Misplaced Pages

#988011

51-561: Malé , the capital of the Maldives , is at the southern end of North Male Atoll. The capital of Male atoll is Thulusdhoo , an island in North Male' atoll. North Malé Atoll South Malé Atoll Individual Atolls/Islands Resort islands are defined as uninhabited islands which have been converted to become resorts. Practically all uninhabited islands in Malé Atoll became tourist resorts during

102-463: A bilingual inscription in Tamil-Brahmi . Excavations in the area of Tissamaharama in southern Sri Lanka have unearthed locally issued coins produced between the second century BCE and the second century CE, some of which carry Tamil personal names written in early Tamil letters, which suggest that Tamil merchants were present and actively involved in trade along the southern coast of Sri Lanka by

153-420: A causeway since the development of Hulhumalé, allowing the airport to be accessed by road from the latter. As Malé, Hulhulé and Hulhumalé are now linked by roads, inter-island travel between the three islands can be done by road. For the other islands, inter-island transport is by ferry. Malé island has a port that allows cargo vessels to dock. Malé City Council is the local government body responsible for

204-594: A certain large sandbank ( finolhu ) at the southern end of their atoll to clean tuna fish after a good catch. Owing to the large amount of tuna fish offal and blood, the waters around that sandbank looked like a big pool of blood ("maa ley gandeh": "maa" from the Sanskrit मह "maha", meaning big , and "lē" blood ). Traditionally the first inhabitants of the Maldives, which include the Giravaru people, did not have kings. They lived in

255-454: A simple society and were ruled by local headmen. However, one day, a prince from the subcontinent called Koimala arrived in the Malé Atoll sailing from the North on a big ship. The people of Giraavaru spotted his vessel from afar and welcomed him. They allowed Prince Koimala to settle on that large sandbank in the midst of the waters tainted with fish blood. Trees were planted on the sandbank and it

306-575: A sizable presence of unskilled laborers, as well as other professionals and members of the business community. The whole island group, the Maldives, is named after its capital. The word "Maldives" means "the islands (dives) of Malé". The first settlers in the Maldivian islands were Dravidian people who arrived from the neighboring shores of the modern Indian subcontinent and coastal Ceylon . Comparative studies of Maldivian linguistic, oral, and other cultural traditions, in addition to folklore , point to

357-576: A strong Dravidian influence on Maldivian society, centered in Malé, from ancient times. The Giraavaru people of Giraavaru claim descent from the first Tamil settlers of the Maldives. It is said that early Tamil settlers called the islands Maalaitivu , which means Garland Islands or Chain Islands. Early records also indicate that the island was called " Athamana Huraa " prior to being named Malé. According to regional lore, Giraavaru fishermen used to go regularly to

408-679: A total of 41 stops, of which R10 and R11 stop at 20 each, while R12 stops at 8. All 3 routes go through Majeedhee Magu , in the centre of the city. R11 to R9 are various routes connecting Malé to Hulhumalé and Velana International Airport . These busses are much larger, and in late 2020, began operating double-decker busses to Hulhumalé. The busses move between the islands using the Sinamalé Bridge . R13 Is an internal minibus route located internally within Villimalé , and goes through 13 stops. It uses much smaller electrical-powered busses along with

459-563: Is a portmanteau of a word and suffix from the Tamil language , namely Tamiḻ and - akam . It can be roughly translated as the "home of Tamil ". According to Kamil Zvelebil , the term seems to be the most ancient term used to designate Tamil territory in the Indian subcontinent. The Periplus of the Erythraean Sea , as well as Ptolemy 's writings, mention the term " Limyrike " which corresponds to

510-507: Is also one of the most densely populated cities in the world . The city is geographically located in the southern edge of North Malé Atoll ( Kaafu Atoll ). Administratively, the city consists of a central island, an airport island, and four other islands presided over by the Malé City Council. Traditionally it was the King's Island, from where the ancient royal dynasties ruled and where

561-734: Is formed in 1980 to contribute towards the development of infrastructure and transport service in the Maldives. The port is part of the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road that runs from the Chinese coast via the Suez Canal to the Mediterranean, there to the Upper Adriatic region with its rail connections to Central and Eastern Europe . Each of the islands of Malé is served by a dense network of paved roads, which are named magu (road or street), hingun and goalhi (small road or alley). Road traffic

