Week-long Minicoy festival begins in Kochi

Kochi, Nov 18 : It is a small island with a population of about 10,000 people that you have probably not heard of. Minicoy is Lakshadweep's southernmost island and it takes 18 hours by ship to get there from Kochi. Now people will be able to experience Minicoy's cuisine and learn about its crafts as a week-long festival has begun here.

The festival began Monday evening in Kochi. It is being organised by the Centre for Action Research on Environment Science and Society (CARESS), a Chennai based NGO, Maliku Development Society, Maliku Hikimas Producers Society both of which are in Minicoy and the CGH Earth group of hotels.

"This is the first time Kochi is hosting this unique event," Jose Dominic of CGH Earth told IANS.

"The cuisine of Minicoy is not known to many and includes tasty short eats, rie riha (red fish curry), kavaabu (kebab), teluli mas (fried fish), tora riha (pichinga curry), burubo riha (pumpkin curry), handoo bai (rice), faratta (paratha), fathafoli (rice/maida appam), keenathu and haalifoli. These are quite different to Kerala preparations," said Dominic.

Minicoyans are famous for their detailed handicrafts and boat building.

Dalekha, a 45-year-old woman, who is the team leader, said that this exposure is good for them.

" We are not at all known outside of our island and it is visits like these which make us known and our place and our culture. Even though we are part of India our culture is similar to the Maldivian culture. We are Muslims but we don't wear the purdah, instead we use the gown," said Dalekha.

On display at the exhibition are the handicrafts from the island which include jahaadhoani, (snake boats used for towing sailing vessels), kuruveli (a traditional purse used by womenfolk for carrying areca nuts, betel, lime), nau (wooden merchant ship model) and dathuru odi (sailing vessel).

Vineetha Hoon, managing trustee of CARESS, said that the NGO works with groups of these women in Minicoy.

"Our area of work amongst these women is for conservation, livelihood and enterprise. Fish is the main export item and these women's self-help groups have export licenses. We work for their upliftment and it is these exposure visits that help them expand their horizon," said Hoon.