Long before Maldives became this amazing tourist destination, when it was not imagined that a Maldives luxury resort could be heaven on earth and even when its beautiful shores had been underexplored there are still telltale signs of there having been occupancy of these thousand-odd islands. As the years rolled by and with the world becoming more and more connected, the news spread about the gorgeous blue waves and the pristine sands of the country. Soon afterwards the country saw an influx of tourists and to complement the fabulous natural wonders, properties such as the COMO Maalifushi, The Maldives began to operate. Many visitors don’t dwell on the history or politics of the country due to the rapture created by the ocean, the palm fringed beach and now these discerning hotels.
Even though most tourists may not be interested, excavations have proved that these islands were inhabited even two millennia ago, just like its closest neighbours, Sri Lanka and India. However, unlike these two neighbours, Maldives had been under foreign rule only briefly. The Radun and Ranin or kings and queens of the land had reined over and the military had kept invaders at bay. It had been a predominantly Buddhist nation with Hinduism followed by a handful. The local language, Divehi, bears many similarities to the Aryan languages spoken in the region and what is spoken today is the evolved version of what the Maldivian ancestors used for over a thousand years. Though there have not been as many temples, statues, stupas and ancient buildings as have been found in Sri Lanka, archaeologists believe that it may be because these structures were built with wood or clay.
Maldives had supplied cowrie shells for the region to transact in the era before notes and coins. When trade expanded and the silk route was established, Middle Eastern traders built close ties with the Maldivians. This resulted in Maldives adopting Islam as their religion in the year 1153 and many locals converted following the sultan. Chronicles state that the conversion was peaceful, but there may have been isolated incidents of violence. In more recent history, though the Portuguese and Dutch had been present in Maldives, they had not ruled the land.
The country gained full independence from having been a British protectorate in 1965 but started to bloom as a tourist destination after the 1990s.
Caleb Falcon is a travel writer who specializes in writing content based on the many exciting world adventures that await intrepid travellers.
