Maldives Music

Maldives is an island, due to which its culture is influenced by many nearby countries. Similarly the music of Maldives also has an influence of many nations such as Southern India, East Africa, Arabia and also Malaysia and Indonesia. This makes Maldivian music an indigenous combination of many cultures which has evolved over years of environmental and social effects. The music of Maldives not only consists of good lyrics and tunes, they also express hopes, love, feelings of its natives and their life style. Folk music is the real picture of Maldivian culture and tradition. Other than traditional music, Maldivian music also includes various forms of international music that has entered the island at different time during history.

The various different forms of dances and music that are enjoyed by Maldivian together to celebrate festivals and special events have helped them to stay united. The music keeps patriotism alive in their hearts. Some of the music and dances that represents its culture and marks its festivals and other events are:

Bodu Beru is the most famous type of Maldivian music, in which participants dance on the beats of drums. Generally, there is a lead singer who is accompanied by a group of 10-15 singers. The dance mainly consists of jerks, leaps and claps.

Bandiya Jehun is the next most popular form of dance and music in Maldives. It is a ‘women only’ form of folk dance in which the dancers carry metal water pots and move to the rhythm and tune of the music. This dance can be performed on both traditional and modern music.

Thaara is another form of Maldivian music which is performed by 22 people in two parallel rows facing each other. It is more of religious dance form where only men participate. Arabs introduced Thaara in the seventeenth century but now it can only be seen on national events.

Dhandijehun is a form of group dance performed only by men in special dresses. The dancers use a prop called ‘Dhandi’ and move to the tunes of the song. Here, dancers strike their sticks with their partner’s stick to dance.

Langiri is a modified form of Tharra. It is mostly enjoyed as an evening dance show where young men dances on the rhythm of music. This dance form also uses sticks which are clapped in different pattern with neighboring dancers. There is also a main singer who recites the lyrics and it usually lasts for six to seven songs.

Other form of Maldives music and dance includes Bolimalaafath neshun, Gaa Odi Lava, Maafathi neshun, Kulhudhuffushi and Fathigandu Jehun. All these forms of music and dance show the rich culture of Maldives. Each form of music has its own importance and origin in history. Some of them have slightly modified with time and have adapted to modern music. Tourists who are music and dance lovers must attend the cultural shows at Maldives. This will give you the flavor of real folk dances and traditional music which is influenced by a number of countries.

Maldives Economy

Tourism has been the main factor for the growth of Maldives economy which is growing at a rate of over 10% for the past 20 years. This is contributing to the GDP at a good rate. The field of trading and fisheries also contribute well to it. Foreigners are always welcomed in the Maldives to invest, and they do so too, giving a boost to the economy.

The two currencies used in the Maldives are Laaris and Rufiyas. One US Dollar is equivalent to approximately 12 Rufiyas. The Rufiyas are not available in coins, but notes of 500, 100, 50, 20, 10, 5 and 2 being the least. People can pay for their stay at resorts and villas with hard cash or through major credit cards. Foreign currency which is common to be found in Maldives is the American Dollar.

The literacy rate among the people is pretty good, that is 98%, and the medium of teaching is English in almost all the schools, though certain schools use Arabic and their Maldivian language to propagate education. The system of teaching is followed as like the British system.

The Government is trying its best to improve the health facilities in the country. The biggest hospital is located at the capital island of Maldives, which is Male’. Doctors from all parts of the world practice and treat here to provide excellent healthcare facilities. Even the resorts and villas have doctors appointed for cases of emergencies to treat the guests. There are many private hospitals and practitioners spread all over the country.

The communication system in Maldives was not that sophisticated, but in the last ten years it has shown a great deal of improvement. The advancement in technology has reached these islands which are now able to communicate with the outside world without any hassle. Dhiraagu, which is a British company related to wireless and cable connections has played an important role in it by providing mobiles for rent and also internet connection.

Since Maldives is located on the equatorial region of the world, it receives daylight from 6am to 6pm almost throughout the year. Here the weekend is on Friday and Saturday, and people have to work from Sunday to Thursday. The sector which comes under the Government; people have to work from 7:30 in the morning to 2:30 in the afternoon, while the ones living in the private sector work from 9am to 5pm.

