Opana’ which is a Muslim dance performed in Kerala is also seen here. It is performed in all the marriage celebrations of Muslims.