Male’ is the capital of the Maldives. It casts its spell the moment you have a glimpse of it from over the sea. The Golden Dome of the Islamic Centre glistens in the sunlight, new buildings thrust skywards in solitary splendour beside one-story blocks of offices and shops. The capital seems to be rising from the ocean as your vessel draws near. You can only arrive, and leave, by boat to Male’ with its bustling waterfront exerting its strange fascination over everyone.
Male’ is much more than the administrative capital. It is a historical place rich with very interesting stories of maritime adventure, romantic interludes and religious influences, of which a striking example is the golden-doomed Grand Friday Mosque. Its minarets are intricate. Its resounding prayers are compelling. The religious islanders communicate with Allah five times a day. There are, besides, the tombs of legendary saints, the Presidential Palace and the National Museum in the Sultan Park.
Male’s cultural and social life is very colourful indeed. If you walk in the Bazaar for fish and vegetables you always come across some live entertainment programme. The Bazaar is full of imported electronic equipment which are reasonably priced. The local currency Rufiya is stronger than the Indian Rupee. Eleven Rufiyas make one US Dollar.
Within living memory, the streets of the capital were sand, and its houses cadjan ( palm-thatched) shacks. The main complex was the Sultan’s, with a granite block fort and cannons to protect it. Male’ has always been the main island of the Maldives, although why it is called Male’( written with an apostrophe, not an acute accent although it is pronounced Mar-lay) is not clear. Some say it is a contraction of Malei, referring to the Dynasty which ruled the archipelago 800 years ago. Others see it as a combination of words having different meanings.
I have never been to Male’. I hope some day I will visit this beautiful island with the help of my friend Abbas Ibrahim, who is my friend and colleague in the Worldview International Foundation. He is now an MP, as has a lot of influence in his country. You can reach Male’ by air from Thiruvananthapuram in less than an hour. When are you visiting next ?