Maldives History

The Maldives is an island country comprising of 1192 islands and 26 natural atolls. The history of this nation is as interesting as its overwhelming natural beauty. Being located at the major maritime routes of the Indian Ocean, this island country had certain important historic moments throughout it’s past. Except a small period of 15 years in the 16th century, when the Portuguese occupied the island country of Maldives, it has been independent all through its history. After the Portuguese were overthrown it became a British Protectorate for about 80 years in the 19th century. However, the Maldivians gained complete independence in the year 1965.

Historians claim that at the time around 500 B.C., when the Aryan immigrants colonized Srilanka, they settled in the island of Maldives too. It was the beginning of human civilization in the Maldives. Further many people from South India and Srilanka also migrated to this island country. With the help of the latest archeological sources, historians suggest this nation to be inhabited as early as the 1500 B.C. However the first recorded contact of this nation with the outside world began in 947 A.D. when an Arab traveler came to this island country with the idea of trading. It was then, that the world really got to know how rich Maldives was in coconuts, pearls, spices, dried fish and certainly the cowry shells.

The outside world had a real impact on the culture and the history of Maldives. Buddhist traditions and practices were in vogue for the early traders but with the influence of the Persian and Arabic traders, Maldivians converted into Islam. This era is very important in the Maldivian history. The national language Dhivehi also seems to have been highly influence by the Arabic and the Persian language.

After Abul Barakaath Yoosuf Al-Barbary, the first recognized king of the Maley dynasty converted to Islam, all the rulers came to be known as Sultans. Sultan Mohammed-bin-Abdullah was the new name for king Koimala for a good part of his 25 years reign. The Maley dynasty ruled for about 235 years and then gave space to the Hilali dynasty who kept their control on the Maldives for about another 170 years.

The last ruler of the Hilali dynasty, Sultan Ali VI was defeated by Captain Andreas Andre of the Portuguese army. The colonialist’s tried to maintain their control on the Maldives for about 15 years. But it was the time when the real Maldivian hero was born. It was Mohammed Thakurufaan who made everything possible that the Portuguese were thrown out of the nation. Even today one can easily see a lot of love and respect among the local Maldivians for their hero. Muhammad reigned for a peaceful 12 years and died in the year 1585. The Utheemu dynasty of Muhammad however continued to rule over the Maldives for about 127 years. The next ruler after the Utheemu dynasty was Raja of Cannanore from the South coast of India who destroyed the royal palace and sent the Sultan into exile. However under the guidance of Ghazi Hassan lzzaddeen, the Maldivian forces recombined and defeated the Raja of Cannanore. This was the beginning of the Huraage dynasty, which continued till Maldives were announced to be Republic.

Today this island country of Maldives is completely independent and the local people are really enjoying their life in this beautiful naturally designed nation. The Maldives have good cultural and economic ties with its neighboring countries like India and Srilanka. The Mulee Aage, which is the president’s residence and the Hukuru Miskiy or the Friday Mosque are some of the historical monuments of this ancient nation.

Maldives Religion

Being one of the best holiday destinations in the world, there is a lot to notice about the heritage culture and the lifestyle of the local people of the Maldives. The main religion of this island country is Islam and all the people have true faith in their religion. Most of the local people of the Maldives are Sunni Muslims. They believe in their almighty “Allah” and conduct prayers 5 times a day in the nearby mosques. One can easily find a large number of stunning mosques and domes spread all over the inhabited islands of the Maldives.

It is more often than not said by the historians that Buddhism used to be the predominant religion of the Maldives before 1200 A.D. However, then Islam took over as the main religion of this island country and today one can easily find the impact of this sacred religion in the hearts of the local people. The beautiful golden dome of the Islamic center in the capital island Male, is a real treat to watch. This sacred dome was built in the year 1984 as a result of the President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom’s commitment to encourage and reinforce the character of the nation.

The artistic beauty involved in the making of this center is worth mentioning. Tourists’ coming to Male makes sure that they give a visit to this gorgeous center. The nicely built and comfortable interior of this center is often used for the necessary official occasions and regular meetings. The dark woodcarvings portray the religion’s history and are very special for the people of the Maldives. Worshippers get to see both the communication tower of the Postal building and the elegant minaret of the Islamic center while being in a mosque for offering prayers. It really seems to fill the gap between technology and tradition. The awesome beauty of the mosque gets breathtaking in the quite night and the tourist really feels it as a memorable moment of their life while standing at the steps and looking upwards at one of the most spectacular mosques of the world.

