 Landing
on a land of heroism
UTHEEM, MALDIVES: Utheem is small, hard to find on a map of the Maldives,
but from this island came one of the greatest heroes the Indian Ocean has
ever known. In 1573 Portuguese invaders were on the verge of putting to
death all Maldivians who refused to renounce Islam and become Christians.
On the fateful night before the planned mass execution, a man from Utheem,
Mohamed Thakurufaan, sailed secretly into Male' leading a band of freedom
fighters. He shot the Portuguese tyrant who was Governor, routed the occupying
forces and restored the islands to Islam and independence.
Facts passed down over 425 years have become embroidered by different
narrators, but there is no gainsaying the triumph of this dedicated man
from Utheem. In the Maldives he is a national hero and, because of his
respect for religion, he continues to be held in the highest esteem. For
Maldivians, a visit to Utheem has the awe of a pilgrimage. For foreigners,
this small northern island with its population of about 700, is a quiet
contrast in a country more often regarded as one glorious holiday resort.
Landing at Utheem is not easy. We arrived by launch and had to wait for
a ladder to be brought so we could clamber down it onto the beach instead
of swimming ashore. Tourists come by safari boat or by dhoni, one of the
motorised all-purpose vessels that serve as taxis between islands. Foreigners
have to obtain a special permit to visit Utheem because it is far from
the islands designated as holiday resorts and the authorities are cautious
about letting tourists upset the cultural and ecological environment.
There has been constant erosion of the island over the years so it is
now much smaller than it was in the 16th century. At that time, Mohamed
Thakurufaan and his two brothers, Ali and Hassan, were the scions of a
well-respected family. The graves of his grandfather and father, an island
chief, are still to be seem at the abandoned mosque in what is now the
uninhabited part of the island.
The graves of men in the Maldives are marked with a pointed headstone,
those of women with a rounded one. There were fears that the Portuguese,
angry at Mohamed and his brothers for their prolonged guerilla activities,
would try to disturb the grave of their father. To mislead them, a rounded
headstone was placed on it so outsiders would think it was a woman's grave.
A pointed headstone was buried below the round one.
The house where this hero of the Maldives used to live is well preserved,
and open to visitors (at a cost of the equivalent of SL Rs 135). It is
a profound experience to visit because it is constructed in traditional
style, while most houses in the Maldives are simple coral cottages or new
buildings of cement blocks.
It is known as a palace since Mohamed Thakurufaan became Sultan, founding
dynasty that endured for 121 years. It stands in a compound of buildings
surrounded by a low white wall from which white flags placed by worshippers
can be seen fluttering outside its verandah. This is low-roofed with wooden
posts, whose base is painted a bright blue, supporting the overhang.
The interior of the palace is hung with white flags and contains relics
of the past, including wooden sandals of different eras. Furniture, such
as antique beds and large wooden chests, are preserved for their connection
with the hero who lived there. A modern monument has been built on the
other side of the vast, sand-covered open area that forms Utheem's public
square. This is the "Bodu Thakurufaan Memorial Centre" and serves
as a place of study for scholars, as well as having a library devoted to
religious and historical books on the Maldives.
There is an air of tranquillity about Utheem. Like many of the inhabited
islands of the Maldives, there seems to be very little happening by day
because the men are either fishing or have migrated to holiday resorts
or Male for work, and the women remain in their homes out of the sun.
It is possible to wander freely around Utheem, imagining how the island
must have been over 425 years ago. Legend has it that as a boy Mohamed
Thakurufaan would go to the beach and trap birds with his bare hands.
He would talk softly to them, warning them to be more careful and not
let themselves be so trusting as to get caught.
Then he freed them. He was regarded as a romantic dreamer but, after
his father sent him to India to study, he returned as a brilliant seaman
and an inspiring, natural leader.
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