Ihavandhoo (Haa Alif Atoll)

Ihavandhoo (Haa Alif Atoll)

Ihavandhoo is a typical island in Maldives. The first settlers of the island were a mystery to historians. It is believed that they are early Maldivian settlers dating back to 5th century BC with the Aryan immigrants coming from neighboring countries India and Srilanka. The island had maintained its uniqueness like that of many other islands in the Maldives; its culture, traditions, language and religion had been as of any other island in Maldives.

The story of Mohamed Thakurufaanu (Boduthankurufaanu), the Maldivian hero who defeated the Portuguese rule in Maldives, reveals that mother of Mohamed Thakurufaanu was an Ihavandhoo lady. According to history, Portuguese conquered Maldives and ruled brutally for more than 17 years until the national hero defeated them by fighting in a miraculous sea boat called Kalhuohfunmi.Today, Maldivians commemorate National Day in remembrance of Mohamed Thakufaanu whose mother hail from the historical land of Ihavandhoo.

In Maldivian History, little has been written about Ihavandhoo. One of the available books was written by Maldives prominent historian Mr.Mohamed Ibrahim Luthufy in his famous history book “Dhivehi Raajjeyge Geographyge Vanavaru” (The Geographical Atlas of Maldives), in which he mentioned about the physical of the people of Ihavandhoo.

The island has a mosque built by Sultan Ibrahim Muhirudheen on 16 December 1701 using brain corals. The mosque was later refurbished and upgraded but its origin maintained as the mosque is the only archaeological evidence in Ihavandhoo island.