The Maldivians have a true faith in their religion and they believe in respecting other religions too. Maldivian hospitality to the tourists is something which can really show their respect towards other people. They look at Allah as the supreme of all the powers and the creator of the world. They believe that nothing can be done or even thought of without the permission of the almighty Allah. They consider “Muhammad” to be the messenger of Allah who can help them lead a pure life. Like all the other religions they believe that their deeds in their life will decide whether they will get hell or heaven after their death. Only good actions like offering alms to the poor, saying prayers five times a day, fasting for a whole month of Ramadan and offering a visit to the sacred Mecca can help them reach the heaven.

Maldivian Language – Dhivehi

Islam is the main religion which is followed in the Maldives and subsequently the national language, Dhivehi is found to have been highly influenced by the Arabic language. Dhivehi or Divehi as it is popularly known is an Indo–Aryan language which is spoken by more than 400,000 local people of the Maldives. Together with Arabic, this language is found to contain many of the Hindi, English, Malayalam, Portuguese and Persian words. The English words like “doni” and “atoll” are the adapted forms of the Maldivian words “Dhoni” and “Atolhu”.

Maldives is a group of large number of coral islands and so one may find a difference in the vocabulary and pronunciation of the Dhivehi language among the people of different islands. The Maliku Bas, Male’ Bas, Moloki Bas, Huvadu Bas and the Addu Bas are the different variants of the Dhivehi language spoken in the island country of the Maldives. Maliku Bas is the only Dhivehi language that is used in writing. All the other languages are simply spoken or find there presence felt in the classical Maldivian poetry and songs.

The Maldivians uses three levels of speech in the Dhivehi language

• “Enme maaiy goiy” finds place in addressing the members of the royal blood and the upper class.
• “Maaiy goiy” finds place for showing respect for the elders.
• “Aadhaige goiy” is used in everyday life and is the most informal level of speech used for talking.

The people of Maldives hardly greet anyone with a “hello” or a “goodbye”. Instead these islanders welcome each other with a smile on their face and raising their eyebrows. Some time they may use the normal Arabic welcoming words “Assalaamu Alaikum” while greeting each other. Similarly they may use the word “Dhanee” for wishing goodbye to anyone.

Some more useful phrases used in the Dhivehi language are:
“Aan” for “Yes”
“Noon” for “No”
“Kihineh?” for “How are you?”
“Shukuriyaa” for “Thank you”
“Ma-aafu kurey” for “I am sorry”
“Gadin kihaa ireh?” for “what time is it?”

The Dhivehi language is currently written using the Tana or Thaana script which is written from right to left. This Thaana script is said to be invented in the 16th century after the defeat of the Portuguese. The earlier Dhivehi language has gone through many transformations in the past centuries, and one can easily find the ancient Dhivehi language inscribed on the historical metal tabs which are known as “Loamaafaanu”.

Dhivehi is importantly used in the administration of the country and all the Maldivians respect their national language. The local schools used to consider Dhivehi as the medium of teaching till 1960. But with the government understanding the importance of globalization, has introduced English as the medium of education in all the schools. Many of the Maldivian kids are now familiar with the English language early in their life. The literacy rate of this island country is something around 98% and is far better than other South Asian countries.

Vital Information about the Maldives

Items Which are Prohibited

There are certain items which are not allowed by the Government Law to import them in the country. The Items are as follows:

• Any type of Nuclear Weapons or Gunpowder is not allowed
• Spear Guns, Chemicals which are hazardous and importing addictive drugs can bring some serious trouble for you. People are given life imprisonment for it
• Acids and different types of poisoning material is prohibited
• Animals which can be dangerous are not allowed. Carrying Liquor and Pork is also not advisable as it will be returned only during your departure. These are available at the resorts and hotels in Maldives
• Material which contain pornography should not be carried along with you
• Items which are made from endangered species are not allowed

Using a Private Jet

If you wish to enter the Islands of Maldives through air in a private jet, or pass over it, you require the permission from the Civil Aviation. You need to apply to Director of it 72 hours before you intend to land into the country in your private jet.

Using a Private Yacht

The customs are the ones who can give you the permission to enter Maldives in your private yacht. It can be granted only if they are notified 3 days before you arrive.

