Lakshadweep is a Union Territory of India which is also known as Laccadives. It is an island group (Archipelago) of 36 islands in the Arabian Sea. Lakshadweep is located about 200 to 400 kilometers off the Malabar Coast.
“Laksham” in Malayalam is “Lakh” or 100,000. Hence Lakshadweep means “One Lakh Islands”. The Lakshadweep islands are the northernmost of the Lakshadweep-Maldives-Chagos group of islands. It originally consisted of 36 islands but due to sea erosion, one island got submerged in water and 35 islands remain now.
The history of Lakshadweep is based on various legends. The first settlement on these islands is during the period of Cheraman Perumal, the last king of Kerala, who converted to Islam. He set out to Mecca from his capital Cranganore (present day Kodungallur) and during his journey lost his way and disappeared. It is believed that his ships were stuck by fierce storm and they were shipwrecked on one island known a Bangaram, from where they went to the nearby island of Agatti.
The main islands belonging to the Lakshadweep are Agatti, Amini, Andrott, Bangaram, Bitra, Chetlat, Kadmat, Kalpeni, Kavaratti, Kiltan and Minicoy where Kavaratti is the capital of Lakshadweep. Lakshadweep is famous for Tourism and can be reached by ships and flights operated from Kochi in Kerala. Kochi is the gateway to Lakshadweep. You can find more information about Tourism here.
Details about Lakshadweep are available at the official site.
