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The History
Bangaram
Island Packages
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Taratashi
Early history
of Lakhswadeep is unwritten. Local traditions attribute the
first settlement on these Islands to the period of Cheraman
Perumal, the last king of Kerala. It is believed that the first
settlers were hindus/ Buddhists. Even now unmistakable Hindu
social stratification exists in these Islands. Buddhist archaeological
remains are also found in Kavaratti and Andrott Islands.
Cultural and social Influence from the mainland state of Kerala
had a deep impact on the inhabitants of the Islanders. Greek,
Roman and Arab sailors used to visit the Islands for collecting
boatloads of cowries and tortoise-shell for commerce.
Missionary activity
in the 7th century AD and continued contact with Arab traders
eventually led to the conversion of all the islanders to Islam.
A Muslim saint, Hazrat Ubaidullah who succeeded to convert the
inhabitants to Islam, was buried on Andrott. His grave is
revered to this day as a sacred site.
Later in the 12th century, when a Kolathiri princess married
a Muslim convert, the islands became a part of the only Islamic
dominion in the Kerala region.
During the 14th
century Marco Polo, the famous Italian Explorer, seemed to have
visited these Island. During the 15th and 16th centuries, the
Portuguese arrived on the Islands and colonized them.
Later Bibis (female rulers) and their husbands ruled the islands,
until control of the islands passed to Tipu Sultan in 1783.
When Tipu was killed by the British at the battle of Srirangapatnam
in 1799, the islands came under British control. Sovereignity
was transferred to India upon Indian independence in 1947, and
the islands were constituted a union territory in 1956.
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