By: Aminath Saany Naseer
Red, green and white on a flag that swayed freely to every blowing breeze. The voice of the children laughing and playing. The sight of men working with their sarongs rolled up to their mid thigh. The beautiful ladies well attired with dresses that sparkled to the nearest mile. There was the most exquisite aroma. The scent of independence was what it was. Maldivians have long been known for their courage and bravery when it comes to defending their beloved nation from any villain which keeps a vicious eye to take control of our magnificent archipelagoes. This can be seen from the pages of history where brave warriors courageously risked their lives to save the nation in one situation or the other.
Approximately a century and half years after the liberation of Maldives from the Portuguese, Maldives again had to face a ferocious attack by the Malabars (habitants of Kerala in Southern India) on 20th December 1752. This was during the third year of Sultan Mukarram Muhammed Imaduddin III’s (younger brother of the Sultan Ibrahim Iskandhar II) reign. The attack was a conspired one, with the help of two local collaborators who communicated through letters to Cannanore Ali raja. The conspirators, Qadi Muhammed Shamsuddin and Katheeb Ahmed Muhiyyuddin promised to hand over power to him, to which he responded by sending in fleets of men to invade Male; capital of Maldive islands. However these two betrayers were killed after the Malabars successfully completed their conquest.
The attack came late at night, when people were unaware and asleep. The Malabars entered the waters of Maldives and on to the capital Male’. They then led a campaign of terror and sabotage, killing everyone they came across. They also burnt and destroyed the palace and the property of the common people. When the violence continued, the king who was in hiding inside the protected palace walls requested the enemies for peace, to which they refused. The refusal was reasoned by saying that they would not accept peace until the king himself confronted them.
The whole nation felt threatened and hopeless, and was on the brink of losing their peaceful harmony and independence. The sultan then daringly decided to hand himself in, to the Malabars. The Malabars then hijacked him along with the Sultan’s heir and some of their loyal followers and took them to the Malabar’s main fleet. This resulted for the Malabars to have absolute control over the whole of Maldives and show their brutality to the residents who waited hopelessly for someone who would save the country from this horrid nightmare.
Days passed away, and the repression of the Malabars continued to grow worse. Anger and frustration grew amongst the Maldivians, and angry patriotism began to arise. Among a group of such patriotic characters was Hassan Manikufaanu, son of Huraa Muhammed Faamuladeyri Manikufaanu. He is who we know today as “Dhonbandaarain” or “Sultan Ghazee Hassan Izzuddin”. He was the dominant patriot who saved the magnificent islands from this threatening foreign subjugation.
The Malabars resided at the “Veyodhoshu Ganduvaru” (palace). During dawn, “Dhonbandaarain” planned the pre-dawn prayers to be recited earlier than usual. After progressing as planned, he got a Malabar retainer to open the gates of the palace, along with which a sudden attack advanced by him and his companions. They killed, and drove away the Malabars off the palace and off the island. Few of them managed to escape and fled the country in a ship. This important episode of history took place on 7th April 1753. Even after, driving away the Malabars, Maldives still experienced the disturbance of them periodically. For instance, there was one event in which the Malabars advanced and occupied the island of “Dhonakulhi” where they operated and sent groups to kill people and loot property. However, “Dhonbandaarain” by hearing the news took action against them and succeeded which resulted in him being titled as “Rannabandeyri Kilegefaan”. It can be said that the attacking strategy used by him was one of the most brilliant war tactic used in the history of the Maldives, even until today.
The day in which the Malabars were defeated is celebrated even today, as “Huravee Day” to remember the heroes and to pass on the true story of courage, determination, and martyrdom to the present generations. Such stories of history should be remembered and taken lessons from to maintain the liberty that our forefathers have triumphed for us. Even, after this event, Maldives has been occasionally overpowered by other foreign nations, and until today has always prevailed victory.
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