SECTION 10

#1732855953989

612-513: Is heavy, especially on Malé Island. Malé and Hulhulé Island are linked by the Sinamalé Bridge , which was opened to traffic in October 2018, while Hulhulé and Hulhumalé are linked via a causeway, thus allowing the road networks of the three islands to be connected. Public transport in Malé primarily consists of 3 minibus lines that run through the city, and connecting the Greater Malé region to

663-522: Is of uncertain date, is definitely a later addition to the original Tolkāppiyam . According to the Tolkāppiyam preface, "the virtuous land in which Tamil is spoken as the mother tongue lies between the northern Venkata hill and the southern Kumari ." The Silappadikaram ( c.  2nd century CE ) defines the Tamilakam as follows: The Tamil region extends from the hills of Vishnu [Tirupati] in

714-406: Is said that the first tree that grew on it was the papaya tree. (However, this could refer to any tree that bears edible fruit as the archaic Dhivehi word, and Mahal word in modern times, for fruit ( falhoa ) was the same as that for the papaya. ) As time went by, the local islanders accepted the rule of this Northern Prince. A palace was built and the island was formally named Maa-le (Malé), while

765-668: The Tolkāppiyam referred to these territories as a single cultural area, where Tamil was the natural language and permeated the culture of all its inhabitants. The ancient Tamil country was divided into kingdoms. The best known among them were the Cheras , Cholas , Pandyans and Pallavas . During the Sangam period , Tamil culture began to spread outside Tamilakam. Ancient Tamil settlements were also established in Sri Lanka ( Sri Lankan Tamils ) and

816-481: The Gulhifalhu reef, implementation began in 2008. The island of Malé is the eighth most densely populated island in the world , and it is the 160th most populous island in the world. Since there is no surrounding countryside, all infrastructure has to be located in the city itself. Water is provided from desalinated ground water; the water works pumps brackish water from 50–60 m (160–200 ft) deep wells in

867-657: The Malabar Coast of south-western India. The Roman map Tabula Peutingeriana includes a place named "Damirica" (or "Damirice") and because this sounds like "Tamil," some modern scholars have equated it with Limyrike, considering both to be synonyms of "Tamilakam". However, the "Damirice" mentioned in the Tabula Peutingeriana actually refers to an area between the Himalayas and the Ganges . The term "Tamilakam" appears to be

918-1375: The Maldives ( Giravarus ), prior to the migration of Prakrit speakers . During the Prehistorical, Classical, Middle and Early Modern ages, the entire region of Tamilakam mostly remained unconquered by the Northern Indo-Aryan dynasties, ranging from the Maurya Empire to the Mughal Empire . In contemporary India, Tamil politicians and orators often use the name Tamilakam to refer to Tamil Nadu alone. Maritime contacts Sangam period Tamilakam Cheras Spice trade Ays Ezhil Malai Confluence of religions Mamankam festival Calicut Venad - Kingdom of Quilon Valluvanad Kolattunadu Cochin Arakkal kingdom Minor principalities Age of Discovery Portuguese period Dutch period Rise of Travancore Mysorean invasion British Period Battle of Tirurangadi Malabar District North Malabar South Malabar Battle of Quilon Communism in Kerala Lakshadweep Economy Architecture "Tamiḻakam"

969-532: The Malé Friday Mosque . In the last few decades, the island has been considerably expanded in size through land reclamation . Over the years, Malé has been the center of political protests and milestone events. Although Malé is geographically located in Kaafu Atoll , administratively it is not considered part of it. The central part of the city is formed by the island of Malé. Five more islands form part of

1020-626: The President of the Maldives he resigned. After Muizzu resigned the council ran a mayor election and Adam Azim was elected. Ancient Tamil country Tamilakam ( Tamil : தமிழகம் , romanized:  Tamiḻakam ) was the geographical region inhabited by the ancient Tamil people, covering the southernmost region of the Indian subcontinent . Tamilakam covered today's Tamil Nadu , Kerala , Puducherry , Lakshadweep and southern parts of Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka . Traditional accounts and

