subject: National Day Celebrations Of Maldives A Cheerful Event To Be Witnessed [print this page] Maldives, located about 700 km southwest of Sri Lanka, is the smallest Asian country. This chain of islands was originally a Buddhist nation, until Islam was introduced in 1153 and the last Buddhist king of Maldives converted to Islam, perhaps because of the value of the Arabs as traders in the Indian Ocean at the time.
In 1503, the Maldivians first major encounter with Portuguese took place. In 1525, a titular king of the Maldives named Mamalle was captured and put to death by the Portuguese. Even though at the beginning of 1550s, some Maldivian kings managed to step up and defeat the Portuguese to a certain extent, soon after they returned with better commanders and a stronger force, vanquishing the ruling king and sentencing him to death. The invaders went on to capture Male and built a fortress, after which they went forth to force the other islands to surrender to them as well, killing many of the inhabitants.
After this invasion, the Maldive Islands were ruthlessly ruled by the Portuguese for a period of time which is described as a time when numerous atrocities were committed by the conquerors, a time which entailed great hardship for the Maldivians, who were driven to despair. However, a courageous man named Muhammad Thakurufaanu was determined to bring an end to this situation. With his two brothers he left the Maldive Islands to Maliku in India, where they built a ship and named it Kalhuoffummi, which was used to fight the Portuguese from the sea. Eventually, along with other Maldivians who were prepared to sacrifice their lives for the freedom of their motherland, the Utheemu brothers managed to defeat the whole Portuguese battalion and achieved independence in 1573, after which the Maldivians appointed Mohamed Thakurufaanu as their sultan.
Hence the Maldivians celebrate their national day each year during this time. This celebration includes street marches and parades taking place on the streets of Male, the capital and other islands as well. You can enjoy a vacation at a Maldives resort while witnessing this victorious celebration or immerse yourself in the signature Maldivian island resort lifestyle while enjoying enchanting views at water bungalows Maldives. For those whose desires extend beyond good accommodation and beautiful scenery, Chaaya Lagoon Hakura Huraa must be recommended.
