The smallest union territory, Lakshadweep, is like an emerald green necklace set in the blue waters of the Arabian Sea. It consists of 36 islands, only ten of which are inhabited. They lie about 220 to 400 kilometers from the coast of Kerala. Its total population is about forty thousand, almost all of whom are native Muslims.
We had gone there by helicopter. One can go from Cochin by ship also. It was the month of February. The mild winter of the region was on the wane. We were lazily wandering in the coconut groves along the seashore going up and down
the sandy dunes.Over our heads was
the endless canopy
of the hanging palm leaves, above which was the clear blue sky as vast as the wavy sea down below. A cool mild breeze was blowing which mellowed the afternoon sun. We reached the fishermen's village lying nearby. It was a cluster of neat huts. thatched with palm leaves. In the courtyard lay black pieces of tuna fish, put on coconut leaf mats for drying, also were drying halves of coconut shells or 'copra'.
The Sun was setting, it seemed to be going down into the sea. The fishermen were now returning one by one in their mechanised boats with a big haul of flat, silver - black tunas fondly called 'Sea-chickens'.We were offered some freshly processed fish and coconut Kernel which we relished and gulped down with the refreshing water of the tender coconut.
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