Culture of Lakshadweep

-By Jigya Jain 

Lakshadweep offers tourists with not just a mesmerizing natural setting but attracts them with its simplistic lifestyle and vibrant culture. Its diversified traditions and cultural practices add on to the overall charm of Lakshadweep.

The culture of Lakshadweep is similar to that of Kerala state to a large extent. Its proximity with the state of Kerala and its influence can be seen evidently in the cultural practices of those residing on the islands. The influence can be seen in not just practices but also in cuisine, dance and music of the place.

The main language of the people in Lakshadweep is Malayalam. However, one can find people speaking languages such as Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Marathi, Oriya and Bengali.

Most of the people on the island follow Islamic religion which also defines the culture of Lakshadweep to some extent. However, there are other ethnic groups as well living on the islands.

If legends are to be believed, Hazrat Ubaidullah was the prophet and founder of Islam in Lakshadweep. Festivals such as Zikkar, Eid-ul-Fitr and Eid-ul-Zuha form an important part of the Lakshadweep culture.

Another important part of Lakshadweep lifestyle is fishing. The handicrafts of Lakshadweep are also very popular all over the world. Artisans of the island create attractive jewellery and decorative items from coir, corals, shells and oysters.