1071-434: The 1990s. Over 90% of government tax revenue comes from import duties and tourism-related taxes. Malé, the capital, has many tourist attractions and nearby resorts. Maldivian , the airline of the Maldives, has its head office in Malé, as does the airline Villa Air . The central harbour and port of the Maldives is located in Malé, the centre for all commercial activities. The Maldives Transport and Contracting Company (MTCC)

SECTION 20

#1732855953989

1122-484: The Queen, Rehendhi Khadeeja , had a residence in Malé, which from its description may be assimilated to the same palace of the later sultan rulers, in the centre of the island. Within the palace compounds, several pits contained stores of cowrie shells, ready to be traded. Ibn Battuta also mentioned several mosques, built in wood. Malé was fortified in the 17th century by the sultan Muhammad Imaduddin , who built walls on

1173-457: The Sosun Route (R12). Velana International Airport is located on nearby Hulhulé and is the city's airport as well as the principal airport in Maldives. With the opening of the Sinamalé Bridge , the airport is now accessible from Malé by road. Prior to the opening of the bridge, transport between the airport and Malé was by a frequent ferry service. Hulhulé and Hulhumalé have been connected via

1224-699: The Tamil kingdoms are in inscriptions from the 3rd century BCE during the time of the Maurya Empire. The Chola dynasty ruled from before the Sangam period (~3rd century BCE) until the 13th century in central Tamil Nadu. The heartland of the Cholas was the fertile valley of the Kaveri . The Pandyan dynasty ruled parts of South India until the late 17th century. The heartland of the Pandyas was

1275-537: The abolition of the monarchy in 1968. Only the National Museum building, residence of the last sultan, as well as the Malé Friday Mosque , remain. Malé's residents soon grew to 11,453 by 1967 and 29,522 by 1977. In order to cater for the growing population, by 1986 the shallow lagoon around Malé was reclaimed. The most revered place in Malé is the Medhu Ziyaaraiy , across the street from the Malé Friday Mosque :

1326-697: The ancient definition. The ancient Tamilakam thus included the present-day Kerala . However, it excluded the present-day Tamil-inhabited territory in the North-East of Sri Lanka . From around 600 BCE to 300 CE, Tamiḻakam was ruled by the three Tamil dynasties: the Chola dynasty , the Pandyan dynasty and the Chera dynasty . There were also a few independent chieftains, the Velirs ( Satyaputra ). The earliest datable references to

1377-455: The city and desalinates that using reverse osmosis . Electric power is generated in the city using diesel generators. Sewage is pumped unprocessed into the sea. Solid waste is transported to nearby islands, where it is used to fill in lagoons. The airport was built in this way, and currently the Thilafushi lagoon is being filled in. Many government buildings and agencies are located on

1428-473: The city which includes Hulhulé , Hulhumalé , Villimalé , Gulhifalhu and Thilafushi . A commercial harbour is located on the central island and serves as the heart of all commercial activities in the country. Velana International Airport is located on the Island of Hulhulé. The central island is heavily urbanised, with the built-up area taking up essentially its entire landmass. Slightly less than one third of

1479-418: The course of the year, with an average high of 30 °C or 86 °F and an average low of 26.5 °C or 79.7 °F, which is equivalent to many equatorial cities' average year-round daily mean. The city averages slightly more than 1,900 millimetres or 75 inches of precipitation annually. The temperature is constantly high year-round due in part to the Maldives having the lowest median elevation anywhere in

1530-488: The development of Hulhumalé and the extension to Phase 2. The Indian expatriate community in the Maldives stands as the second-largest, comprising around 27,000 individuals. Among them, a substantial portion consists of construction workers, doctors, nurses, health professionals, and teachers, who play vital roles in the Maldivian infrastructure, healthcare and education sectors. Additionally, Indian and Bangladeshi nationals contribute significantly as skilled workers, alongside