Crews Working for Professional Film-Makers

If the foreign film industry wants to shoot advertisements, movies and documentaries at the exotic location of Maldives, it can only be carried out after the Maldives Ministry of Arts, Culture and Information allow them to do so.

Maldives Visa Requirements

To get an entry to the Republic of Maldives, there are certain requirements which need to be fulfilled by the visitors after which the entry permit can be granted to them. The requirements to be fulfilled are stated as follows:

• A valid international travel document should be present which is issued by the government of Sovereign State’s.
• A return air ticket which is a valid one; to the next destination where the person has planned to go. He or she should have the permission to enter that destination and also the visa to carry on with his journey to that place.
• A reservation at a hotel should be made prior to your visit to Maldives and every person should have a minimum $30 (US) per day along with them.

The above requirements are exempted for the following people:

• UN Personnel
• A Diplomat
• People who are approved for employment
• People who are attached to the Government and are experts in the Technical and other fields as well
• Those who have bookings which are confirmed in hotels and tourist resorts which are registered under the government
• The ones who are sponsored by a Maldivian

A prior visa is not a necessity to enter Maldives. When the visitors arrive at designated ports, they get the entry permit based on the immigration requirements.

Sponsorship

The sponsorship program helps a foreigner to enter the Republic of Maldives without much of a hassle. The form for this purpose is available at the immigration and should be filled and submitted by the sponsor.

Without the sponsorship being approved, the foreigner cannot get entry to Maldives. It is the foreigner headache to make sure that the sponsorship program is approved before he or she lands up into Maldives. Any local person of Maldives or a locally registered company can act as a sponsor.

The Renewal of Tourist Visa

The renewal process of the tourist visa can only take place if the person applies to the immigration for a renewal before the existing visa gets expired. Immigration studies the person’s financial condition to make sure that he or she can stay at Maldives. The Extension Application form is required to be filled and applied, and this form is available at the Head Office during work hours only. This extension can be granted to a maximum of 90 days only, including the days which were already granted on arrival. An extra charge of Rufiyaa 750 is applicable as a visa fee if the stay is extended to the maximum that is of 90 days. If the number of days of extension is added to the number of days already granted, and the result is not more than 30 days, then no extra fee on the visa will be charged. Those foreigners who do not extend their visa or stay for more number of days than granted, maybe deported from the Republic of Maldives.

Maldives Cruising

Cruising in Maldives provides you with an opportunity to discover the sparkling waters and to enjoy an absolute escape to sea. If you are going to Maldives and you are not experiencing the breathtaking pleasures of Maldives cruising, then without a doubt your holiday will have been incomplete.

It is in the course of cruising in Maldives that you can view underwater marine wonders and the natural beauty of Maldivian lagoons. The waters close to the reef houses are as clear as crystal and offer a spectacular holiday time to tourists.

August to February is considered as the most excellent time to visit the place, as Maldives experiences tropical climate all throughout the year. The months from May to September are specifically dominated by southwest monsoons while months from December to April pronounce the influence of Northeast monsoons. So strong winds and rough seas along with recurrent high tides exemplifies the weather of Maldives at this point of time. So pack your bags now and get geared up to smoothly sail through the crystal clear waters.

Liveaboards
Liveaboards in Maldives are an expression of indispensable cruising experience in Maldives.  A selection of the popular boats for cruising include:

• Atoll Explorer
• Adventurer I
• Nooraanee Queen
• Sultan of Maldives
• Island Explorer
• Sultan of Maldives

Most of these are operational with the following modern facilities:

• Air-conditioning
• Sun decks
• Cabins coupled with bathrooms and kitchenettes
• Sound proof generators
• Cabins and lounge areas
• Diving and safety equipments like oxygen cylinders and compressors.
• Restaurant and bar facilities

The vessel size may vary from single, double to even forty-fifty cabin ships, depending on your taste and preferences.

Be it sunset or sunrise, the entire experience of cruising in Maldives safari boats is outstanding. While you sail around in the boats you can gaze at the colorful sky ahead that breaks into crimson sunset or golden dawn. Watch the waters shining with silvery gleam beneath the moonlit night. As you unwind yourself on al fresco on deck, experience the counting of stars. Just grasp a haul of tunas and barracudas or simply take pleasure in a splendid meal of seafood delicacies while you smell the warmth of sea air.

