IMAGINATION: December 2006

Most of the western world, knows only young coconut (kurumba) and coconut (kaashi). However, in Maldives we have names for every stage of coconut:

Raama = flower
Gobolhi = immediately after it becomes a fruit
Miri = just before young coconut
Londhi hevaa kuruba = after miri and when the kernel is soft and watery
Kurubaa = young coconut (best for drinking)
Gabulhi = in between kurumba and kaashi (good for pudding etc)
Kaashi = when it turns to coconut which can be used for cooking

Shows how important a part coconut played in our life!

Gloriosa.Superba.bud

One of my favorite flowers (viha lagodhi) which grow wild in the Maldives. I've read that in some countries, it's considered as a pest.

Gloriosa.Superba

One of my favorite flowers which grow wild in the Maldives. I've read that in some countries, it's considered as a pest.

This beauty is poisonous? What's the proper English name for this?

Lhaimagu beach

This is kokko's (my nephew) hand. He loves the beach. Every time myself and Shaxu goes to the beach, he will want to join us. He loves dipping into the sea.

Gemendhoo Jetty at Sunset

Getting ready to leave the tsunami devastated island.

Gemendhoo road

Gemendhoo roads, covered with rotting vegetable matter and plants.

Gemendhoo bridge

Gemendhoo people were in the process of expanding their community into the adjoining island before the tsunami.

Here you see the bridge which used to join both the islands, completely destroyed during the tsunami of 2004.

Gemendhoo jetty

Gemendhoo is one of the islands completely destroyed by the tsunami of 2004. Today, the island is uninhabited - the only remains are destroyed buildings and plants.