1581-489: The early historic period of South India . Tamiḻakam was divided into political regions called Perunadu or "Great country" ("nadu" means country). There were three important political regions which were Chera Nadu , Chola Nadu and Pandya Nadu . Alongside these three, there were two more political regions of Athiyaman Nadu (Sathyaputha) and Thamirabharani Nadu (Then Paandi) which were later on absorbed into Chera and Pandya Nadu by 3rd century BCE. Tondai Nadu which

Malé Atoll - Misplaced Pages Continue

1632-616: The fertile valley of the Vaigai River . They initially ruled their country from Korkai , a seaport on the southernmost tip of the Indian Peninsula, and in later times moved to Madurai . The Chera dynasty ruled from before the Sangam period (~3rd century) until the 12th century over an area corresponding to modern-day western Tamil Nadu and Kerala . The Vealirs ( Vēḷir ) were minor dynastic kings and aristocratic chieftains in Tamiḻakam in

1683-682: The governance of the city of Malé. The council was created in 2011, with the enactment of the Decentralization Bill. The city is divided into 18 political wards each with one councillor. In the Local Council Elections in 2021, the mayor was elected for the first time ever, with Mohamed Muizzu being elected to the position. The Progressive Party of the Maldives picked up 11 seats while the Maldivian Democratic Party picked up 6 seats. But due to Muizzu being elected as

1734-530: The late classical period. Around 237 BCE, "two adventurers from southern India" took control of the Anuradhapura kingdom. In 145 BCE Elara, a Chola general or prince known as Ellāḷaṉ took over the throne at Anuradhapura and ruled for forty-four years. Dutugamunu , a Sinhalese , started a war against him, defeated him, and took over the throne. Tamil Kings have been dated in Sri Lanka to at least

1785-519: The main island. All the routes are operated by Raajje Transport Link (RTL) . These busses go through the wider roads through the city. Children under 18, people with special needs and people above 65 years of age ride for free. The Orchid Route (R10), the Ameenee Route (R11) and the Sosun Route (R12). The routes are named after the main roads that the minibus drives through in Malé, being Orchid Magu , Ameenee Magu and Sosun Magu . The Malé system has

1836-435: The most ancient term used for designating the Tamil territory. The earliest sources to mention it include Purananuru 168.18 and Patiṟṟuppattu Patikam 2.5. The Specific Preface ( cirappuppayiram ) of the more ancient text Tolkāppiyam mentions the terms tamil-kuru nal-lulakam ("the beautiful world [where] Tamil is spoken") and centamil ... nilam ("the territory ... of refined Tamil"). However, this preface, which

1887-471: The nation's population lives in the capital city, and the population has increased from 20,000 people in 1987 to 100,000 people in 2006. Many Maldivians and foreign workers living in other parts of the country find themselves in occasional short term residence on the island since it is the centre of administration and bureaucracy. Most of the population of Malé live in small houses or apartment complexes, often shared with external family or roommates. This led to

1938-449: The nearest island was named Hulhu-le. The names of the main four wards or divisions of Malé Island are said to have been given by the original Giraavaru fishermen: Maafannu from maa (big) and fannu (a place where a village path meets the sea), Henveiru from en-beyru (out where fishermen got their bait), Galolhu from galu-olhu (stone groove) and, Macchangolhi from mathi-angolhi (windward path-fork). In early foreign sources, Malé

1989-495: The north to the oceans at the cape in the south. In this region of cool waters were the four great cities of: Madurai with its towers; Uraiyur which was famous; tumultuous Kanchi ; and Puhar with the roaring waters [of the Kaveri and the ocean]. While these ancient texts do not clearly define the eastern and western boundaries of the Tamilakam, scholars assume that these boundaries were the seas, which may explain their omission from

2040-486: The north, east and west side of the island. An inner harbour was used by fishing vessels and small dhonis , while larger vessels had to anchor in the outer harbour, between the islands of Vilingili and Hulhule. The island covered less than one square mile in size, and was surrounded by a shallow lagoon. Malé had 2,148 inhabitants in 1888, but population growth soon led to the search for new spaces for housing. The old forts and decrepit walls were dismantled in 1925–1927 under