Escaping the tantrums of day to day life, Maldives cruising is a hospitable relief. You can also take pleasure in a wide assortment of water sports like diving, jet skiing, snorkeling, paragliding, simply riding or windsurfing in cool lucent waters.

The boats are generally equipped with chefs that promise you with ideal culinary delights. One can enjoy Italian, Thai, Japanese, Asian and German dishes all along wit a plethora of special seafood snacks and touch of champagnes and exotic wines.

Featured Yacht Rania
Rania is a sumptuous yacht that provides you with an ultimate experience as you can relax yourself beneath the miraculous spell of the stars and moon. While you observe the splendid sunrise and sunset you can take pleasure in the culinary wonders that are held in the hands of private chefs, mend your body, mind and spirit. You can pamper yourself by spa treatments and get pleasure from a memorable experience.

The rooms in Rania are fitted with the following amenities:

• Air-conditioning
• Tea-coffee making facilities
• Comfortable beds and beddings
• Mini bars
• Satellite TVs
• Internet facilities
• DVD/CD players

The much-admired chefs are at all times available for your service and you can splendidly enjoy a widespread variety of culinary buffets. To expend your time aidst the lavish yacht, it requires some exclusive booking.

Along with many other water sports like windsurfing, snorkeling, fishing and paragliding you can enjoy a diving experience worth lifetime. Rania experience provides magnificent diving experiences in Faafu Atoll that unquestionably rivals the diving experiences close to Red Sea and Great Barrier Reef.  So pack your bags and get ready for cruising in Maldives to have a holiday of a lifetime that you will never forget.

Underwater Beauty

There are many excellent photo opportunities in the Maldives, and many great shots have been taken. Below are a couple of the ones we liked best:

Maldives Geography

The Geographical Structure of Maldives

Maldives geography is based upon a group of 26 coral islands which are formed by approximately 1,190 coral reef islands, and there are 20 administrative atolls along with Male which is the capital island of them all. It is a neighbor of Sri Lanka and is situated southwest of it. The view of Maldives from the air is splendid because of the beautiful patterns it makes in the clear blue sea.

Maldives has numerous islands among which only 200 of them have people living there. The north-south stretch of this country is approximately 824 kilometers and from east to west it is about 129 kilometers. Maldives is more of blue water than the land because more than 99% of it is sea.

Along with the Lakshadweep and Chagos Islands, Maldives forms a long submarine mountain range, on the ridge of which the coral reefs are growing. The Maldivian atolls are very unique and each of them has a coral reef which encloses several lagoons and natural channels. ‘Faru’ is strange reef structure which you can only find in Maldives, and refers to round reefs in a line. Moving through the atolls is not a difficult task, though there are strong winds and currents at times, especially during the monsoons. There are also nice waves making this a great surfing destination.

Most of the Maldives islands are small enough to walk from one end to another in less than ten minutes. The longest one is Hithadhoo which is around 8 kilometers long and is situated in the Addu atoll. These islands sound pretty small according to their sizes, but occupy a vast area because of the openness, the crystal clear blue sea and the beaches which merge with each other. Spending your time in these beautiful Maldives islands, below the blue skies and a calm environment, gives your mind and soul the ultimate relaxation and peacefulness.

The top layer of the islands of Maldives is made up of a mixture of sand and organic matter which is formed when vegetables and dead animals get accumulated, resulting in a dark soil like material called humus. This forms the topmost layer of six inches. Below this layer are the sand stones which occupy 2 feet deep space. Beneath this layer one can find fresh water stored in the sands. This is the reason why one will see fresh water lakes in most of the islands. The green vegetation is covered with tall elegant coconut trees, short dense shrubs and many other plants which bear attractive flowers.

The geography of the Maldives are founded upon the concept of atoll reefs which act as protective barrier for these coral islands against the strong current of the sea because they are just six feet above the level of the sea. But erosion is a common phenomenon, especially for those islands situated close to the windward reefs. There have been many devastating encounters of gale storms in the year 1812 and 1955, and the scientists have also said that the Islands of Maldives are in danger due to the rise in the sea level caused by global warming. To safeguard the country from such natural calamities, the government has built up artificial breakwaters and other safety measures with the help of Japan, and has started purchasing land in India, in the event of excessive population displacement.

The Maldives are very beautiful series of islands to be enjoyed by all, so book your Maldives vacation packages today!

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