2091-422: The palace was located. The city was then called Mahal . Formerly it was a walled city surrounded by fortifications and gates ( doroshi ). The Royal Palace ( Gan'duvaru ) was destroyed along with the picturesque forts ( koshi ) and bastions ( buruzu ) when the city was remodelled under President Ibrahim Nasir 's rule in the aftermath of the abolition of the monarchy in 1968. However, some buildings remained, namely,

Malé Atoll - Misplaced Pages Continue

2142-465: The protohistoric period (1000-500 BCE) Sri Lanka was culturally united with southern India, and shared the same megalithic burials, pottery , iron technology, farming techniques and megalithic graffiti . This cultural complex spread from southern India along with Dravidian clans such as the Velir , prior to the migration of Prakrit speakers. The Annaicoddai seal , dated to the 3rd century BCE, contains

2193-401: The reign of Muhammad Shamsuddeen III , to be rebuilt on a smaller scale. Roads were also widened and straightened. Former large cemeteries had also been cleared out, to achieve more housing space. The Royal Palace ( Gan'duvaru ) was destroyed along with the picturesque forts ( koshi ) and bastions ( buruzu ) when the city was remodelled under President Ibrahim Nasir 's rule in the aftermath of

2244-408: The rest of South India. The ancient non-Tamil inscriptions, such as those of the northern kings Ashoka and Kharavela , also allude to the distinct identity of the region. For example, Ashoka's inscriptions refer to the independent states lying beyond the southern boundary of his kingdom, and Kharavdela's Hathigumpha inscription refers to the destruction of a "confederacy of Tamil powers". During

2295-399: The term "Tamilakam" was divided among multiple kingdoms, its occurrence in the ancient literature implies that the region's inhabitants shared a cultural or ethnic identity, or at least regarded themselves as distinct from their neighbours. The ancient Tamil inscriptions, ranging from 5th century BCE to 3rd century CE, are also considered as linguistic evidence for distinguishing Tamilakam from

2346-527: The tomb of Abu al-Barakat Yusuf al-Barbari, considered to have converted the Maldives to Islam in 1153. Malé has a tropical monsoon climate ( Am ) under the Köppen climate classification . The city features a mix of both wet and dry seasons , with the wet season lasting from April through January and the drier season covering the months of February and March. Unlike a number of cities with this climate, Malé experiences relatively consistent temperatures throughout

2397-490: The two final decades of the 20th century. North Male Atoll South Male Atoll North Malé Atoll South Malé Atoll Gaafaru Atoll This Maldives location article is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Mal%C3%A9 Malé is the capital and most populous city of the Maldives . With a population of 211,908 in 2022 within its administrative area and coterminous geographical area of 8.30 square kilometres (3.20 sq mi), Malé

2448-411: The waterfront. Velana International Airport is on adjacent Hulhulé Island which includes a seaplane base for internal transportation. Several land reclamation projects have expanded the harbour. Tourism is the largest industry in the Maldives, accounting for 28% of GDP and more than 60% of the Maldives' foreign exchange receipts. The GDP per capita expanded by 265% in the 1980s and a further 115% in

2499-418: The world. The city is divided into six divisions, four of which are on Malé Island: Henveiru, Galolhu, Maafannu and MacchanGoalhi. The nearby island of Villimalé , formerly a tourist resort and prior to that a prison, is the fifth division. The sixth division is Hulhumalé , an artificial island settled since 2004. In addition, the airport Island Hulhulé is part of the city. Plans have been made to develop

2550-554: Was called Ambria or Mahl. For the Maldivians, it was Fura Malé, i.e. "Malé the Pre-Eminent". When Ibn Battuta traveled to Malé in 1343 (in Arabic : المَحَل , romanized :  al-Maḥal thus the entire Maldivian islands were ذِيبَةُ المَحَل Dhībat-ul-Maḥal ), he provided a rather extensive description of the city as well as the Islands of the Maldives overall. He mentioned that

2601-408: Was under Chola Nadu, later emerged as independent Pallava Nadu by 6th century CE. Tamilakam was also divided into 13 socio-geographical regions called Nadu or "country", each of which had their own dialect of Tamil. Some other Nadus are also mentioned in Tamil literature which were not part of Tamilakam, but the countries traded with them in ancient times. Other: Although the area covered by

SECTION 50

#1732855953989
#988011